Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just acquired a hatian boa with what appears (I am told) to be a huge water blister on it's back (?) from being in a wet environment. I have never had the need to deal with this type of problem. Suggestions on treatment would be appreciated.

Gary D.


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I don't believe in luck. Luck is God covering your a** when you screw up.

Gary,
I don't have a solution for treatment, but I think that looks more like a necrosing skin infection likely to be initially caused by a wound. He probably needs systemic antibiotic treatment to munimize infection to the muscle layer.

Hopefully someone else will be able to offer you something helpful.

Good luck,
Linda
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"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer

First off, that's a beautiful snake...I'm green with envy. I don't know about that being a "water blister...." It almost looks like it started as a burn...at any rate, I would get it checked by a Vet. I'll bet he/she tells you to maintain a triple antibiotic on it (Neosporin or generic brand), and to keep the wound exceptionally clean. The clean part is always good advice. Is the wound pussing? If it's not, there probably isn't any infection...snakes produce enormous amounts of puss.

Good luck, Chris Olson
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com

I had inquired as to the effectiveness of using Neosporin on snakes in the past, and was told that it "burns" the scales and scars them. I could be wrong. Anyone else heard this?

Jay

Just don't use the one with pain reliever...
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www.chrisolsonreptiles.com

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You didn’t say if the animal had any other lesions, but that seems like a peculiar location for one if the cause was a wet environment. In that case, you would expect to see multiple areas of involvement along its ventral surface, not on its side near its spine. It almost looks like a sterile abscess like you might get from injecting Baytril. And I’m sure you’ve already looked, but it that a tick or just a scale in the middle of that area? Anyway, I second the suggestion that you have a veterinarian evaluate the problem.

When healthy, they are quite undemanding and long-lived captives. Good luck.

-Joan

...I thought that looked like it might be a tick in the middle of that wound also. The wound looks like a tick bite that got infected and then sloughed off some dead tissue when the snake shed it's skin. It actually looks like it is a healing wound in the PIC. Just make sure that is not a tick in the middle of it. The biggest cause of scarring on imported Boas is ticks.
Jeff

>>You didn’t say if the animal had any other lesions, but that seems like a peculiar location for one if the cause was a wet environment. In that case, you would expect to see multiple areas of involvement along its ventral surface, not on its side near its spine. It almost looks like a sterile abscess like you might get from injecting Baytril. And I’m sure you’ve already looked, but it that a tick or just a scale in the middle of that area? Anyway, I second the suggestion that you have a veterinarian evaluate the problem.
>>
>>When healthy, they are quite undemanding and long-lived captives. Good luck.
>>
>>-Joan
>>

Thanks guys. I was initially told that he had a water blister when I agreed to purchase them. When I got him I didn't think it looked to blister like either. I've kept my share of herps, but never had water blisters to deal with. I agree it looks like more of a wound.
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I don't believe in luck. Luck is God covering your a** when you screw up.

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I suppose that pic wasn't the best. But there were no ticks on the animal. That was a normal scale showing through. At the moment is does not show any signs of infection, and I agree it seems to be a healing injury. For now The animals is being kept in a sterile quarantine enclosure and recieving topical antibiotics (yes without pain relief). It will remain in this situation until after it's next shed, I'll keep you all posted.

GD
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I don't believe in luck. Luck is God covering your a** when you screw up.