Please help! Problem with tip of tail?

[Sarahw]

Hi everyone
In need of advice. I’ve just discovered My albino Darwin pythons, (just over a year old) tail, about the last 5cms has some discolouration. Reddish/brown patch and it’s limp. There doesn’t seem to be any old shed left on there and seems as though he’s in blue phase now. Seems to be his usual self. It seems like this just happened over night !
We’ve moved him to a small enclosure with just some paper towels and a hide. Any help would be appreciated
Link to pictures

http://s482.photobucket.com/user/maxgreen23/library/

 

[kittycat17]

I can’t see the photos because I keep getting spammed with adds and ****

I would be getting it checked by a vet either before or after the shed. It could be a few different things, burn, septicaemia...


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[Bl69aze]

From the 5 seconds of no ad pop ups I got it looked like a burn, the there was a long distinct dark patch in the area

I’d recommend seeing a vet

 

[Sarahw]

Damn sorry! Not sure where else to upload them. First time poster..

I thought it was a burn as well but no idea how it could’ve happened. He has a mesh top enclosure with canopy lights that haven’t been on the last week (too hot).

 

[Bluetongue1]

Burns tend to take a few days to show. If it is due to a 1st degree burn (the least damaging), then the appearance of the area will oimprove once it has shed.

Is there any fluid oozing from the affected area? If there is, then a reptile vet should be involved in providing an assessment of the injury and appropriate management. In the meantime, the avvected area will need to be kept clean. This can be done by bathing the affacted area twice a day in saline solution with an appropriate antiseptic added. Keep the wound clean by usuing paper substrate and removing any other potentially infective sources other than its hides. If it defaecates, clean this up, disinfect and renew the paper substrate. Then bathe the affected area before replacing the snail back in its enclosure.

Salt water for use with vertebrate wounds and eyes etc is termed ‘normal’ saline and is the same strength as tissue fluid. It is also called isontonic saline and can be made at home by dissolving ¼ teaspoon of salt per 250 mL of cooled boiled water. An appropriate antiseptic from home is Bettadine, added to make the solution the colout of weak to medium strength black tea. Keep the wound clean by usuing paper substrate and removing any other potentially infective sources other than its hides. If it defaecates, clean this up, disinfect and renew the paper substrate. Then bathe the affected area before replacing the snail back in its enclosure.

If there is no fluid from the affected area and it does not improve in appearance following the coming shed, then it is likely to be a trauma injury and will require a reptile vet to diagnose the cause and advise on the required treatment.

 

[Sarahw]

Thanks so much for the advice, much appreciated !
It isn’t oozing at the moment so I will follow your instruction and monitor it over the next couple of days

 

[Prof_Moreliarty]

Damn sorry! Not sure where else to upload them. First time poster..

I thought it was a burn as well but no idea how it could’ve happened. He has a mesh top enclosure with canopy lights that haven’t been on the last week (too hot).

https://imgbb.com/

 

[Sarahw]

Thanks so much. Here are some better pics!

 

[kittycat17]

In my opinion I would be getting it to a vet sooner rather than later.


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[richyboa72]

Definitely a trip to the vets as soon as possible I’m afraid


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[Bluetongue1]

One more thing I should have mentioned and did not, so I apologise. If it is a burn, then it will have fully developed given the time interval since access to the heat source. So if the appearance changes for the worse at any stage, this clearly indicates that it is not a burn and the causative factor may be still active. Or if the damage done was caused by trauma, then this involves more than just bruising. Both warrant assessment by a reptile vet ASAP.