Hello,
Just re-joined the forums as my very old login no longer works and I'm hoping to get some advice or thoughts on my current health issue with my coastal carpet python Medusa.
I have had her since she was a hatchling 17 years ago. She has never had any health issues up until now and has always fed and handled well. I have a six foot tall arboreal type enclosure for her with heat lamp at the top (temp usually around 32) and her large hide rock and cool zone at the base. The tube style UV lamps electrical plugs stopped working years ago but after doing research and reading here I was under the impression that australian carpets didn't really need UV specifically, other than some time in the sun weekly which she had (although admittedly this has dropped off in frequency the last few years with med school craziness I've just had her out for a stretch inside the house weekly but have no transitioned back to outside).
She ate less frequently this year with nothing over winter (not too concerned with that initially but keeping an eye on things). Had her last feed in September and refused twice since then. She shed a week ago and I immediately noticed large patches of white scales - photos attached. One had a sore in the middle. Not sure how I missed this earlier and i feel terrible for it. I took to our local exotics vet (hadn't needed vet in her life to date) and the vet was lovely and I have some barrier cream to apply to the sore and a two week course of antibiotics for subcut injection every second day (one week in and going ok, Medusa is brilliant but getting less happy each time understandably). However, in regards to the white patches themselves the vet didnt seem very certain about the cause but said its probably pigmentation loss from lack of UV lighting?
I guess my main query is if anyone has encountered this in their carpet pythons before, if it had a confirmed cause and successful treatment, and whether it improved and over what time frame? I want to make sure I'm doing the best possible for her. I'm also looking into getting a horizontal vivarium to replace the one we have as the vet said its better for her to stretch out long ways then up the tree branch we have in the tall enclosure.
Thank you very much for any tips or advice and I will also spend some more time browsing the forums for more information.
S
Just re-joined the forums as my very old login no longer works and I'm hoping to get some advice or thoughts on my current health issue with my coastal carpet python Medusa.
I have had her since she was a hatchling 17 years ago. She has never had any health issues up until now and has always fed and handled well. I have a six foot tall arboreal type enclosure for her with heat lamp at the top (temp usually around 32) and her large hide rock and cool zone at the base. The tube style UV lamps electrical plugs stopped working years ago but after doing research and reading here I was under the impression that australian carpets didn't really need UV specifically, other than some time in the sun weekly which she had (although admittedly this has dropped off in frequency the last few years with med school craziness I've just had her out for a stretch inside the house weekly but have no transitioned back to outside).
She ate less frequently this year with nothing over winter (not too concerned with that initially but keeping an eye on things). Had her last feed in September and refused twice since then. She shed a week ago and I immediately noticed large patches of white scales - photos attached. One had a sore in the middle. Not sure how I missed this earlier and i feel terrible for it. I took to our local exotics vet (hadn't needed vet in her life to date) and the vet was lovely and I have some barrier cream to apply to the sore and a two week course of antibiotics for subcut injection every second day (one week in and going ok, Medusa is brilliant but getting less happy each time understandably). However, in regards to the white patches themselves the vet didnt seem very certain about the cause but said its probably pigmentation loss from lack of UV lighting?
I guess my main query is if anyone has encountered this in their carpet pythons before, if it had a confirmed cause and successful treatment, and whether it improved and over what time frame? I want to make sure I'm doing the best possible for her. I'm also looking into getting a horizontal vivarium to replace the one we have as the vet said its better for her to stretch out long ways then up the tree branch we have in the tall enclosure.
Thank you very much for any tips or advice and I will also spend some more time browsing the forums for more information.
S
