What is Mouth Rot:

Mouth Rot, which is known under the technical name of infectious necrotic stomatitis, is a severe condition that is usually the result of an injury to the mouth, teeth or gums. Once the lining to the mouth has been broken by some minor injury, bacteria can invade the wound and multiply, producing a corrosive toxin which eats away the surrounding tissues. This in a swollen red area inside of the mouth, which will continuously slough off dead tissue as well as let off a cheesy gray pus.

What the signs are:

The first sign is usually a refusal to eat, and examination of the inside of the mouth will reveal the telltale lesions and encrustation of dead tissue. Always be careful when looking inside of a snakes mouth since you might actually cause Mouth Rot by breaking a snakes tooth or gum.

What to do:

If untreated, Mouth Rot will destroy the mouth lining and kill the snake. You will need a vet to deal with this problem. The vet will swab the infected areas with a disinfectant like hydrogen peroxide, and will also administer vitamin shots and antibiotics to help the snake fight off the infection. The sooner the condition is discovered, the better the chance of a complete recovery!