Aussie Pythons and Snakes

Logan & Allana · Original Poster #1 16-Dec-06, 06:29 PM

Hi all, I'm getting 2 Atherton Jungle Pythongs this week a breeding pair that are around the 7ft mark. The female is stunning but the male bunt himself apparantly a couple of months ago and has some pretty bad scars. The lady I brought him from said that she took him to the vet when it happend and the vet said that after a few more sheds aventually the scars will dissapear. The only problem is his last shed he had around a month ago hasn't completely come of, there's bits of it left all over him. She said he shed around a month ago. These were her husbands snakes and he's now workiing interstate so isn't home to take care of them, I thinks she's a bit afraid of them that's why she's selling them. How can I get the rest of his shed off, please keep in mind he hasn't been handled for quite some time, she said that they were friendly but seeing as though they havn't been picked up for a long time who knows. Any help would be great.

Logan & Allana · Original Poster #2 16-Dec-06, 06:30 PM

(before anyone corrects me typo error, he burnt himself not bunt sorry

adbacus · #3 16-Dec-06, 06:39 PM

Has the owner tried soaking him for 10-15mins in tepid - warm water. 1 - 1 1/2" of warm water in a large click clack. Soaking will soften and loosen partial sheds. Anything left over can be picked off by hand or tweezers. If not, it should come off on the next shed if humidity is raised.

Logan & Allana · Original Poster #4 16-Dec-06, 06:42 PM

Well, she said she had tried soaking but I don't know weither that was in worm or cold water. I don't know weither it has been soaked or not as I can't see her picking them up but maybe her sons did not sure. The snakes are on pine shavings same as you see guniea pigs on so this may be a bit of the problem, the pine shavings may be sucking up all the moisture. Do snakes scales usually come back were there are bad scars from being burnt.

adbacus · #5 16-Dec-06, 06:47 PM

Yeah, i'd be going for another substrate like breeders choice or green matting. Picking at it at this stage may do more harm than good. Scales do come back after scarring, but they don't come back in the same exact colouring and often come back mishapen and smaller than the original scales.

NRE-808 · #6 16-Dec-06, 06:48 PM

I'm with adbacus, all you can really do is soak and raise the humidity...

i cant help at all with your other question sorry

Logan & Allana · Original Poster #7 16-Dec-06, 07:12 PM

ok, how do I up the humidity, I live in Brisbane and the humidity is already quite bad expecially the last couple of days but how do you do this in the enlcosure just spray water in there or something

serpenttongue · #8 16-Dec-06, 07:26 PM

When you get the snake have a good look at the damage. A large scab MAY have formed and probably isnt ready to come off. If its not ready then leave it, but make sure that skin has shed from the rest of her body. You can leave loose bits of skin on that are surrounding the scab.

That fact that it has burnt itself is enough to bring on another shed, as a way of healing the wound quicker. When it does go into the opaque stage of shedding then put the water bowl closer to the heat globe or keep it down the cool end and drop the heating a bit. I dont think the snake has a shedding problem, the skin on the burn just isnt ready to come away, most likely.

adbacus · #9 16-Dec-06, 07:29 PM

Up the humidity on the next shed by spraying water on intervals. To up the humidity now may predispose your snakes to scale rot.

Logan & Allana · Original Poster #10 16-Dec-06, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serpenttongue

When you get the snake have a good look at the damage. A large scab MAY have formed and probably isnt ready to come off. If its not ready then leave it, but make sure that skin has shed from the rest of her body. You can leave loose bits of skin on that are surrounding the scab.

That fact that it has burnt itself is enough to bring on another shed, as a way of healing the wound quicker. When it does go into the opaque stage of shedding then put the water bowl closer to the heat globe or keep it down the cool end and drop the heating a bit. I dont think the snake has a shedding problem, the skin on the burn just isnt ready to come away, most likely.

There are a fair few scars on the snake, to my knowledge it has shed twice since it got burt, the wounds still look a little pinky. There is shed left around were the cars are, but there is also other shed left were there is no scars. Can a snake if it's left with still shed on it harm it in any way. The lady has been spraying the snake with diluted betadine to try and help sores and it sheding should I just keep that up. There was not a great deal in it's enclosure that it could really rub on either to help shed so that might be the problem.

serpenttongue · #11 16-Dec-06, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allana1313

The lady has been spraying the snake with diluted betadine to try and help sores and it sheding should I just keep that up.

If it was me i wouldnt bother. I'd just put it in a dry, warm enclosure with a newspaper substrate. The wounds will heal fine without any medications etc as long as they are clean and free of debris. Flesh wounds heal really well with snakes, without needing any medications applied. I wouldnt worry about any pieces of stuck shed just yet as they will most likely come off with the next shed, as long as the enclosure itsn't too warm and dry.