Steam bath when snake about to shed?

[roobars]

HELP! Steam bath when snake about to shed?

Hi guys,

I am not 100% sure that RI is the cause of my worry. I noticed a browny mark around my MD's mouth today as if it was slowly leaking fluid or something. like an oil leak on a motorbike weaping out of the head gasket. It is a similar colour to the 'desert sand' used on the floor with some other 'roughage' mixed in, so I thought there was a possibility of it just being a bit of spit+sand mix.

He is about to shed, is COVERED in crap, not sure why... never seen him that dirty before, like he has been swimming then rolling in the mud like a dog would. so I thought a luke warm bath would be good.

He has been noticed lately, sticking his head out of his hide and 'stretching' for a while, which is not uncommon for him to do. looks comfy right? head on a vine, straight back... gold! He has also always had an inclination of 'humpf'ing at me, not quite a hiss, just a throaty humpf... very normal. his breathing has always either clicked, or humpf, or some noise when handling him.

My eyes suck, cant see if his tongue is forked or not :-/ but when I bathed him, and he was exerting himself slowly trying to get out of the bath up on the taps... twice he opened his mouth WIDE and humpf'ed, he even did it close to my face, not stuck or bit or anything... was like a big breath... his mouth looked normal inside, got a good look at it, had a good 3-4 secs of a humpf.

I realised I had his temp down to 27 still from the 36+deg heat wave a week ago... but it is back to 31 now. I would assume it has been warm enough for him to NOT get a cold, generally bloody hot every day.

So the key things I am worried about in conjunction are:
- shedding so not sure if steam bath is good idea
- not sure if discolouration is sandy grubby stuff like on the rest of him
- not sure if he was telling me to p..s off or humpfing at me


He recently (3-4 days ago) HAMMERED a day old chicken for a feed... I didnt even get it in the enclosure before he went for it... thought he was going to leap off his vines to get a feed :O so everything seems normal accept the over played humpfing and the druel that could be brown mucus...

should I steam bath to be sure? wait for shed? thoughts? help? my baby MAY be in trouble :/

thanks for all your input, appreciated.

Head on vines... see the dirt all over him?



- - - Updated - - -

now he's blowing bubbles poor lil bugger

- - - Updated - - -

Some photos of his mouth.

Sorry I am no photographer. looks like fluid to me, and also sand... and slight bubbles and yawning occuring. im pretty worried now :cry:

 

[sharky]

This happened to my BD years ago when I was only little. I had no idea what to do then Looks like he has mouth rot to me.

Firstly, steam baths+about to shed=good

There is a liquid for of Bedatine you can buy. Every day carefully open his mouth and places several drops on the top and bottom of his mouth. Treat this after gently scraping/removing the necrotic/dead tissue by carefully opening the mouth with a blunt probe.

Secondly put him on newspaper. Yes it looks crap but you have to keep his mouth clean or it will get worse! If the condition worsens (Is that a word?) take him to a herp vet, they will administer anti-biotics.

Hope that helped mate! Get better soon little MD

- - - Updated - - -

Also with a cotton bud/wool/cloth/tissue/paper towel soaked in warm water, gently wipe around his mouth daily everytime you see the fluid. This is hard for snakes so maybe a warm bath would work best?
Good luck!

 

[roobars]

Steam bathed him, the 'fluid' is gone... poor little guy pood himself turned up the heat...

He looks better already, and not using so much effort to breath... can this happen that suddenly? from 4 days ago eating like a trooper to this? poor little guy.

Will get the newspaper cranking too. His mouth did not look bad at all, got a good look in there.

Going to find this liquid Bedatine you speak of.

Great stuff! thanks for the advice mate!

 

[Ramsayi]

Steam baths and luke warm baths are too hot for pythons.If water feels warm to you then it is too hot for a snake.Easiest thing to do is put him in a tub with a cm or 2 of room temp water for a few hours.Also forget the Betadine unless he has an injury that would require antiseptic.

 

[sharky]

Really? In the book What's Wrong With My Snake? by John Rossi and Roxanne Rossi it says an iodine such as Betadine is good to use on mouth rot....hm...a bit mis-leading. I paid $20 for that book!!! :evil:

 

[Ramsayi]

Really? In the book What's Wrong With My Snake? by John Rossi and Roxanne Rossi it says an iodine such as Betadine is good to use on mouth rot....hm...a bit mis-leading. I paid $20 for that book!!! :evil:

Would mouthrot be classified as a kind of injury? Op isn't sure it has mouthrot.

Also forget the Betadine unless he has an injury that would require antiseptic.

 

[roobars]

I am pretty sure its not mouth rot, but will check in the morning.. giving the poor lil bugger a break after scaring him to death with a steam bath :O

He looks much better already, maybe he coughed it all up well positive thinking never hurts....

I will take all this on board, and keep a watchful eye on him

Thanks!

 

[benjaffa]

snakes can't cough thry have no diaphram

 

[roobars]

He has shed, stopped blowing bubbles, and sleeping happily on his vines once more Happy snakey, happy owner

 

[montay]

Please avoid steam baths - pythons do not have a diaphragm, and therefore, cannot generate a cough [as benjaffa suggests above] - steam baths will make him worse. Antibiotics are the answer ... and fast.