Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My BCI was bitten by a large rat. I treated him with some jobajoba oil and a little A&D ointment for about a 2 wks on and off. He has this brownish-blackish spot on his scales underneath his neck where he was bit. For some reason this does not look normal. Hes been nipped before and I took the same action and it healed nicely. I dont know why he has this mark that doesnt seem to want to fade away. He has yet to shed again since the bite so Im hoping it will fade then. If anyone has seen this before or could give me some advice on what I could do to help please let me know.. Hes a beautiful BCI that Ive had for some time now.. The poor thing just keeps getting bit. I have smartened up a bit and now I knock out the rat before hand to ensure his safety in eating.

I had this happen when I fed live prey and they usually went away with multiple sheds. Wait until he sheds a couple more times to see if it "lightens" up, but I think the best advice is to switch to F/T Rats. They're cheaper and guaranteed not to leave scars.
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Jason Gonzalez
PreMeditated Morphs
www.PreMeditatedMorphs.com
Jason@PreMeditatedMorphs.com

Neosporin or a solution of Betadine (Iodine) would have been a better choice to prevent infection. If there is no redness or swelling (signs of infection) then shedding should help but the scar may never somepletely go away.

Kill the rats don't just knock them out. Sooner or later one will wake up and nail you or your snake again if you don't. I have a few snakes with some nasty scars from rat bites from previous owners, some will never go away and some will fade with time. One was so tiny to have such scars I felt very sorry for him. It is so easy to switch to frozen/thawed, please think about it.

Any signs of infection mean a vet visit is necessary. Put neosporin on it until the first shed at least, and maybe until after the second or third shed. This will help the skin from pulling the scab back off when he sheds by lubricating the area.

Good luck,
Caden