Ball Python cut

oldshell4481 · 11-03-05, 06:48 PM

i fed my snake a mouse yesterday and he constricted it, and he grabbed it wrong and it allowed the mouse to bite my snake. it isnt very deep at all, it just looks like the skin was peeled back a tiny bit. my snake is also about to shed, what should i do for the cut to help the healing process, and will this affect the shed at all?

reptiles4me · 11-03-05, 08:42 PM

When I adopted a BP with a minor burn, a vet sold me reptile Neosporin. You could try to find that. Not sure if you need to have a vet visit in order to get it though. If it's deep enough, a vet visit might be an order.

Corrupt_Kitten · 11-03-05, 08:43 PM

Anything that looks deep should be seen by a vet. If its not that bad then use Polysporin or Neosporin. ( treated like a human cut basically ) might want to clean it out if its a little infected though ( and in that case a quick trip to teh vet is a good idea )

robitza · 11-04-05, 02:10 PM

You should feed pre-killed prey items to save from this happening in the future. I have seen larger snakes killed because of prey animals attacking them. It is not worth it to feed live prey. I would suggest a vet trip for your snake.

oldshell4481 · 11-04-05, 05:12 PM

i like feeding it live mice, i like watching it stalk and suffocate (not to sound sick). it looks more like a bad abrasion, no blood, no sign of blood, i can just see tannish looking tissue. i dont think we have any vets that can care for reptiles around here.

Princess Erica · 11-04-05, 06:05 PM

I don't mean to jump on you, but if you want to be a responsible keeper, what you like should take a backseat to the safety and well-being of your snake. Just because the injury was small this time doesn't mean next time it won't be life-threatening... something to think about.

aeronautica86 · 11-05-05, 02:49 PM

Just because you "like to watch it" is not a good reason to put your snake in jeapardy. A snake shouldn't be used as entertainment - you should put the safety and well being of the snake over your desire to see it kill something.

justinO · 11-08-05, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldshell4481

i like feeding it live mice, i like watching it stalk and suffocate (not to sound sick). it looks more like a bad abrasion, no blood, no sign of blood, i can just see tannish looking tissue. i dont think we have any vets that can care for reptiles around here.

you are the exact person who should NOT have a snake, or any living creature for that matter.

My first advice was simple: don't feed live.

not to sound sick? it IS sick!!!!! Maybe when you are older and can appreciate life and the well being of your pet reptile, you will figure out for yourself that feeding live is cruel, to the mouse AND the snake. It's not like captive snakes have to hunt for their food.

you make me want to vomit. I feel sorry for when karma comes back to you.

I'll wait to see the story on the news someday of the serial killer that liked to watch his snake suffocate the mice..... and how he liked to torture his victims this way as well.

Shame on you, you sad little boy.

joey · 11-09-05, 01:28 PM

I have a two year old Normal Bp and she simply WILL NOT accept pre-killed, fresh killed ANYthing. Her meals must be live. I've tried just about everything. I've even thought of finding her a new home because I don't like to feed live--whimpy on my end---but dat's da facts. I'll end up keeping her---she's gorgeous and has a good temperament. So there are exceptions with feeding f/t --some snakies won't have it.

joey · 11-09-05, 01:37 PM

geez, justinO, don't you think you're being a little harsh? I think the boy was more fascinated by the whole process. I agree----if he can get his snake switched to f/t ---best to do it asap, but to attack him for being intrigued by the nature of his pet is wrong to me.

reptiles4me · 11-09-05, 02:43 PM

I have to agree with joey, justin0. Most people on this thread agreed that he/she should try and switch to F/T but without calling him or her a serial killer. Little melodramatic. I used to feed live to my 2 and had many people (who weren't serial killers as far as I know) ask if they could watch them eat. Because they wanted to watch poor Mickey and Minnie suffer? No. They were just curious to see a snake feed in person. I also found it interesting at first to watch them stalk and kill their prey and then dislocate their jaw to swallow something so much bigger than their head. And I haven't killed anyone...yet lol.

NocturnalBC · 11-09-05, 03:13 PM

WOW justin0, I think your just a wee bit over the top on this one. Lower your coffee intake in the mornings. There is nothing wrong with somebody being honest on why they like to feed live prey over pre killed, Can you honestly say that you didn't feel the same way when you 1st got into snakes? I doubt that you can! For you to say that feeding live pre is cruel was so funny I actually had 2 drops of pee come. Give your head a shake.
Anyway, I don't see a problem with feeding live mice, rats on the other hand I must admit would be a different story but that's just me.

As far as what to do, I doubt the cut is that deep if we're talking about a mouse here so like a few of the others have said you should be fine with cleaning out the cut and then applying Polysporin or Neosporin.

rrrrr · 11-09-05, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reptiles4me

...and then dislocate their jaw to swallow something so much bigger than their head.

Just for fun now, snakes do not dislocate their jaws.

Humans lower jaws are attached directly to their skulls. This limits the range of motion that a human jaw has. Snakes lower jaws are attached to the quadrate bone which is in turn attached to the skull. This "double hinge" allows the jaw to open much wider. Also, the hinge joints at both ends of the quadrate bone are very flexible allowing a lot of movement in all directions. Finally, while humans have a solid chin (fused mandibular symphysis), snakes do not. The left and right side lower jaws are attached to each other by a stretchy ligament rather than being fused bone. This allows the snake 's mouth to strecth open wider at the "chin" (rather than at the hinge) making a HUGE difference to the size of prey items it can swallow.

But, the joints dont actually become dislocated during swallowing...

justinO · 11-10-05, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NocturnalBC

Can you honestly say that you didn't feel the same way when you 1st got into snakes? I doubt that you can!

YES, I CAN.

I often tell the story of how I got into reptiles..... I had a boyfriend at the time who had a ball python, they fed it live and liked to watch the hunt..... even though I liked reptiles, this HORRIFIED me and I wouldn't keep snakes.

Then I learned that respectable and responsible reptile owners do NOT feed live for the thrill they get to watch the prey being killed, and that feeding FT or FK is only humane. I liked feeding at the beginning, it was a thrill, but mostly cuz I knew the rat did not suffer needlessly.

I did not go over the top, and what I said was not harsh enough.

I don't need less coffee, you all need more of a moral conscience.

You can still be interested in the process of a snake eating without feeding live.

Jessy.

NocturnalBC · 11-10-05, 08:52 AM

justin0, Your way too emotional for an internet message board. You come across as a 6yr old child.