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Duct Tape...

M

mythkeeper

New member
So I came home today to find my six-month-old corn snake Milo stuck to the duct tape that keeps the reptile carpet down in his viv. :cry:

Somehow he had crawled under the corner of the tank and his neck skin was all stretched and stuck to the tape. He couldn't have been like that for more than two or three hours. I immediately got some water in a dish and put him and the tape under the shallow water to try and remove most of it while underwater. Problem is, I had to unpeel most of his neck above water, and a bunch of his scales came off. Also, because he was so scared, he kept coiling around the tape so scales all over his body came off. Thankfully, his skin wasn't broken and he wasn't bleeding anywhere, but his neck skin is really loose and saggy now... I'm terrified :(.

He just shed a couple days ago (all in one piece) so I'm worried sick that he's going to be in pain for a while, as new skin is really sensitive. Has this happened to anyone else before? Did your snake recover? Do you think mine will? He's obviously hiding now and I don't want to disturb him any more so I can't take pictures, but do you think his loose, saggy skin will return to normal...? I'm absolutely sick thinking he'll die because of this. :cry: Is there any sort of treatment I can give him for his lost scales, or will he recover on his own?

Please help...
 
Oh I am so sorry that happened to you. How awful. I guess this is a terrible life lesson. No tape anywhere in the viv. When I need something to stick in the viv, I sand the place down and use glue. Put the snake in well after it dries. So sorry. Hope your snake recovers.
 
Oh no! The adhesive in duct tape and other waterproof tapes is oil based, not water based. So water doesn't help with it's removal, you need to use cooking oil.

I use velcro to secure the majority of my items in my tank. You can buy lengths of it and then glue them on whatever you want to secure.
 
Oh- the poor baby! You're lucky he's alive. I would expect him to shed very rapidly, now. I'd keep him on paper towels, and make him a couple humid hides with orchid moss.
 
Thank you for your quick replies. He is doing okay, I can see him curled up in his warm hide, he looks exhausted but still alive thankfully :). I'm anticipating a few quick sheds like Nanci mentioned, and I will definitely keep a close eye on him while he recuperates.

I think the issue of tape in vivs should have more awareness though. In all my hours of research and conversations with reptile owners and breeders before I got my snake, the topic never came up once. It might just seems like common sense, ignorance or stupidity but I never would have had tape in there if I thought it would hurt him like it did. I had no idea of the evils of duct tape...
 
mythkeeper said:
I think the issue of tape in vivs should have more awareness though. In all my hours of research and conversations with reptile owners and breeders before I got my snake, the topic never came up once. It might just seems like common sense, ignorance or stupidity but I never would have had tape in there if I thought it would hurt him like it did. I had no idea of the evils of duct tape...
Click to expand...

I am glad he is okay. I agree, awareness would be a great thing but carpet for corns isn't really recommended so there isn't much need for warnings in this case. Aspen substrate or paper towels or newsprint are the most common, and if you do continue to use the carpet then don't tape it down. Nothing in a corn's viv should have to be taped down.

I agree with Alfrederi, Velcro is great to hold things down. I also use it to keep the tops on my vivs.
 
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