Black Blood with missing head scales.

[marvelfreak]

So when i got this guy he had a missing scale from getting his head stuck in the post on the back of a dinning room chair i was told. I get him and with putting triple antibiotic cream on it it heals right up. Next shed he find. So a month goes by and i go to clean his cage because he moved everything in it all around one night when it rain super hard. I noticed he missing a scale right behind each eye. So i been putting triple antibiotic cream on these once a day for the last two weeks it was healing up nicely. Then yesterday i go down stairs to take him out and i noticed he moved everything around again. So i have removed the 12lb rock and branch from his cage. All he has right now is his water bowl on the cool side and on hide on the warm side.
I am going to see about get him to a vet this week. Just have to find a new one mine retired.

Anyway from always pushing stuff around with his head it now looks like this.

http://imageshack.us/a/img855/208/o3mk.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/o3mk.jpg/)

http://imageshack.us/a/img594/7757/js6.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/594/js6.jpg/)

http://imageshack.us/a/img195/1364/k2an.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/195/k2an.jpg/)

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/3851/hsil.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/21/hsil.jpg/)


On the good side he doesn't mind me touching it to put meds on it. At first i was just thinking he really dumb but now i am being to wonder if it not something else.

[Starbuck]

That looks like its gotten much much worse since your previous post (about the missing scale on the head). I too am wondering if something else might be going on... Have you considered taking him to a vet for some stronger drugs?

Maybe moving the larger heavier items out of his viv will help; but that does look pretty bad :/

[Aaron_S]

What are you feeding him and his temps? It could very well be those two things that keep him moving.

I don't take these guys as much of a cruising animal considering that most of the time they sit in leaf litter and don't move unless food walks by.

[Aaron_S]

I looked again at the pics.

Those are really odd places for the snake to be having issues with rubbing. He'd have to be headbutting or scraping the sides of his face and surprisingly somehow missing both eyes.

I'd check the rock and branch for any scales and the like on rough places.

[marvelfreak]

What are you feeding him and his temps? It could very well be those two things that keep him moving.

I don't take these guys as much of a cruising animal considering that most of the time they sit in leaf litter and don't move unless food walks by.

Cool end 73.9, the warm end 88.2 and inside the new hide i put right on the heat yesterday 92.4. Inside the new tighter hide is were he is now with his head laying in the opening peak out. As soon as i open the door to his cage he comes out of the hide and starts trying to climb out of the cage. Just like one of my Carpets.

Food one to two jumbo rats every three weeks.
When i got him the guy said he never seen such a active and curious Blood. I thought he was BS me. At times he so active you think he was a Carpet. My son did just noticed something when i was double checking the temps and putting medicine on him. My dehumidifier kicked on and when it did the heat it pushes out the back was blowing directly at the door of his cage. So we just moved it away from all the cages.

Before anyone ask my laundry room is next to the snake room so the humidity jumps to almost the mid 90's when drying clothes. It stay so high down there i have to keep the dehumidifier set on low during the summer. If i don't i have mildew issues in their cages.

[marvelfreak]

I looked again at the pics.

Those are really odd places for the snake to be having issues with rubbing. He'd have to be headbutting or scraping the sides of his face and surprisingly somehow missing both eyes.

I'd check the rock and branch for any scales and the like on rough places.
Just did aftere i read this. The rock had quite a few. The branch only had one piece with about six scales perfectly matching the big mark on his head. It was on the bottom of the branch. I have seen him use his head to lift and move the branch a couple times. Neither are know longer in the cage. It's still got me kind of bewilder has i seen nose rub but never anything like this. I am thinking about moving him back to a smaller cage. One of the 176 quart totes at least till it heals up.

[Aaron_S]

Just did aftere i read this. The rock had quite a few. The branch only had one piece with about six scales perfectly matching the big mark on his head. It was on the bottom of the branch. I have seen him use his head to lift and move the branch a couple times. Neither are know longer in the cage. It's still got me kind of bewilder has i seen nose rub but never anything like this. I am thinking about moving him back to a smaller cage. One of the 176 quart totes at least till it heals up.

I'd recommend the smaller, sterile enclosure until it all heals up. Keep a close eye on things with all that humidity around him.

I'd also up his food frequency to every 2 weeks instead. Might keep him from hunting too much, which is a weird quirk for these guys anyway.

[Theweinz]

They do get active when hungry, amazingly so. I agree with Aaron on all counts. More frequent smaller meals might help keep the restlessness under control. He must really tear the place up. You got to love that face! Looks like a brute. Glad he tolerates you applying meds. My Borneo is not as cooperative. Good luck and I hope you can find a good rep vet if you should need one.

[marvelfreak]

I'd recommend the smaller, sterile enclosure until it all heals up. Keep a close eye on things with all that humidity around him.

I'd also up his food frequency to every 2 weeks instead. Might keep him from hunting too much, which is a weird quirk for these guys anyway.
I 'll get him move back into his old cage today and i'll move him back to feeding ever to two weeks.
They do get active when hungry, amazingly so. I agree with Aaron on all counts. More frequent smaller meals might help keep the restlessness under control. He must really tear the place up. You got to love that face! Looks like a brute. Glad he tolerates you applying meds. My Borneo is not as cooperative. Good luck and I hope you can find a good rep vet if you should need one.
I lucked out there he as mellow as can be until he smells food. Then anything with a heat signature is fair game. lol He such and big gentle giant.

[marvelfreak]

Well a update. He is healing up fine, but now she just did it. I got a huge order of Reptile Bark in this morning. (7 24quart bags) So i put it in all the cages but the Male Black because he not all the way healed up. It got so hot today i went down to flip all their heat pads off.

While down there i look over to see the female Black blood with her nose sticking a 1.5" out the hole i had drilled to run their heat pad cord thought. Her cages is destroyed bark in her water bowl and she seems to be freaking out. So i am thinking she don't like the Reptile bark. I go to try removing it and get all kinds of hissing and a couple close mouth strikes. That when i noticed she had just rip a couple scales of right behind each of her eyes. So now i know why she pissy and how they both did it. So tomorrow my good buddy Shawn going to come over and help me seal the holes and remove her so i can take all the bark out and put her back on newspaper.

So here's my question anyone else have a snake that being put on a certain kind of substrate makes them freak out.

[Lankyrob]

In terms of the hole, i did a similar thing of drilling through the wall for the temp probe but once i had the probe in place i used a blob of bathroom sealant silicone to block the hole, this keeps the probe roughly in place and removes the escape risk

[Mikoh4792]

Maybe you are using a 1.5" hole for a reason, but incase you are not, next time you can just drill a 1/4" hole instead, cut the plug off the cord, and use a replacement plug such as this:

http://img.rakuten.com/PIC/9516460/0/1/1000/9516460.jpg

[franks]

Wounds are generally more sensitive when they first start healing up. Maybe if you removed everything from his cage completely and just gave him some water when you took him out it would give him time to heal? It looks like he is using his head to pry things, not just bump and push them. I think you should give him the week off and see if the cream heals him.

[marvelfreak]

In terms of the hole, i did a similar thing of drilling through the wall for the temp probe but once i had the probe in place i used a blob of bathroom sealant silicone to block the hole, this keeps the probe roughly in place and removes the escape risk
That's what i going to do today.
Maybe you are using a 1.5" hole for a reason, but incase you are not, next time you can just drill a 1/4" hole instead, cut the plug off the cord, and use a replacement plug such as this: I had us it so i could fit the plug thought, but next time i'll use one of this.

Wounds are generally more sensitive when they first start healing up. Maybe if you removed everything from his cage completely and just gave him some water when you took him out it would give him time to heal? It looks like he is using his head to pry things, not just bump and push them. I think you should give him the week off and see if the cream heals him.
The missing scales are from them sticking their heads in the hole. So i am going to plug up the holes. The wall is a 1.5" thick and the female had her head in the hole and it was sticking out the other side1.5". As she try turning her head it torn one scale right behind each eye just like the male had done. The male his nose is completely healed up. It just right behind his eyes that it not healed. Everything but the water bowls have been removed.

[Theweinz]

Chuck,
Glad you found out the cause of the wounds. Bit of anti-biotic cream should help. By the way, you look great in the Captain America outfit:laugh:!!

[marvelfreak]

Chuck,
Glad you found out the cause of the wounds. Bit of anti-biotic cream should help. By the way, you look great in the Captain America outfit:laugh:!!
Thanks! lol I wish i was as skinny as the guy in that outfit.

[Caylan]

First post in a while... Ever consider Rabbits? My bloods eat 2-3lb rabbits at that size once month, cheaper and better for them. I can't say you'll see much of a change in behaviour, but they will become leaner, heavier, and bigger on rabbits. I switch my bloods as soon as possible, and since rabbits come in 1/2lb sizes, you can start really quick. It's slightly more expensive when they're younger, but easier to switch I find, and when they are adults, its a much cheaper and healthier diet for them. Never underestimate what they can fit in them either, bigger is better! Feel free to pm me if you want any more info on how I keep my bloods, or need help switching etc...

As for the marks on the face, seems you are doing everything right. I know it seems boring, but keep that cage to a minimum as said before, a couple hides, a water dish, nothing else. Get a big meal into him to help initiate a shed cycle, and once he sheds without being able to irritate the wounds more, they should heal over greatly, and gain more resistance to worsening further. Within a few sheds they should be mere scars, and eventually unnoticeable. You've already removed the problem area's from the cage, so it should be smooth sailing now. For the cord issue, I used these when I built a few cages and didn't feel like getting new plugs. Cord Hole and Grommet Details - Showcase Cages - (http://www.showcasecages.com/cordholegrommet.htm)
All in all, great looking blood, I love the black and greys! You're gonna love breeding them!

[marvelfreak]

First post in a while... Ever consider Rabbits? My bloods eat 2-3lb rabbits at that size once month, cheaper and better for them. I can't say you'll see much of a change in behaviour, but they will become leaner, heavier, and bigger on rabbits. I switch my bloods as soon as possible, and since rabbits come in 1/2lb sizes, you can start really quick. It's slightly more expensive when they're younger, but easier to switch I find, and when they are adults, its a much cheaper and healthier diet for them. Never underestimate what they can fit in them either, bigger is better! Feel free to pm me if you want any more info on how I keep my bloods, or need help switching etc...

As for the marks on the face, seems you are doing everything right. I know it seems boring, but keep that cage to a minimum as said before, a couple hides, a water dish, nothing else. Get a big meal into him to help initiate a shed cycle, and once he sheds without being able to irritate the wounds more, they should heal over greatly, and gain more resistance to worsening further. Within a few sheds they should be mere scars, and eventually unnoticeable. You've already removed the problem area's from the cage, so it should be smooth sailing now. For the cord issue, I used these when I built a few cages and didn't feel like getting new plugs. Cord Hole and Grommet Details - Showcase Cages - (http://www.showcasecages.com/cordholegrommet.htm)
All in all, great looking blood, I love the black and greys! You're gonna love breeding them!
Thanks Caylan! I already seal the holes but next time i will get some of these. As for food i upped him to two 2XL rats 2 a feeding and the last feeding he had his first rabbit.

25681

He slowly healing up. His nose is completely healed it just a little behind is eyes still to go.
25682

She has healed up completely already.
25683

[Mikoh4792]

Looking good!

[marvelfreak]

Looking good!
Thanks man. I think she head up super fast because she so lazy compared to him. Even with a full belly i'll see him all over the cage day and night. He just a super active Blood. I am begin to think he things he part carpet Python. lol

[Caylan]

That's awesome, looking really good! You're going to see some nice changes being on rabbits now!