I’ve had my pastel ball python for about 3 years now I believe she’s 4-5. I just noticed today that she has some swollen belly scales that look like they’re filled wit a clear fluid. Her hot spot is between 80-87F and I have no idea what to do pleas help
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Photos would help determine what the issue is. What is the humidity in the enclosure? Is there any way the hot spot could have overheated causing a burn? Realistically, if there are scales that appear to be blistering, a vet visit may be your best option.
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Definitely a vet visit is in order. Your snake may have developed an infection. Is there anything sharp in her enclosure? I would also get her off whatever substrate she is on and onto clean paper towels. If the swelled area should happen to pop or ooze it is better for her to be on a clean surface.
I am sure others may think all of this precaution is unnecessary but I would rather be safe than sorry…….that’s just me……
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From the sounds of it the options are a burn or the snake has been sitting in wet bedding.
Neither is a good thing.
Definitely move them to a clean enclosure with paper towel bedding for now. I agree that you may need a vet visit depending on how severe things get. With either option you can get a worse infection once the blisters ruptured or if it’s a burn, when the skin sloughs.
Knowing more about how heat is provided and the cage setup might help.
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I can take some pictures when I get home, thanks you for all the advice, going to clear her tank of all bedding and put in paper towels. There might be a possibility she burrowed into her substrate to get on the heating pad more and burned herself
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Nothing sharp in her enclosure that would cause a cut unless it was from her meal, and he humidity level varies depending on her shed cycle I try to spray it once a week.
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Is the heating pad on a thermostat?
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80 to 87 is a huge variable for her hot spot. That’s more like the ‘warm side’ kind of variable. For example, the warm side of my BPs enclosures are usually around 82-85. The hot/basking spot is 88.
Also, how are you measuring the temp? Are you measuring the bottom of the enclosure or somewhere else?
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The heating pad is on the outside of the tank, right? If it’s on the outside and it’s attached right to the glass, the glass might have gotten too hot and burned her. That glass can get pretty hot sometimes.
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