EMERGENCY - Stuck Snake

[Jessicat]

I was just doing the rounds, refilling waters, cleaning cages, heating up mice, when I discovered one of my snakes in a very compromising situation.

I have an Animal Plastics Sterilite rack, and recently I had to buy more tubs. The problem is is that Sterilite discontinued the tubs that my rack was made for. I had to get some new tubs which fit in the rack, but aren't ideal. They have lids that are connected with handles. When the handles and lids are removed, the tubs fit, but they have two small holes on each side of the tub.

For most of my snakes I have covered these holes, but for a few snakes I left them open. I stupidly assumed the snakes in these tubs would be too large to escape.. well.. I was very very wrong.

My male bloodred Sgt. Pepper has attempted to escape, and is now stuck. I'm extremely worried about him. I don't know if he's going to be able to make it through the hole. It looks like he already has a lot of scale damage from trying to pull himself out unsuccessfully.

So far I've tried rubbing olive oil all over him and the opening, but it doesn't seem to be helping. I attempted to gently pull him out, but there was nothing gentle about it, and I figured that him trying to get himself out would be more effective.

I put him in the bathroom, where I can isolate the room in case he gets out all the way, and I'm trying to be patient at wait it out. It's very very scary though and I have to resist the urge to go in there and try to get him out myself. I'm afraid that I might cause more damage though.

This is the side of the hole:

And this is how stuck he is. He's not even to the thickest part of his body yet.

Thankfully he is not digesting, and he shed in the past few days.

I'm freaking out, and thinking I might have to go in there and try to cut him out, but I'm really scared that I will cut him in the process. Has anyone had to deal with something like this before? What do you think the most effective method for freeing him would be?

 

[Nanci]

I would first see if I could urge him to back out, after REALLY greasing him up, and if not, get a helper and a very fine hack saw. I'd cut through most of the way then see if I could snip the last part with a tiny scissors or something. I might call a vet and see if they had an idea.

Thank God it's not Lova!!

 

[Nanci]

I also wouldn't leave him unattended- you don't want him going further through.

 

[susang]

Just and idea if you could get a piece of plastic wrap in the hole around him, put oil on the wrap. Since the plastic itself is sharp the wrap may make pulling him out smoother.

 

[Onarian]

I agree with Nanci on this. Very very carefully cut through the plastic around him while you have someone else hold him as still as you possibly can. But, instead of snipping through the last bit with scissors I would get it to the point where it can be snapped with your fingers. Good luck!

 

[Nanci]

Yeah, I was trying to avoid any jarring movement at the end.

 

[Nanci]

You should ask Ali if any of the Iris tubs are close enough to fit, maybe with cardboard shimming.

 

[DanaP]

I really hope you get him out!

 

[SnakeAround]

I think I'd try to 'wiggle' him back out, like with a s-shape movement, pushing one side at a time . I think that's how they get through such narrow spaces themselves too. It will get easier with every bit you'll succeed. I think you'll have to accept some more scale damage though. It's that or trying to cut or saw the plastic with the risk of really injuring the snake.

I am also dwelling on the idea to try something with a heated needle, a bit like kids use a needle like tool to cut out shapes by punching many holes close to each other (I hope kids in the USA do so, so you understand what I mean).

Addes picture of what I mean:

 

[Nanci]

She must be doing something, since she isn't posting...

 

[SnakeAround]

I hope so..... or she just doesn't know anything to say anymore...

I also thought of trying a knife like this:

 

[Dustilyn]

We had something very similar happen with our ball python. We tried greasing him up and working him out backwards and nothing helped. If they are stuck and struggle to get free too long I think it causes the area to swell up. We had to cut our guy out and I'm afraid that is what you'll need to do to. If it makes you feel any better, our ball recovered completely. After a couple sheds you can't tell he was ever injured.

 

[Lobovasco]

I just got 2 of these racks recently but none of my snakes have tried this, they are all big must i will def be covering those holes for the smaller snakes.

I hope your able to get him out safely!

 

[Nanci]

With a saw, though, you can take off just the tiniest amount with each pass, until there is only a very thin layer left. Without using any force that would hurt the snake.

 

[Nanci]

I bet you could fill the holes with aquarium silicone.

 

[ghosthousecorns]

Jessica the snake is obviously going to have to back out the way it got in, so lots of olive oil on that side and if you have any kind of syringe or eyedropper thing you could try to squirt some of the oil right into where the snake is wedged.
I think Nanci is right you will probably have to cut the tub carefully. If you need a helper send me pm here.

 

[alan]

I think that if the snake was able to be fit through the hole forward it would have done so by now.
I have an idea for backing it out, and for cutting.
Blutengel said work one side, then the other. How about trying that and using something thin, smooth, and stiff like a spoon or spoon handle to slightly compress the side you're working backwards? You can use it to push the scales under the plastic so that they don't get caught. You might even be able to keep steady backwards pressure and use your tool to push each side, use some kind of lube. I don't know how much the snake will help, they don't really like going backwards.

If you need to cut it try to push the spoon between the snake and the plastic to protect the snake. Try what Nanci said with a saw. That kind of plastic also cuts fairly easy with a fresh razor knife, but so does a snake. If you use a razor face the razor away from the snake and start a cut at the snake, putting the back of the blade against the protector(spoon?) and cutting outward from the hole. If you make just two short cuts starting at the hole you can then cut out the plastic between those cuts and make a bigger hole.

Extra thought: If you do any cutting cover the rest of the snake. Maybe with a thick towel?

 

[MysticExotics]

Any update Jess?
I've not had any problems with my AP racks & the new Sterilite bins, but I also leave the handles on.
I hope he's ok!!

 

[Jessicat]

Okay, quick update.. I've been with him in the bathroom. I haven't read all of the posts yet. I'll take my lap top into the bathroom with me so I can read through all of them.

So far he's making progress.. getting his way backwards. I've tried helping him out, but it's so tight, and I'm really afraid it's damaging him. So far he IS making progress, but well.. his skin is coming off in bits and his head looks a little swollen and his skin is all messed up.

I'm going to go in now with the scissors and see what progress I can make.

I've been oiling him up the whole way through.

Thanks for all of the support guys, this is so scary. I really hope we can make it out of this.

 

[Jessicat]

Ok.. so I decided to take some pictures.

BTW, Nanci, sorry I said "male bloodred", I guess I should have known you would assume it was Lova! Thank god it is not! He is in one of my original bins.

Unfortunatly the strongest scissors I have (meat cutters) are not sharp enough. I might need to figure out how to take a trip somewhere, but I don't want to leave him alone..

The plastic wrap idea sounds good, I might try that. The idea of trying to add something else into the mix seems bad though. I don't think anything can fit in that area. I'm scared his circulation is going to be cut off and that he's getting very stressed out.

It seems like when I try to "help" him he ends up trying to go the wrong way. When I just observe him he seems to make more progress.. but it's too slow for my liking.

He is twisting himself all up and his skin as all messed up..

WARNING: GRAPHIC PICTURE

His neck seems more swollen to me than it was before..

I don't know how well you can see it in this picture, but his skin is getting kind of splayed

He is less stuck than he was before though.. only this much of him is now stuck.

Jen, I may need to call you. I'm trying to think of if there is anywhere near by that I can get a sodering iron or some sharp scissors. I'm so scared I'm going to accidently cut him, but if I wait too long the results could be even worse. I just don't know!

Thanks so much for all the support and advice.