Hey guys. I have my vet on speed dial but wanted some experienced keepers opinions just in case my exotic vet has never seen this before (not sure how many snake keepers in my area take their snakes to the vet) anyway. I went to feed my beautiful suma ghi girly and I noticed a spot on her. I usually give her a good look down every 10 days or whenever she’s out and about. She just shed recently too. Her humidity wasn’t too high if anything it’s been really dry this winter. She does love her heat panel. She has heat panels from above in a black box enclosure. I’ve never seen anything like this before so any advice or insight would be helpful. She’s not bothered by me touching it. It doesn’t hurt her when I do or she would definitely let me know. I’m worried she either hurt herself or it’s possibly scale rot? What do you think. She also only eats frozen thawed. Update: even after messing with her to get a good look at this she still ate her meal.
The scales don’t look too happy, but it doesn’t look like anything I would bring one of mine in for at the moment.
Definitely do keep an eye on it. If it looks like it starts getting irritated more, getting a fluid discharge or swelling then call the vet for sure.
Does she have any way to wedge herself up against the heat panels? A high ledge she can coil on and press against it? A quick touch shouldn’t burn and it would be most likely on her face or neck if she can’t reach it otherwise.
Is there anything she could have scraped herself up against? I can’t tell if that’s the thickest part of her body but it looks close to it. It looks a bit like the scales around the area my one snake wedged herself into a vent pretty tightly. It took a shed cycle but it healed up okay.
See what others that might pop in say. Maybe give her a nice spa day and see how the area looks after.
She’s super cute tho. Her peeking at what you’re doing in the last photo is so precious.
I have caught her trying to wedge herself in between the heat panel and the highest part of her background. I might have to change some things around. I did put betadine and neosporin on it just in case it is an infection. There’s this one hide she has that’s hard plastic. She did break one when she was a baby because she didn’t know her own strength but never got hurt. I might take it out just in case. Since she ate and didn’t seem too bothered by me touching it I don’t think it’s painful. I might try to soak her in about 5 days which would line up perfectly with my next big “check in” day for her. Very interested to see what others have to say.
Okay with that context, it can possibly be a burn.
Right now there’s really not much you can do. At the very least, you can make a non urgent appointment to get her seen for if it does worsen. Then hopefully you can get her in faster if it does worsen because the hospital is already aware it can happen.
If it is indeed a burn, she may go into a shed cycle very soon. This is the time where it may go bad because the tissue underneath can be more damaged than the surface scales. She may slough skin in that area as the worst case, which is when she definitely needs an appointment asap. If not, she can still have a bad shed in that spot and may need a less urgent appointment to pick up a cream to put on the area or maybe a stronger medication to use when soaking.
So definitely be attentive when she has her next shed to see how that spot changes. Obviously if it changes for the worse sooner than that still go to the vet, but the shed cycle is where the extent of a burn really shows on a dark snake like Nagini.
Which is why I said it could be a burn to begin with. Just for kicks and grins I am going to ask this. Do you think she is not warm enough away from direct contact with the heat panel? Is it particularly cold where you are? I know it’s winter but some areas of the country are colder than others, depending upon where you are located.
She’s cuddled up to her heat before and never had this happen before. We did have a really bad snow storm recently and got 3 feet of snow but the enclosure is on a thermostat and has its temps regulated. Even the room she’s in stays pretty warm. She does burrow down in her enclosure and likes to get under her foam background. There are a lot of fake plants in there but I doubt they’d be hard enough to cause this. If it gets worse or doesn’t get better we’re going to the vet. Any pictures I google are so hard to compare to because she’s so dark. Really hoping it gets better with a shed. We’ll be going to the vet if it gets worse or doesn’t get better at all.
Hmmmmm well so glad you are taking her to the vet if it gets worse. Maybe he/she can give you some insight as to why she’s hugging the heat and burrowing a lot……
I know yousaid the area is properly regulated, but I would still double check different spots with a temperature gun or a different thermometer. Just in case! I double check mine every couple of months just to make sure it’s not too hot or cold with season changes. The air temp may be more comfortable and that’s why she’s climbing to the RHP. Maybe adding a small platform under it may help with a potentially chillier than usual spot on the bottom to bask.
Alternatively… What is her hiding situation? BPs do love those small places that feel nice and tight. If she had a change in decor she may be uncomfortable and trying to get behind the background may be a bit more of a stress situation and she may have climbed up to hide and try it there…and can also explain more tendencies to burrow under as well
I agree that you should make some changes. Even if this isn’t a burn, although it does look potentially like that could be the issue, it might be a burn next time if she’s allowed to continue.
To animal-proof their quarters, try and imagine that your animal is determined not just to escape, but actively wants to injure and/or kill itself. It’s your job to prevent it from doing so. Remove every potentially hazardous opportunity you can find.
Please be sure that any items you use such as antibiotic cream are the kind without pain relievers. These are toxic to herps. You may know this already but someone else reading it may not.
I hope that your pretty girl heals quickly and fully.
@caryl I actually forgot to comment on that so thank you for the reminder!
Neosporin can actually be a detriment to scale health on snakes. It doesn’t play nice and can make the area more likely to become an issue. It’s something about the oils or jelly in it on the skin.
Don’t use it unless there actually does seem to be a wound or if the area is damaged when she sheds. As mentioned, make sure to avoid any with painkillers.
If you are in fact experiencing a colder than normal winter temperature with all of the snow and the behavior she is exhibiting is not normal, then imho, she is just not warm enough.
I would use this instead of the other stuff you are using. Clean with sterile water. Dilute the betadine lower than 10% recommended use. I used 5% or lower and still had adverse effect on an open wound. I have had better success using the honey.
Schedule vet appointment now. You can always cancel if you dont need to go.
Probably to dry and cold. I wouldnt keep heat source inside enclosure because of the issue currently dealing with. I agree with you @caron with atmosphere changes. Having a burrow hide and seperation from direct contact of heat source would prevent this from happening.
Ghe scales look like a burn. Sometimes electrical curents get wonky on heat mats and can burn/electrocute in a localized area. Insulated the mat in a ruber would be ideal if used inside enclosure.
Thanks