` I rescued one with the same problem, a couple of years back. He had been kept in a 55 gallon aquarium, in a foot of water, with just a cinder block to climb out on. The water was black, and septic, and had stained him black! The smell was revolting, especially with a heat lamp cooking that mess, and it was in the owner's bedroom!!

` I spent over a year, irrigating under his scales with peroxide, then packing the infected areas with Neosporin, every day. I used swabs, and toothpicks, with the sharp end sanded blunt. I paused this procedure just before shed, in each cycle. I'd wait for yours to shed. I would also keep him only on dry newspaper substrate, with humidity at 65%, or better, measured within 6 inches of the floor. Mine had water to soak in, during the treatment, and used it. The soaking water was pH adjusted to pH 5.0, using vinegar, AND a pH test kit.

` Today, two years later, he has only one scale that is a problem. It grows a thready looking fungus, or bacteria, under it. I kill it with Isopropyl alcohol, then peroxide, then Neosporin. It comes back smaller, each time. Eventually, I'll kill it, but that one scale will never be the same. Note: When you use alcohol, use small amounts, and keep it well away from the snake's head. This is very important.

` Interestingly, this adolescent Yellow was being forced to kill large rats, in the water. He was being handled with welder's gloves, only. He was being overfed horribly, and has a tiny head, and is huge, as a result. I poked, prodded and insulted him every day. As a result of that, he is now very tame, and calm. He eats frozen thawed food, and will take it from your hand. But, if you get him near any warm blooded animal ( except humans ) he gets angry, and very aggressive toward that animal.



` Besides all that other stuff, it cost me $50 bucks to rescue him. Hell, I was looking for a female, at that time. I just couldn't leave him there. If his owner hadn't come down to $50, I was going to cold-cock him, and steal the snake!!

`

` Here's a recent picture of him. He likes to eat upside down.

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