Took this Papuan Python to the vet for a check since she’s almost out of quarantine. I had noticed her making a soft hissing noise and wanted to make sure it wasn’t a mild URI. They took her into the back to examine her and then gave her back in her pillow case so I could take her home. She was just going into shed so I didn’t mess with her much other than soaking her occasionally. I noticed these damaged scales but wasn’t sure if it would be fine after she shed out so I waited to see. She just shed today and the mark is still there. Wondering if this happened at the vet somehow. I’ve never had any issues with snake injuries before. This species does have very thin skin so they can damage their scales easily. Do you think this will scar or heal up after another couple of sheds? Any insight is appreciated!
Wow! That looks massive and strange! I don’t know anything about the type/breed of snake you have but I think Papuan pythons are gorgeous! If their skin is thinner than other snake breeds and your vet unknowingly gripped your animal too tightly or accidentally manhandled it for whatever reason, the damage to the skin could most certainly have happened. But if this should be the case I am sure it was totally accidental. It’s a shame you could not have gone back with your animal though.
My vet recommends just plain old vitamin E oil on damaged scales and scars. I have used it and it’s great. I found it in the skin care section at my drugstore.
I’m sure there are others here who will know if the damage/scar will recede with each shed. I will say too, that if you have to take her to the same vet again for whatever reason, I would not let her out of my sight and insist on being present with her for any further treatment she may need.
I am also wondering if it could also be a bruise? Just sayin
Best wishes for the both of you! 
I’m not familiar with the species but I would guess a burn from the way it looks… Pictures are a bit blurry so not the easiest to see. Is there any seeping or peeling? It could just be an old scar if she did just shed and seems fine otherwise…
What’s the history on her? WC or CB?
Live or f/t food?
How long has she been in quarantine?
What kind of setup has she been in as well?
Hmmmmm. I never thought of a burn but that makes a lot of sense as well! If that’s the case and it is a burn, it could not have happened at the vet’s……interesting @armiyana! 
It’s tough to say really! But the way it looks discolored one some scales that don’t seem raised as well just makes me suspicious.
Especially since after getting a burn a lot of snakes can go through a shed cycle pretty quickly.
Ok I see. I keep forgetting how easily snakes can be burned. So say if that’s the case would antibiotics be in order? And I wonder why it wasn’t discovered by the vet? @armiyana
Surprisingly enough, I have seen some burns do well with just some topical treatments, but it depends on how deep the burn goes since sometimes they don’t seem as bad until the scales slough.
As far as how the vet missed it or when it happened… No idea!
I adopted a ball python from my old pet smart job with a MASSIVE burn wound and the only thing I could think of was the heat pack shifted under him in shipping. Seemed ‘fine’ on arrival. Then shed and slough happened a week later, he was a painful mess.
Personally though… While in a class for my old vet tech job, the teacher passed on a sad story about a cat with a burn wound from a hospital warm water bottle after surgery.
Mistakes can happen anywhere.
I just really hope it is a gnarly scar for @sam_kimber though! If she’s a feisty snake, she just may be defensive about an old wound and won’t let anyone near it as well, so the vet may have missed it there too… Especially if they were more concerned about a URI.
Yep! Agreed on all. Too bad snakes/animals can’t talk! 
This is a new mark, she didn’t have it before I took her to the vet last Thursday. It looked the same when I was putting her back into her cage when we got home. It was never red/leaky/peeling so I doubt it is a burn although I’ve never had a snake with a burn before. I wonder if she got under/around something and they damaged it trying to get her out. She’s terrible about wrapping around any little thing and it can be a multiple person job to unwind her. It’s on the lower 1/4 of her body so maybe she got her tail wrapped around something? I’ve had her almost four months and get her out at 2-3 times a week unless she’s shedding like she just was or has just eaten. I’m positive she didn’t have this mark at the beginning of last week.
She’s very friendly so the vet was able to look her all over. When she came back she said all looked/sounded good which makes me think it wasn’t something traumatic like a burn but I really don’t know. She doesn’t react when I touch it at all.
Well I have to say it’s very odd!
Definitely agree with that. It doesn’t seem to bother her. Hopefully it heals well with a couple of more sheds but if not at least she’s not in pain.