Should I be worried?

[TryToForget]

I just noticed today that my female BP's eye is looking weird. There is a line straight across it and she has white on the side of it. I fed her her first live rat yesterday and I know that it didn't bite her and I'm thinking there might have been a chance that it scratched her?? She was rubbing her head on the feeding tank bottom after she ate it. But then after asking around I thought it was just from her re-aligning her jaw. Ehhh I feel totally horrible about this . Would it go away next time she shed? I'm not as worried about the line as I am about the white part. I've been keeping an eye and she went into her hide box and was rubbing it a little bit. I hope I didn't ruin her eyesight for the rest of her life . Please can someone help me out? I don't know how this could have happened. I was watching her when she constricting it. Please don't tell me that I shouldn't have fed her a live rat. Believe me, I tried feeding her a f/t before I tried the live and she wouldn't take it.

-Jamie

[BoidKeeper]

Can you post a pic?
Cheers,
Trevor

[TryToForget]

I wish I had a digital camera to show you a picture but I don't. . It looks like her eye was moved and revealed some white from the inside of her eye socket. It is on about a quarter of her eye. I'm not really sure how much more I can explain it. I hope this helps a little.

-Jamie

[BoidKeeper]

If it is as bad as you describe I would call a vet.
Good luck,
Trevor

[snakehunter]

Definitly call a herp vet. occular problems are best left to the pro's

[TryToForget]

I wish I had a vet around here . Maine is horrible for anything that has to do with reptiles.

-Jamie

[justinO]

as most vets are (bad with reptiles)

It's mostly likely an eye cap! eye caps shouldn't be brought to a vet. There's lots of ways to get them off, but wait until the next shed and give him LOTS of extra humidity and it should come off just fine.

There is some whites on the very edge of most of my ball pythons, some don't have it, but i think it depends on the snake. You probably just noticed it now because you are being over cautious (which is good!) but it doesn't sound like you should worry.

Eye caps look like wrinkled plastic over the eye, or sometimes look like a crease. My big girl had a REALLY bad eye cap, see here:

click here for EYE CAP PIC

I know THAT looks bad, but it came off perfect in her next shed.

Like mentioned, it would be easier if you had a picture of it, so we could confirm and tell you for sure.

It bothers me that most people would send you to a vet that would do more harm than good (and cost you a couple hundred dollars) just for a friggin' eye cap.

Jessy

[TryToForget]

I know it's not an eye cap though because she shed at the end of last month and I always check the skin to make sure that both eye caps are there.

I know for sure that the white on her eye is something that just happened because I always check her over to see if everything is right when I take her out. I've also never seen her rub it before until yesterday. So I'm thinking that it had to have happened from that rat that I fed her .

That eye cap picture is horrible looking. I'm glad that I haven't had to experience that even if it came off in the next shed. I'd still be worried lol.

Thank you for the reply.

-Jamie

[BoidKeeper]

Do a search and find the info for the Main herp society. Find a knowlegable member there and take it to them to see if they can help you figure out what's going on. As far as vets go they do have resources we don't. Often if they don't know what to do they can at least call someone who will be able to help them.
Cheers,
Trevor

[luvcatz5]

I would take it to a vet or the Maine Herp Society. Did you try going to Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians?

The site is www.arav.com Go to members...United States, and then Maine. I just looked and there are four vets listed. 2 in Gorham, 1 in Sanford, and 1 in Waterville.

Also...if you have a Veterinary College there, that might work too. Believe it or not...Florida doesn't have the best in ways of vets who see herps...so the worst cases are sent up to Gainesville at the College.

Hope this helps,
Carrie

[TryToForget]

Thank you for the help. I don't know how but that white that was on the corner of her eye is gone now. I called around and there's only one vet that deals with snakes and it was one in Gorham. He's really really expensive too. I was told that there were a few good vets in New Hampshire though. I guess I'm lucky enough for it to have gone away though.

-Jamie

[BoidKeeper]

What did you find out about the Main Herp Society?
Cheers,
Trevor

[TryToForget]

I went to the Maine Herp Society www.maineherp.org website and there wasn't much on it at all.

-Jamie