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What's wrong with my Ball Python?

G

GraceHurst2001

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:NoNo:This is my male basic ball python, purchased from Petco 3 months ago. He has these wounds all along his spine. Is it scale rot? Whatever it is, how do I treat him at home before needing to take him to a veterinarian?
 

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And those are pretty extensive wounds...burns & other wounds are painful, slow to heal and can get infected (ie. worse!). You should be taking him to the vet NOW, not looking for a home-care solution other than fixing whatever caused this to happen. Burns are best treated with a prescription topical, nothing you can buy at the store. Please get him some help with a qualified reptile vet, and post pics of your cage set-up so we can help you determine what went wrong. If it's not burns, I also wondered if he might have scraped his back on something very abrasive, maybe the cage top in trying to get out? Either way, he needs help healing & his cage needs modification.
 
Using a standard heating lamp. Perhaps it should be raised to keep him from further burns? He seems to enjoy being right up to it, always on top of his hide.
 
GraceHurst2001 said:
Using a standard heating lamp. Perhaps it should be raised to keep him from further burns? He seems to enjoy being right up to it, always on top of his hide.
Click to expand...

The trouble with using heat lamps is that they are on top of the cage, and most of the heat rises up & away from the cage, so first of all they are inefficient (wasting energy). Ball pythons need very warm cages...you need to stop using this heat lamp and use appropriate methods to adequately heat his cage. Depending on the ambient temperature in your house (or the room where his cage is) and the size & type of his cage, you may need to use more than one type of heat, but do NOT use this heat lamp, he is already injured & suffering. He "enjoys" being next to it because he is desperate for adequate heat, not because it is suitable. You should be using UTH and/or RHP, both if needed to raise the temperature in the cage to the levels recommended for ball pythons. (and never heat the entire cage, one end should be unheated for safety, so they can thermoregulate as needed) I prefer UTH, because snakes can warm their tummy for digestion. ALL heating devices must be regulated by thermostat so they don't burn your poor snake as you've already done. Until you can fix this cage, you could (in a pinch) use a human heat pad for UTH, but be careful to leave a little air space for safety: better to get quality UTH (or RHP) a.s.a.p. and get this snake some medical attention.
 
By the way, "bathing" is the only option he has, & while it may be better than nothing (for how he "feels" from this injury) it also promotes infection.
 
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