hi. i rescued a carpet python the other day.. unfortunatly when i went to collect her, the previous owner had fed her a live rat a little while before we got there.. it was bad enough that she got bitten on the tail and face, but a couple of days down the line we have noticed her nose is blocked completly, which we think must be dried blood.. she seems healthy enough and lively but always opens her mouth maybe to breath properly..can anyone please give me any suggestions as to helping her please.. or will it unblock through shedding? im also concerned that she might not eat frozen rats.. this guy lied and said it was the first time she ate live, but we have seen small healed wounds on her body which suggests she has eaten live before.. will she eat pre killed do you think? would be so grateful for some advice. thankyou..

feeding live prey is a dangerous practice. is your snake blowing bubbles or rattling when it breathes? if your snake did get bit by the rat then you could be dealing with an infection or even worse "mouth rot" soak him in baby bath warm water to help break loose the nostril blockage, increase the basking temps in the tank to around 90 degrees and keep the basking area as close to 90 as you can day and night. watch him closely for bubbles and wheezing or rattling while breathing. I always feed pre-killed prey it stops any possibility of the snake being injured by the prey. if you see any signs of breathing problems or swelling around the mouth seek out an exotics vet for respiratory or any other infections that may be present. this can be dealt with successfully if you act quickly at the first sign of any possible infections. hope this helps

certified veterinary technician/herpetology specialist

I am no vet but i have been living with reptiles for quite some time and i am amazed at everything they do. I am very glad to hear somebody such as yourself would take the time to help save such a beautiful creature and am sickened at what this poor animal has been through. Wait untill she has shed and if it doesn't go away contact a vet. actually you should go to a vet right away. Contact a vet and see what they tell you to do.