Help!

[Grengar]

Hello! I recently acquired a baby carpet Python, it was a the runt of the litter but appeared to be healthy and is eating well. I've had her about a week and I've noticed the whole back half of her body seems Bloated and floppy while her front half seems to be getting thinner. There is also a reddish undertone all over the back half of her body and she feels kind of mushy. I've looked all over the Internet and can't find any symptoms to match these, please help!

[chairman]

You'll be able to post a picture in your 6th reply on the forum. In the three posts that you need to make to get there could you detail:

Cage size
Heat sources, heat controllers, and temps
Cage setup (hides, substrate, etc)
Feeding schedule thus far
Behavior stuff, like most recent shed, defecation, thermoregulatory activity

That should help us help you.

[Grengar]

She's in a ten gallon glass aquarium, with a heat lamp durning the day and and under nieth heat pad at night, she mostly sits in her basking spot under the light, which is usually around ninety degrees. The humidity was lower before, I had her on newspaper so it didn't hold moisture well, now I have coconut fiber and the humidity stays around sixty.

[Grengar]

She hasn't shed with me, I don't know when her last shed was, Niether has she defecated. She has two hides, she only uses them at night. I've fed her twice, this Sunday and last sunday. She hasn't been very active, mostly just basking, but when I handle her she seems alert and curious.

[chairman]

What kind of carpet is it? Irian Jaya, Diamond, Jungle, etc?

I'd increase the tank size to at least a 20 long, it is almost impossible for a 10 gallon with a heat lamp to provide the temperature gradients that you need. I started my carpets in an adult-size enclosure from the time they were a month or two old and they did just fine with the space.

[Albert Clark]

Sorry for your problem. Really important, do you have a thermostat regulating the heat pad? If you don't , unplug the uth immediately! Don't use it until you can purchase a thermostat. As soon as I hear reddening of part of the body of a snake I think potential burn.

[EL Ziggy]

I'm with AL. Is your heat pad and light regulated with a thermostat or dimmer? How are you measuring the temps? A picture of the snake and setup might help.

[Grengar]

ll def try to find a bigger tank, I have a fifteen gallon if that would be any improvement. The heater is not regulated but it is under almost two inches of of damp coconut fiber and she doesn't burrow, she barely gets off her branch perch. I don't think it could be a burn but I will turn it off to see if that helps. I'm useing basic temp and humidity gauges, the temp on the cool side gets to about seventy. I'm sorry I didn't post pictures yet, I'm new so I had to have a certain amount of posts before I could. She's a jungle jag.

[Albert Clark]

I think it's still risky to have the heat and light unregulated. The safe thing to do is get a inexpensive thermostat or rheostat and dimmer. That's what we do as serious responsible reptile keepers. C'mon Gren, you know that.

[Grengar]

This is the set up, the heating pad is a generic one I got from cvs, it's meant for people but I like to use them cuz they don't get too hot and will shut off automatically if they do. It just keeps her warm enough to be comfortable at night, that's the only time I use it.

[EL Ziggy]

You'll want to invest in a heater for reptiles, a thermostat to control the temps, and a temp gun to accurately measure your temps. I'm still not sure about the snake's symptoms but everything starts with your husbandry. Once that's dialed in it's easier to troubleshoot other issues.

Ultratherm Heat Pads (http://www.reptilebasics.com/ultratherm-heat-pads)

Robot Check (http://www.amazon.com/MTPRTC-ETL-Certified-Thermostat-Germination-Reptiles/dp/B000NZZG3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453768719&sr=8-1&keywords=hydrofarm+thermostat)

Robot Check (http://www.amazon.com/Nubee-Non-contact-Infrared-Thermometer-Temperature/dp/B00JA3BMDW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453768796&sr=8-3&keywords=temp+gun)

[Grengar]

I know I need to upgrade my stuff, I'm working in it, this snake was a surprise, so I was underprepared. This is her, you can see the red on her tail, it's hard to tell in the picture but the skin on her anterior side seems like it's falling off her bones and on the back side is very bloated.

[SnoopySnake]

Can you post pictures through a hosting site like photobucket? The pictures don't come out very clear or large here. I don't really know what it is. Just upload the images to photobucket, and then use this yellow button with the mountain to link the pictures here.

[Albert Clark]

It looks like a burn or a type of cellulitis. Definitely need close ups and lateral views. Maybe a zoom in pic too! Dorsal and ventral views would also help. It looks serious. And you say she still feeding? Sorry to see this and I hope we can get to the etiology of this. I'm really thinking this needs a herp vet.

[Klaire]

That doesn't seem to look to good i would definitely consider getting her to a herp vet like Albert suggested. goodluck i hope it can be fixed :)

[reptiledude987]

I agree with al on getting checked out by a vet.

Im wondering why the tank is on its side? very little heat from the light will get to where the snake is going through the glass.

[SerpentineDream]

It's hard to tell from the pictures but I'm inclined to think some kind of obstruction and possible infection.

Time for the vet. They will be able to diagnose it a lot better than we can. Good luck.

ETA: I saw this is several days old. Any news?

[Grengar]

I've got an appointment for this weekend, fingers crossed.

[Derek Roddy]

In the meantime, run some mild warm water in your bath tub and let her swim for about 10 minutes. Keeping an eye on her of course. Needs to be deep enough that she has to swim....about 5 inches or so.

D

[Klaire]

Agreed with Derek, Warm water should hopefully soften the obstruction and her swimming around will possibly loosen it. Do not leave her unsupervised though.