Swollen mouth on retic treatment

[reptiledude987]

The other night i was helping out my good friend who has a bachelor degree in zoology with a treatment for some mouth rot on a big beautiful reticulated python. She's a dwarf tiger that's pushing 11'. Considering the discomfort she was in and having just been treated she was in a really great mood and was super sweet. While Tom was getting her enclosure ready I couldn't help but get a few pictures of this big beauty. I thought I would share the pictures with all of you (forgive the quality lol). Also any questions on the treatment feel free to ask. The swelling has already been reduced dramatically and her mouth is able to close completely after only 2 days. I'll try to get another picture of tonights treatment to show the progress.

[EL Ziggy]

Beautiful retic dude. Nice to see you guys nursing her back to good health.

[reptiledude987]

Just finished treatment 3 and there's no gaping anymore. There's still a bit of swelling but reduced dramatically. We will keep the treatment going until it's healed completely but all of the stomata is gone and there are little teeth starting to come in, in the pocket in her gums.

[Tsubaki]

What a beauty! Glad shes doing better. How old is she?

[havoc_vulture]

Gorgeous retic

[reptiledude987]

Honestly not certain on her age. I believe she's around 7 or 8 years old. Every night I hold her while my friend swabs her mouth and her incredible strength never ceases to amaze me.

[dannybgoode]

Lovely snake. It must be said retics are growing on me but whether I could ever convince the family purchasing clerk to let me get one is another matter.

And it would have to be a dwarf or super dwarf.

Photos of stunning snake like yours don't help!!

[reptiledude987]

My friend had no intention of getting one either. This girl was given to him at no cost to simply be brought back to proper health. Once better he had every intention of finding her a new good home. The problem is that shes such a sweet heart Im not sure she will be going anywhere now lol.

[Albert Clark]

That's really a fantastic story and I am moved by it. The "Giants" have always amazed me and I used to believe that they belonged only in zoos. The past year I have really learned a lot about them and have followed members here on the forum who keep them. Thus, my opinion and views have changed and I am looking forward to taking that step in owning one. Good luck with the oral care on this one. Thanks again.

[reptiledude987]

I know what you mean albert. I have held off from getting a retic myself due to the size they get and as a single person I cant guarentee that when maintenance needs to be done I may not always have someone to help me. This girl absolutely needs a larger enslosure. The one she has now isnt at all big enough. Its simply what she was in when she was given to my friend. If he does decide to keep her long term and not find her a new home once better we will certainly be building her a nice large enclosure.

We believe there were a number of reasons that caused this issue to begin in the first place
1) she was being kept in a 3'x2'x1' pvc
2) she had no substrate at all (not even paper)
3) her tank was full of urates and absolutely disgusting.

The first thing we did was bleach clean the enclosure. I wasnt sure if it would, but to my surprise it was actually white again! Then gave her bedding and a water dish she wouldnt spill. Now that shes clean and has bedding she isnt so eager to escape from her own filth and isnt pushing causing swelling to worsen. If my friend decides to keep her we will build her something at least 8' wide and roughly 3' high and 3' wide.

[prairiepanda]

Wow that's a really tight squeeze even for a dwarf! Some of my colubrids wouldn't even be happy in an enclosure that size as adults; it's practically just a hide box for a retic! I'm amazed that she isn't rubbing anymore. Great work nursing her back to health. Sounds like wherever she ends up living in the future you guys will ensure she has a suitable home :)

[reptiledude987]

Lol its funny you say that. I actually said to Tom last night that enclosure was more of a hide than a home. He has been letting her out to stretch and get some exercise aside form just being removed for the treatments. But yes weather he keeps her or finds her a new home we will make sure she has the space and care she needs and deserves.

[reptiledude987]

So a little update on this big sweetie. Shes doing much better now. The swelling is reduced dramitacally and is almost completly gone. We stopped with swabbing her mouth after 6 days from the inital treatment. Shes been drinking a lot and hasnt been pushing or anything else to sause the swelling to return. So things are looking good and we are expecting her to be 100% in another week or so. Once shes better we give her a nice meal and hopefully it will be taken as its been quite some time since shes eaten last.

[dave himself]

She's absolutely beautiful mate and so good to see she's in the right hands and getting the care she deserves :)