diff --git a/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py b/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py
index 76b8ec75c5..1572eb81f5 100644
--- a/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py
+++ b/litellm/integrations/opentelemetry.py
@@ -884,15 +884,20 @@ class OpenTelemetry(CustomLogger):
             return BatchSpanProcessor(ConsoleSpanExporter())
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _get_headers_dictionary(headers: Optional[Union[str, dict]]) -> dict:
+    def _get_headers_dictionary(headers: Optional[Union[str, dict]]) -> Dict[str, str]:
         """
         Convert a string or dictionary of headers into a dictionary of headers.
         """
-        _split_otel_headers = {}
+        _split_otel_headers: Dict[str, str] = {}
         if headers:
             if isinstance(headers, str):
-                _split_otel_headers = headers.split("=")
-                _split_otel_headers = {_split_otel_headers[0]: _split_otel_headers[1]}
+                # when passed HEADERS="x-honeycomb-team=B85YgLm96******"
+                # Split only on first '=' occurrence
+                parts = headers.split("=", 1)
+                if len(parts) == 2:
+                    _split_otel_headers = {parts[0]: parts[1]}
+                else:
+                    _split_otel_headers = {}
             elif isinstance(headers, dict):
                 _split_otel_headers = headers
         return _split_otel_headers
diff --git a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py
index 851fa996c9..0b9722eb41 100644
--- a/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py
+++ b/litellm/litellm_core_utils/litellm_logging.py
@@ -2663,9 +2663,9 @@ def _init_custom_logger_compatible_class(  # noqa: PLR0915
                     and callback.callback_name == "arize"
                 ):
                     return callback  # type: ignore
-            _otel_logger = ArizeLogger(config=otel_config, callback_name="arize")
-            _in_memory_loggers.append(_otel_logger)
-            return _otel_logger  # type: ignore
+            _arize_otel_logger = ArizeLogger(config=otel_config, callback_name="arize")
+            _in_memory_loggers.append(_arize_otel_logger)
+            return _arize_otel_logger  # type: ignore
         elif logging_integration == "arize_phoenix":
             from litellm.integrations.opentelemetry import (
                 OpenTelemetry,