Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My husband was just given a 6' python snake and he noticed that it has some scrapes around his mouth area. The previous owner said that the snake tried to escape from its cage and that's how it happened. My husband said that there is no puss around the area, just kind of scratched and maybe a little swollen (although he can't tell if it's really swollen or not as he didn't see the snake beforehand).

Can we put Neosporin or hydrogen peroxide on the infected area? What is the best thing to do?

Also, the owner said that the snake only eats 1 rat every 3 months. Is that right? Thanks in advance.

Superficial scrapes can be treated with a topical antibiotic ointment. Neosporin or Betadine have a broader spectrum of activity then hydrogen peroxide and are gentler on the tissues. The restless activity that caused the injury may cease when his food intake is increased. Four rats per year is a rather lean diet, regardless of the species of python. I would suggest increasing his feeding schedule to at least once a month.

T.B

Thank you for your advice. I will put some Neosporin on it and make sure that it has water to keep it hydrated and something to drink. I put water in the tank earlier and my husband called me while I was gone and said that it was drinking the water. So, that is a good sign.

How do I know what size rat to feed it? Should I give it a small rat to start and see if it is still hungry? Or should I start with a medium rat? I am not sure what size the previous owner was giving it. Since its mouth is hurt, should I feed it a mouse so that it doesn't have to open its mouth too far?

Thanks for any help. I am very new to this and want to learn as much as possible.

As a general rule a 6 foot python should be able to take a large rat. A safe rule of thumb is to offer a rat that has about the same body thickness as your snake does at its thickest point. Another safe rule is to feed only pre-killed rats. I would not downsize the prey at this point as inadequate nutrition can potentially compromise the immune system. You should determine what species of python it is that you have. A number of species are adult or near-adult size at 6 feet and remain safe and easy to handle. However if you have acquired a young burmese or reticulated python you will need to carefully research the precautions required when these species get 10 feet and more.

T.B