Reptile & Amphibian Forums

He was shedding in pieces so i do what i normally do when this happens and spray the cage down to keep it moist. I left him alone for a few days to shed but when i took him out today to check on him his underbelly had a pinkish color and it was brown and cracked in some spots. There looks to be a little blood in these spots too. Is it blister disease?

Sounds like a classic case of thermal burns. Do you use an undertank type of heat source like heat pads, heat tape, etc? Is it hooked up to a thermostat or just running full tilt? The condition you described sounds like a bad burn that is going to require treatments that will include: 1) keep on dry substrate such as newspaper, paper towel, etc. and keep it immaculately clean, 2) wipe affected area down with a diluted betadine solution and after applying, dab dry a bit and then cake on a thick layer of Silvadene Cream. this is going to require that you take the snake to a vet. Additionally, you may have to administer some antibiotics such as baytril or amikacin to treat for potential secondary infections but the vet should make that call. You may have to re-evaluate your husbandry as it sounds like this condition was caused by a heat source that wasn't properly regulated. But, the bottom line is that a veterinarian should be making a diagnosis on this.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

>>He was shedding in pieces so i do what i normally do when this happens and spray the cage down to keep it moist. I left him alone for a few days to shed but when i took him out today to check on him his underbelly had a pinkish color and it was brown and cracked in some spots. There looks to be a little blood in these spots too. Is it blister disease?
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL