Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Please help. This poor ball python is a rescue and has the worst case of belly rot I've ever seen. It runs almost half the length of the body and in some areas about half the circumference. There appears to be a lot of necrotic scales, some hanging some just peeling, most almost black. Very smelly, mostly red and raw, and by the tail it is bleeding. No other signs of recent shedding.

I've only seen pics of belly rot so I don't know how to treat it. I gently rubbed luke warm water over him to clean the filth off. Housing is lined with newspapers and a thick layer of soft paper towels (will change daily); no belly heat. Day/night lamp constant; water dish.

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to e-mail me as well as answer here. My e-mail is graycat274@hotmail.com.

Thank you!
graycat

I have never seen that bad of belly rot. I had a rescue female that looked about the same, but not as much raw scales. Someone told us that human scape or cut healer would help them. Woorked great for her. She barley has a scar. I really dont know what you would do about that. I haven't been working with balls for 20 years, ive only be alive for 13! lol
I really hope she gets better.
I feel sorry for her. Here are pics of the scar.

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Got Balls?
Josh Molone

I can't beleive she hasn't succumb to gangrene already. I can't tell you what to do for sure but obviously you need to keep her very clean. I've heard that neosporin works well to heal those kinds of wounds but I can't say from personal experience. She is so bad that I'm afraid you may have to euthanize her. I hope whoever you got her from doesn't have any other animals. Good luck with her.

n/p
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Albinos Unlimited home of the Jester ball.
website coming soon

That actually doesn't look all that bad. All the Vet is going to do is wash all the affected areas with chlorohexodine and give you silver sulfadiazine cream. As long as it's not being kept in the same conditions, it will heal up just fine. It will scab up a few times over the healing process, and you will also be doing yourself a favor if you give it some time to weep before re-applying the cream.

That is what you need to do first and foremost...

Take it to a VET ASAP.
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www.HeathersHerps.com

-Ohh, what a Lady-

Balls for Life, Baby!

Believe it or not, I've seen full recovery from worse.
I agree with the other posters, that she should be seen by a vet, but you will pretty much just get a scrip. If you have no access to a vet, polysporin/neosporin will do just fine.
Rule #1 is keep her clean. Just be careful with this. It is possible to impede healing by washing her too vigorously. Cleaning her subtrate daily, and giving her a thorough rinse before applying ointment will do the trick. Be generous with the ointment. Remember her substrate is absorbent, and will soak up a lot of what you put on her. Handle her as little as possible during healing. When you are treating her she will be stressed enough, so unless you are working with the belly rot, leave her be and if she is in a glass enclosure, keep the front covered, so any passing traffic won't disturb her. The calmer she is, the faster she will heal.
One last thing....good for you!!!!! I love hearing bout people who care enough to spend their time helping sick animals!! Read all the posts you get on here. That one little tip you get from someone may be the diff between a healthy snake and one that doesn't make it....good luck.
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James.....
"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought the beast back."

Are you sure that's not a burn???

Either way, vet first (obviously) then treat. What was mentioned below is a great suggestion and will probably be the same as what your vet tells you.

Good luck, and my thoughts are with that poor animal!
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

That what I thought when I first saw the pic - burn...

I had a mild case of belly rot on 1 wild caught male where the scales turned sort of pink and mushy and started to shrink, or peel back. Neosporin and a clean enclosure took care of it.

That looks like a burn to me though?

n/p!

Betadine might help to wash that out. Like everyone mentioned, Neosporin works great to help heal that stuff up. I had a female recover from a truly awful rat attack just by being kept clean and getting neosporin regularly.

Just a thought - if the snake was kept in conditions that led to that kind of belly rot, chances are pretty good it could have a respiratory infection too. I'd ask the vet to check for that while I was there.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

~jenny
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"Polysyllabism in no way insures that what you're saying is actually worth being heard." - Blake (an e-friend of mine)

"I have never made but one prayer to god, a very short one: "O lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it." - Voltaire

Betadine or clorahexadine bath a couple of times a day

Paper towel substrate change several times a day

Antibiotics to help stave off further infection

Keep it clean and dry
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Tosha
JET Pythons

Insert Silly Quote Here

I agree with Tosha. Normally, belly rot can be treated at home, but with a case that bad, I would recommend taking it to the vet as it may be septic! Antibiotic therapy may be needed!
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Thanks,
Amy
My Boids

First I would take him/her to the vet because you are going to have to treat the snake with some antibiotics..i.e. fortaz and baytril every three days.

Next I would just silvadene creme and treat the bottom of the snake. Keep the snake on dry paper towels.

Good luck.