Injured escapee

[-MARWOLAETH-]

A couple days ago my marcianus escaped but I luckily found him a few minutes after i realized he had gone.I checked him over and 4 ventral scutes seem to have split down the middle,there was no blood,signs of distress and where he had his injury his body looks a normal shape.He's eating and pooping normal and his behavior hasn't changed.Should i take him to a vet if there it becomes infected or are there any substances or product i could use on the cut?

[mark cope]

can you post up some pics?

[-MARWOLAETH-]

I'll try if the bloody camera focuses:)

[chris-uk]

If there was no blood the chances of infection are reduced, but I wouldn't completely discount that risk. Photos will definitely help, but from your description so far I'd consider this to be a monitor and review later situation.
I have some F10 barrier ointment which I've used on the one open injury that I've had on any of my snakes. Others use iodine based wash on injuries to reduce risk of infection.

[kibakiba]

If he's a baby it's likely just his belly button.

[-MARWOLAETH-]

Do have any pics of how a baby garters underside should look?

[kibakiba]

I don't, but a lot of people think it's a cut. It looks like a little slit above their vent.

[guidofatherof5]

Do have any pics of how a baby garters underside should look?

Are you talking a newborn(less then a month old) or a baby?
In my experience I've found that a newborn's belly buttons only last a few days and then disappear.
Hear is a newborns belly button.
http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//653/medium/belly_button_navel.jpg

[ProXimuS]

I know they give live birth, but they actually have belly buttons?! Do they come out with umbilical cords?!

[guidofatherof5]

They come out in a clear egg membrane (what is left of their egg shell) They are attached to this sack by the umbilical cord.
Their first job is to break out of the egg membrane and take their first breath. Then they crawl out of it and scrape the cord off the umbilical cord.

[ProXimuS]

Wow:eek: Do they each have their own sack or all one big sack?

[guidofatherof5]

y6WeE_EklAw

[ProXimuS]

That's pretty amazing!:D It's a little odd to actually see a reptile give birth to live tiny baby snakes! I'm very surprised to see her giving birth to dark babies, too.

Is that one of your girls Steve? I saw it said "T. Radix Ranch" on the video.

[guidofatherof5]

That's pretty amazing!:D It's a little odd to actually see a reptile give birth to live tiny baby snakes! I'm very surprised to see her giving birth to dark babies, too.

Is that one of your girls Steve? I saw it said "T. Radix Ranch" on the video.

That was my Rita, albino red phase T.radix. She passed from a pulmonary embolism.

[ProXimuS]

That's too bad, I'm very sorry to hear that. She looks very beautiful, and I'm sure she produced very beautiful little ones(the ones I saw looked very nice:)).

I wasn't aware that snakes could have pulmonary emboli. I guess it could happen to anything with lungs and bloodflow.:p Just out of curiosity, how would you know if that happened? Snake autopsy?

[guidofatherof5]

Yes. I did a necropsy and had my Vet. confirm my findings.
He said that she would have died from this even if he had been there to treat her.
Necropsy - Medical Definition and More from Merriam-Webster (http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/necropsy)

[ProXimuS]

Wow, just a random happening I presume?

[guidofatherof5]

Yes, but tragic.

[kibakiba]

In my experience, the bellybuttons last for a few months. At least, that is the case with northwesterns.