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HELP: Raw Skin on a Rescue, what to do?

V

viper69

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Hi there,

Perhaps against my better judgement (remains to be seen), I decided to rescue a ball python that has been underfed for months. It's acclimated to this enclosure I have it in (fresh aspen bedding, bowl of water, screen top).

The snake has gone through at least 2 sheds I THINK before I received it yesterday.

In any event, while pretty sluggish because it hasn't been fed, the positive news is that it aggressively went after and ate 3 young adult mice.

However, after the first mouse I noticed an area of raw pink tissue under the scales. I thought perhaps because it had dry skin on it perhaps it had excessively rubbed its body against a particulary piece of wood. SO I have removed all the grapevine.

Alternatively, I wondered if because the snake was so malnourished if the scales just broke away, that is maybe the skin is losing it's structural integrity? I really don't know, I have never cared for a snake in this shape before.

I have not seen any other areas on the snakes body that have exposed pink tissue.

I would appreciate any suggestions with this guy only because I am a bit optimistic that it had a healthy feeding response, exactly like my own healthy ball! So I hope it lives.
 

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I wont speculate what would cause that kind of wound, but the first thing I would do is get it off that aspen and put down paper towels.

Anytime you have an open wound like that paper towel is best for a number of reasons until the would is healed. First it is relatively sterile. Second, nothing can get into it (like pieces of aspen can) that will delay healing or cause it to get irritated, inflamed or infected. Once the would has healed then returning to aspen will be no problem. Third, you will be able to easily see any blood loss and/or seepage from the would that will help you determine just has severe the would is.

Next I would go to the local drug store and get some Neosporin. The kind WITHOUT pain reliever in it. It is obviously marked on the box "with pain reliever" if it has pain reliever in it. Apply the Neosporin directly to the wound every two days.

And lastly, a vet trip is NEVER a bad thing, although not always a needed thing. Unless I seen the wound first hand I would not be able to say whether it needs to see a vet or not. Considering it is a new rescue with multiple issues, a vet trip may not be a bad ideal anyway.

Whether you decide to see a vet or not I would certainly do the two things above immediately.
 
Thanks guys. I hadn't thought of removing it off the aspen. Good idea. For now he is coiled up between a smooth petrified rock and a smooth bowl for security. Since I took out the rough wood which served as a hide spot this is a new space...Though this spot is also directly over the flexwmatt matt undertank heater as well. Considering he just ate that's normal.

How would you apply the Neosporing with a Qtip? or directly on the skin? I am concerned about touching a raw area, I'm sure it feels like a fresh blister opened up on a human or something like that. So I want to apply it as gentle and as germ free as possible. That is I won't be rubbing it on w/my fingers, I would be concerned about transmitting my own native bacteria to the snakes exposed skin. I wish I had a box of lab gloves now.



I'm hesistant to disturb him at the moment, I don't want him to purge his food. But I will do the neoporin w/out Pain reliever
 
Sorry

Just realized I need to get my membership up again, been a while....


Sammy: I see where you say apply directly now..sorry missed that.

Second, beautiful high white pied you have in that group picture on your site.

I only own a normal ball, and now this guy, Pieds are my favorite. How much would a high white pied like that one in image > Group Pic
Clutch #3 Group Pic on your site be do you think?

I haven't looked at pied prices in over 4 yrs. I have seen varying prices from 1700 to as high as 3000 for animals. On the high price one the animal wasn't even 50% percent white, but I have seen a few 85% or so high white ones for 1800. Just trying to get a feel for the market again I may decide to get one at some point.
 
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