Ball Python skin infection

VI Reptiles Snr · 12-28-04, 10:52 PM

Hi all! We do appreciate your feedback about my son's ball python. I myself am new to these snakes and it took a long time (years) before I agreed. Last week, VI Reptile took Snakey to the vet 3 X and now again today. He has been given injections of Baytril. We have been bathing him on and off. I myself wanted to put some polysporin on him, but my son does not seem to want to. I am very worried about Snakey as I don't like to see any creature suffer. From what you have said, bathing is not such a great idea. OK - No more baths. However, my son is fairly new to this, and was not told about all these picky little things with pythons. We were told it would be the easiest to keep. Now, I get the idea that the heat has to be just right, OK, so let's do it right. As of now, he has a ceramic heat lamp on top of the tank. However, the heat gets to be about 90 degrees and then we have to shut it down as we think it's too hot. There is a heat pad under the tank which keeps this area 38 degrees. We have a temperature tape on top of the heat pad. We are using paper towling on the bottom of the tank. Today, when we took the snake to the vet, she picked at the rotten skin, and it oozed and smelled horrible. Hopefully the injection will help. We also have a margarine tub with a hole in it so the snake can go in and out. Inside this we keep moss which we mist regularly (for moisture). Snakey seems to like to stay in there. I think I've covered everything. Thanks for your help. VI Reptiles really loves his reptiles, but he is just learning and I hope his snake lives.

VI Reptiles Snr.

concept3 · 12-29-04, 07:15 AM

you should supply a hide spot at both ends of the tank, the cool end and the warm end. You should provide a hot spot of at least 95f I keep mine warmer at about 97-98f. I have not personally dealt with scale rot/ skin infection but have dealt with severly burnt ball's and polysporin has worked wonders for me. The reason your snake likes to stay in the hide is because it is the olny hide you have given it. They will choose security over all else. If you want to give him a humid hide, make sure he has a dry one on the same side (so you would need 3 now) so he can choose the dry or humid one.
If you go out to the python Regius forum their is a care sheet "stuck" at the top which will give you the complete rundown of ball husbandry, do everything that care sheet sais and you will most defiently have success.

Vengeance · 12-29-04, 08:09 AM

Has the Vet Identified the problem as a thermal burn or scale rot?

I've mentioned this to VI myself 2 or 3 times but I don't think he ever took the advice. You need to know the temperatures on the hot and cool side of your tank. Those little stick on thermometers are not accurate in anyway. You need to get yourself a digital thermometer with an external probe. You don't have to break the bank, something like this would be perfect....

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Reptile_...ry_178110.html

This way you can tell the temps on your cool side and your hot side of the tank.

I agree with Concept about you needing more then one hide in the cage. 2 hides at minimum are needed, one on the cool side and one on the hot. Depending on how big of a tank you are using you may want to use more to reduce stress and give the Ball more places to hide and feel secure.

I think that 97 - 98 oF is a little too hot for the hot spot. I keep mine between 90 - 95 oF. I could be wrong as I'm no expert but 97 - 98 seems high, maybe in this case because of the infection the temps should be higher so someone correct me if I'm wrong. The cool side of the tank should be 80 - 85 oF.

Also the Under the Tank heater should be enough on it's own to provide the temps needed for your snake. You shouldn't need that ceramic heat emitter. It would also be drying up the air making it very hard to maintain the proper humidity. But you need to have both the UTH and Ceramic Heat Emitter hooked up to a dimmer/rheostat. If you don't both are going to be getting WAY to hot, you should never have to turn off either because of it getting too hot. Something like this is what you need....

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Reptile_...ts_924105.html

or if you want to save a little money you can build one yourself by following these simple steps...

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showt...&threadid=8858

It doesn't take an electrical wiz to make the above dimmer, it is really quite easy and also very effective.

Also I can assume that it was the pet store that told you that Ball pythons are very easy to keep. The pet store was right to some degree, they are fairly easy to keep reptiles if you meet the requirements they need to stay alive. It isn't as simple as tossing them in a cage, turning on a light and hoping things go well. There is allot of work involved in the initial setup to make sure temps are correct, humidity is right and all the requirements the snakes needs are met. Hopefully you will take this information and the information other people on the site will offer and get things setup properly in your sons Ball Python cage. You may also want to go through this FAQ:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showt...threadid=49236

It may answer a few more questions that you have. I hope your Ball makes it and keep us updated on his progress.

zero&stich · 12-29-04, 11:11 AM

Hello VI Snr.,

What my experices is not anyway about infections but humidity. I find humidity is overlooked. Quite a few people I've talked with in person will give me a detailed discription their setup and heating cycles but the humidity is often overlooked and can cause bacterial infections depending on the genus of the animal and the humidity requirement that needs to be met.

I keep my Ball Pythons at a humidity of 50-62% in the enclosure itself.

It took me years through trial an error to come to the conclusion that glass terriums do not hold humidity well. Even though glass terriums are pleasing to the eye I found that they are a pain to clean and such.

I have 2 of my snakes in a rubber enclosure and it works out great. I use a heat pad hooked to a thermostat and have drilled holes for ventilation. I use binder clips or S hooks for clamps.

I only point this out if you ever find that the glass terrium poses to much of a hassle, try a rubber enclosure for a while and see how it works out.

Best part is, they are way cheaper to.

Best of luck to your son's snake. Hope it pulls through.

VI Reptiles Snr · 12-29-04, 11:41 AM

Hi - Once again thanks. I didn't actually ask the vet when I was in yesterday, but I will call today to find out what's on the chart. My son said it was a bacterial infection, but the vets here are not snake experts. She was conferring on the phone with a vet who deals with reptiles. I will make sure that we do what you suggest, making more hiding spots and getting this heat thing taken care of.

I will keep you posted as to his/her progress.

Thanks.

VI Reptiles Snr · 12-29-04, 11:52 AM

I think the only problem with a rubber enclosure would be the fact that you can't see the snake. He really likes to go in and talk to the snake and see how he's doing.

Thanks.

Vengeance · 12-29-04, 12:03 PM

Sure you can see them, as an example look at one of my setups for some of my Ball's....

Only reason I was asking if the vet identifeid if the infection was a Thermal burn or scale rot is because it will give you a better idea on what you needed to correct in the cage. If a Thermal Burn that tells you that the UTH is getting way too hot. If scale rot then there must be something else wrong with the husbandry.