Help regarding damaged scales

[MuicyJelon]

My BP keeps climbing the heat source (RHP) in the viv and wrapping around it then eventually falling off.
This isn’t the first time it’s happened either. The first being last month, at the time I had been using a CHE with a circular metal guard he wrapped himself around it rather easy, he fell off this one time & damaged the scales on his belly, things went back to normal after he had shed which was about a week later.
(He shed whilst not being in my care, took him to shop where we got him so they could mind him as we had a family funeral to sort).
Anyway, now he’s done it again and to me it seems worse, like before it lifted his belly scales up except this time it’s down his side & a bit on the belly, not that far down from his head. And I don’t know what to do as it’s the weekend, the vets aren’t open during these days. & it’s the only vets in my city that deals with reptiles.
This is what the result of the fall is:
It worse from my point of view I couldn’t get a good angle. To me it looks like someone’s went to scale a fish then changed their mind.
Just hoping he doesn’t get scale rot as I can see a bit of pink round where it’s happened. And I’m starting to question if he’s mentally disabled, like off the charts ‘special’. After I put him back in the viv he wanted to do it all over again so I’ve turned the RHP off for a bit in case he burns himself.
*sorry for the length of this. I’m not happy at all about this, really annoyed.


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[Bogertophis]

From what I can see the damage doesn't look like much to worry about...snakes do bend their scales back from time to time, no big deal. I don't use RHP's
but I can understand your frustration though...I'd try to find a way to block him from being able to climb it. More importantly, it suggest to me that he wants
to be warmer than he is. You might consider a second heat source, UTH, if you aren't already using one. If he has a snug hide over UTH, he might stop caring
about (& climbing) the RHP? Just my hunch... and btw, I don't see anything worth running to a vet for. You don't see a doctor when you bend a fingernail, do
you?

[MuicyJelon]

From what I can see the damage doesn't look like much to worry about...snakes do bend their scales back from time to time, no big deal. I don't use RHP's
but I can understand your frustration though...I'd try to find a way to block him from being able to climb it. More importantly, it suggest to me that he wants
to be warmer than he is. You might consider a second heat source, UTH, if you aren't already using one. If he has a snug hide over UTH, he might stop caring
about (& climbing) the RHP? Just my hunch...

Thanks for replying. Think you got onto to my last post about his scales.
I don’t really know if he’d be doing it for warmth as he spends most of his time in the cold end & to me the temps seem alright my room is in the loft/attic it gets cold up here especially in winter so I’m using an oil heater for ambient temps keep it on high which, manages to keep the floor on the cold end at a stable temp. I completely get where you’re coming from though.
I switched to a rhp at the end of December because of what happened before it, I do have a UTH with a glass protector in case of burns but don’t use it as would be quite hard to fit it in. Next time I clean him out I’m gonna have a look to see what I can put around it, it’ll probably be thin pieces of wood that won’t give him splinters.


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[MuicyJelon]

From what I can see the damage doesn't look like much to worry about...snakes do bend their scales back from time to time, no big deal. I don't use RHP's
but I can understand your frustration though...I'd try to find a way to block him from being able to climb it. More importantly, it suggest to me that he wants
to be warmer than he is. You might consider a second heat source, UTH, if you aren't already using one. If he has a snug hide over UTH, he might stop caring
about (& climbing) the RHP? Just my hunch... and btw, I don't see anything worth running to a vet for. You don't see a doctor when you bend a fingernail, do
you?

About that last bit I wouldn’t go there obviously.... But here’s one for you (it’s really horrible & disgusting but I’ll say it anyway..sorry we’ve got a family friend that rips his toe nails out with pliers every time they grow. This is a weird individual.


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[Bogertophis]

...we’ve got a family friend that rips his toe nails out with pliers every time they grow. This is a weird individual...

I hope he gets some help...psychologically speaking. That's pretty self-destructive, like those who cut themselves. Great way to get a serious infection too.

[MuicyJelon]

I hope he gets some help...psychologically speaking. That's pretty self-destructive, like those who cut themselves. Great way to get a serious infection too.

Haha. We know. He’s not the type to care what others think of it though.

One more thing about my BP is there in particular I should keep an eye out for? I just don’t want him to wrap round it again, fall and possibly make it worse. Or get infected.



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[Bogertophis]

Maybe someone else (the uses RHP) can suggest something...hard for me, not seeing it. Hope you figure out something though.

[MuicyJelon]

Maybe someone else (the uses RHP) can suggest something...hard for me, not seeing it. Hope you figure out something though.

Might be a stupid question but how could I tell if he was in pain?
Sorry for going on about it.


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[Bogertophis]

Might be a stupid question but how could I tell if he was in pain?
Sorry for going on about it.


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I don't think he's in pain from folding some of his scales back...it happens many other ways too. But considering that some snakes (esp. BPs) have been known to
sit on excessive heat to the point of getting 'burns' (which I'm sure does hurt though maybe not at first?) it's hard to say. I'm sure snakes do feel pain & do back
off when rodents bite back, for example, but it's easier to just concern yourself with whether or not he is injured. You want to avoid not only his pain but infections.
Bent scales, meh...

[MuicyJelon]

I don't think he's in pain from folding some of his scales back...it happens many other ways too. But considering that some snakes (esp. BPs) have been known to
sit on excessive heat to the point of getting 'burns' (which I'm sure does hurt though maybe not at first?) it's hard to say. I'm sure snakes do feel pain & do back
off when rodents bite back, for example, but it's easier to just concern yourself with whether or not he is injured. You want to avoid not only his pain but infections.
Bent scales, meh...

Thanks. Is it worth keeping an eye on that particular area in case he does it again an something happens?
I’m sort of owner that’ll see him do something then google it see if it’s ‘normal’. You could probably tell by me just going on an on.


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