Damaged scales :(

[Jesssie]

About a month ago now, one of my jungle pythons (Boomer) attacked the other. (Zeus) by grabbing it around the throat and coiling around it. I kept an eye on the area around where Zeus was bitten for a couple of weeks, but I didn't notice anything wrong, so I haven't really checked it out to any great length after that. Any way, Zeus shed this morning but I noticed there was still some old skin stuck on the underside of his neck, which was weird because neither of them have ever had an issue shedding their skin completely in one piece. So I took Zeus out to moisten the skin to help him get it off, and that's when I noticed his damaged scales. On his underside, roughly an inch back from his head, there is I thin 1cm long strip of damaged, browned scales (obviously they should be creamy white like the rest of them) that haven't shed, which left abit of skin still stuck on in its wake. Ive got that off fine but the damaged scales still haven't shed.

Will those scales remain damaged and cause problems for him? Or will they heal with time? Obviously I'll keep trying to loosen the old skin there because I don't want the skin building up, and I'm sure he wouldn't enjoy it either. But what do I do here?

I have rang the vets around here but unfortunately, they don't have anybody with any herp training so they were pretty well useless :/

 

[Stuart]

Can you post any pictures? Generally scars will fade with each shed but will only disappear if they were rather shallow. How deep were the bites and were they cleaned after the incident?

There are a couple of members here who have experienced what you have and should be able to help out more.

 

[Jesssie]

Ill try and get a photo... This could be tricky. And yes, I cleaned it straight away with warm salt water and twice a day for the next week. It was a deep bite though and the side that is damaged didn't even bleed. The top did a little bit but the scales are fine there.

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Wasnt* a deep bite. Sorry

 

[Jesssie]

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[ubermensch]

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[Jesssie]

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Awesome, thanks ubermensch

 

[J-A-X]

Now you've fixed your photo issue, I've deleted all the posts that aren't relevant. Thanks for helping Jessse out guys,

 

[Ricko]

Are these animals kept together? and if so were you feeding them at the time or was it random?

 

[Stuart]

That looks like scale damage that is still a bit raw. Keep an eye on it as you may find that those scales change color some more.

A couple of the members here are reptile vets so if they see theis, they should be able to help

 

[moosenoose]

Given time that should heal up nicely. But snakes do tend to take a bit to heal I've found. Doesn't look like too much to worry about. As said, it wouldn't hurt to take the critter to a vet and they might get the snake on a dose of antibiotics.

 

[Jesssie]

They were being kept together at the time, but since it happened, they've been separated. And haven't been let near each other again. It was just a random attack, they had never had a problem together before and there was nothing to provoke it, they were just laying there, curled up together when Boomer suddenly struck at Zeus, grabbed him round the throat, slammed him into the glass and coiled him up and started crushing him like he would his prey :/

 

[Venomous_RBB]

Agreed with the others, it doesn't look too bad, just keep an eye on it, if you can see it getting worse or if there is something you are concerned about with the healing process then take him to the vet.
Also if both are male, it could of been the change in hormones that "provoked" the attack. Male snakes do not normally get along with each other, especially in the breeding season. I only gathered this as you said it was a month ago, basically when the breeding season is near it's "peak".
Anyway, let us know how he goes

 

[Jesssie]

Just a quick update on Zeus's damaged scales

seem to be on their way to healing up... Slowly but surely hasn't had another shed since I noticed it, but shouldn't be far off now.