Lesson Learned the Hard Way: Duct tape + Bag w/Rat + Escape-artist Snake = BAD

[GreenNeutron]

Alright. Sooo... I decided I'd try the put the snake in a paper bag with a small f/t rat overnight trick. My BAD idea: seal the bag shut with DUCT TAPE. Wow. It seemed like a great idea at the time b/c it was fairly secure and stuff right? hahaha. No. Lol. The snake managed to get the bag slightly open and get his silly neck stuck in the duct tape. Luckily some instinct of mine told me to check on him before I went to bed, so I managed to find him and get him off of the duct tape, and throw the rat, bag and duct tape away in a fit of anger.
Anyhow, it looks like he lost the pigmentation on the outer-layer of his scales (sort of like a scrape.) I took him to the vet, the vet said at this point there doesn't appear to be any infection, but that I should keep an eye on it and keep the humidity in his cage slightly higher to avoid dehydration. Does this sound like good advice to you guys?
Also, the vet suggested that I continue to feed him what he'll eat (mice, he's about 200g) until he sheds, because trying to take in a larger prey item might be painful because of his injury.

So yeah. This is basically me asking for more advice/Telling anyone else who might unknowingly consider this bright idea, that it isn't one. lol. I'm sure glad I more or less lucked out here... and I can only hope that he doesn't think that it was the rat that attacked him, not the bag!

:hammer:

~Melissa and the slightly worse for the wear Orion

[Vengeance]

Tape + snake = Allways a bad idea

You might want to consider applying polysporin to the wound to help it heal and fight off infection. As for feeding, I don't know if feeding a large prey item would cause pain or not, seems logical that it would, I'm sure someone else can give some more information on that.

[daver676]

Yes. Snakes and tape don't mix. I made the same mistake when I first got my bp. I thought it would be a bright idea to stick the hydrometer up high in the tank where the snake couldn't reach it. Well she did reach it, somehow. Anyway, I managed to get the tape off without any damage. Now the tape stays OUTSIDE the enclosure....

[GreenNeutron]

Yeah I guess at least subconsciously I knew it was a stupid idea because I went back and checked it before I was going to. But at least now I learned the lesson and I will never do it again!:grab:

[snakehunter]

200g and still eating mice, those are some giant mice! i would switch to rats ASAP, the sooner the easier

[BoidKeeper]

I've never used the bag. I always use a small dark rubbermaid. Also, no matter what you put the snake it, put it back inside the cage so that if it does get out it only gets out into its own cage.
Cheers,
Trevor

[elevation24]

Should've stapled it and stuck it back in the enclosure with the lid on :p Though I've never tried that trick personally.

[GreenNeutron]

Yeah, I thought about the stapling it shut but I was like "no that wouldn't be safe cause he'll cut himself" hahaha. Luckily though he and the bag were both back in the enclosure cause I did read that much.

And yes, I know that at his size he really should be eating rats, (thus me starting to try the items on the list of 101 ways to make a ball python eat a rat) but the vet said (and I know they've been wrong before) that the snake should be offered smaller prey items that he'll eat until his next shed so that he can keep his energy up to get better.

Now I dunno how much truth there is to that, because apparently a lot of peoples' snakes can go next to forever with no food and still have plenty of energy... but... I just don't know.

Basically I'm also asking about the feeding thing, cause I know a lot you guys probably have even more experience than a vet when it comes to marginally injured snakes.

[Grant vg]

A few things concerning infections.... one... completely sanitize his enclosure....put fresh substrate (preferably paper towel...) clean the water boiwl especially, fresh water every day until it heals.. clean hides , preferably plastic... etc... anything asthetic that doesn't HAVE to be in there should be left out.
These are all things that can carry bacteria that can cause a secondary bacteria infection....

two... humidity helps bacteria grow... id go with a well ventilated enclosure with regular humidity... 60% is fine.. if you feel like your snake is dehydrated... give it long soaks every few days , dry it off, and then put whatever ointment you choose... i like betadine creme.

Goodluck and i hope your snake has a healthy recovery!

gvg

[GreenNeutron]

update: he's eaten one big meal (to med. adult mice and a rat pup yay!) since his unfortunate encounter, and now his eyes are getting cloudy! Yay, hopefully this shed will clear everything up. :-) After he sheds I'm going to have to get a weight on him again, because I'm fairly sure he's been getting bigger.