Sick Carpet Python

SteamBug · 11-04-14, 02:18 PM

Help!
I am pretty sure my snake has Blister Disease (she is a jungle carpet python and 4' long). I removed some of the blisters a month ago and put hydrogen peroxide on where the blisters were and she seemed fine for a while. Yesterday I noticed some of them had come back, and upon further inspection realized her skin looks in bad shape, like it has spread everywhere. I wanted to bring her to a vet, but every vet I call wants a $90-$180 fee just for seeing her (before any treatment) and no-one will talk to me about what treatment would cost or if there is anything I can do for her on my own.
I really love this snake and I want her to be okay. Is there anything I can do to help her? From what I have researched I plan to remove and clean dead skin, make sure her heat source is from above and keep her in an immaculately clean cage. Maybe soak her in betadine. I was also hoping to be able to give her an anti-biotic (like Baytril), but none of the ones recommended for snakes are available over the counter (that I can find). What can I do to help her?

malgus · 11-04-14, 05:16 PM

Can you post a pic of the snake, whats the humidity at in the cage?

**Tsubaki** · 11-04-14, 07:25 PM

High humidity, dry bedding (like newspaper, or paper towels) Keep it very clean, clean every day is that is what it takes. Is she still active?? You can give the animal a betadine bath, dilute the betadine until it resembles a weak tea. If her skin really is in bad shape, i would find a vet you're comfortable with and take the animal there. Especially since these are already recurring blisters, and you say she looks overall affected. I would not mess around with medication yourself, vets got their license for a reason. Blister disease is not harmless, it can kill your snake.

SteamBug · 11-05-14, 07:41 AM

Where can you get betadine?
I really want to take her to a vet. I called every place I could find yesterday and they all either didn't take snakes, referred me to Tufts, or told me to bring her in so they could look at her & either didn't know how much the initial visit would cost or said it would be $90-$180 just to be seen! If whatever treatment she needs is then going to run me another $500 then I can't afford it. I was hoping to be able to speak with a vet over the phone before I brought her over. I don't want to bring her to a vet that doesn't care about the animal and is just looking to make money, I have had bad experiences in the past.

SteamBug · 11-05-14, 08:01 AM

I can't get a picture to go into this post it keeps saying "Post denied. New posts are limited by number of URLs it may contain and checked if it doesn't contain forbidden words."

marvelfreak · 11-05-14, 01:26 PM

You need to make 5 post before it will let you post pictures.

SteamBug · 11-05-14, 01:59 PM

Has anyone else ever experienced this problem before? / does anyone know of a good vet?

marvelfreak · 11-05-14, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamBug

Has anyone else ever experienced this problem before? / does anyone know of a good vet?

In my 20 plus years of keeping snakes i never even heard of Blister Disease. Are you talking water blisters?

**Tsubaki** · 11-05-14, 04:05 PM

I have treated 2 rescue snakes with severe blister disease (bacterial spread), it is not really the same as a water blister (water retention), those clear up with better husbandry and a shed. Blister disease does not clear up with a simple shed, and can cause lethal infection as the blisters are caused by bacteria. Snakes with light blistering can heal on their own, however if the blisters are recurring they might not. Pictures would help deviate between the 2.

marvelfreak · 11-05-14, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

I have treated 2 rescue snakes with severe blister disease (bacterial spread), it is not really the same as a water blister (water retention), those clear up with better husbandry and a shed. Blister disease does not clear up with a simple shed, and can cause lethal infection as the blisters are caused by bacteria. Snakes with light blistering can heal on their own, however if the blisters are recurring they might not. Pictures would help deviate between the 2.

Thanks! I learn something new. That's what i love about keeping reptiles i am always learning new things.

Zoo Nanny · 11-05-14, 04:24 PM

In this area you are not going to find anyone under $80. Dr Graham at Tufts is an excellent exotics vet. You can apply for Care Credit. They will have the application right there at the hospital.

SteamBug · 11-06-14, 11:14 AM

Zoo Nanny:
I called Tufts and they said that it would cost $180 just for the snake to be seen. That's before any kind of treatment or medication.

SteamBug · 11-06-14, 11:18 AM

I don't know if they are water blisters or blister disease. I did have a large water bowl in her cage that I found her sitting in all the time. When she got her first blisters a month ago I put her in a really dry cage of cotton fabric and since then the blisters have returned. Unless she is still finding a way to half sit in her little water bowl. I can't not give her access to water to drink though. It also looks like the skin is getting issues everywhere, not just blisters now. There were just blisters in the beginning.

SteamBug · 11-06-14, 11:40 AM

These are the pictures of her a month ago (when she first got some of the blisters)
I will post pictures of what she looks like now in the next post.

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SteamBug · 11-06-14, 11:43 AM

This is another picture of one of her blisters a month ago:
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