Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, My aunt bought me a baby ball python just cuz shes cool like that... hes about a foot and a half.. but on his underside he has a slit... and a couple of his scales look damaged.. like dry or somethin....not many.. only like 1 or 2.... healso has like a little bump on his side.. i dont know if its a leftover piece of skin he didnt shed or what.... I was wondering if i baby this snake and take Dang good care of it.. if it will simply get better on its own... Or if it is necessary that i take a trip to the Veterinarian... Thanx

Dunno about the bump, but the "slit" on his belly is normal...its the snakey equivalent of a belly button, usually about a third of the way up from the tail.

Nicole

...yes, the slit is where the amniotic (egg) blood vessels come together to enter the belly of the snake. The bump MAY be a baby tick under a scale. If you lift the scale you'll be able to see a tan flat tick if that is so. Crush it with a forceps, paint on a tiny bit of 90% rubbing alcohol, grasp the tick firmly and pull straight back (don't twist it off).
Otherwise it may be just an abnormal scale or perhaps a "micro-abscess" which are usually self-limiting.
Good luck! Scott J. Michaels DVM

Thanx a bunch....