It happens..*not for weak stomachs*

[SnakeyeZ]

Few weeks ago after I did a round of feeding on the younger snakes. I had two escapee's that night, dont know how it happened or when, maybe the rubbermaid wasnt closed properly, who knows. Next morning came down to check there water, and noticed two of the containers on the lampropeltis shelf were empty. Immediatly I scrammbled around the basement looking, without any luck, had to goto work early so that cut my searching time down.

Just before I left for work I went down and noticed my cat was pawing under the washer, I ran with a flashlight and looked down the back to see my little female king scurry under a big twine of wire. Lifted the wire up enough to grab her, I began to walk back to the herp room when I noticed she was either attacked by the cat, or cut by the wire when I moved it. Here she is.







http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/snakeyez/DSC01280.jpg
I didnt post when it happend, because I wasnt too sure she would make it, its been two weeks since, and she had shed today (which removed the scabby tissue and a few peices of dead skin too). She also took her first meal since the inncodent, which is a good sign of recovery. I have been treating her wound with a light bath every few days, then a nice coat of polysporin.
Took these photo's tonight..as you can see, she lives as if nothing happend.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/snakeyez/DSC01349.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/snakeyez/DSC01348.jpg

Thanks for veiwing..


OH and the second escapee returned to me in perfect healthy, he was not named, but now his name is Hoover lol!!

[peterm15]

thats great and horrible at the same time.. great about the recovery and horrible that it happened.. i hope she turns out alright.. keep us posted.. good luck

[Manitoban Herps]

Hope she recovers!

I hope I find my cal king :( Even if she comes back with a injury at least she will be back :)

[Stockwell]

Snakes have an amazing ability to recover from external injuries, even serious ones. I assume in the wild they get crushed by rocks and grabbed by predators and they've developed incredible resistance to infections.
I think that snake will be just fine. I wouldn't even put any ointment on it. I find letting air dry out injuries works better than keeping them wet with ointment.
It will never look the same and that area will be scared forever but the snake will likely live, grow and even reproduce.

[Lindze]

OMG Rich she is looking soo good!! Im glad she is recovering as well as she is. When you showed me the first pictures the day you found her i really had my doubts, but WOW!! good luck with her.

[Katt]

Looks like she lost a bit of tail too Rich!

Best of luck! She is def looking better than before!

[melbatoast]

I'm really glad she is recovering *keeps fingers crossed for her* :D

[Classic]

Ouch! Looks like a pull injury. Was the washer turned on after it escaped or I guess you needed a little force to pull it out from under the washer. If it were the cat, i think there would be puncture wounds. O well. At least you got him back and have done well to rehabilitate it. Good Luck.
Thanks for sharing.

Brian
HighWaterHerps

[SnakeyeZ]

Classic, she wasnt under the washer..she was behind it as I stated. She probly got cut by the wire as I moved it..but, cant be certain.
Katt, yes, that part of the tail looked flat, it dried and fell off days later. Still has some room before the vent.
Stockwell, I know of people who let it air dry, but im not one of them....Id feel best treating it with some oitment. But thanks for the advice anyways man :D
Lindze, she looks soo much better, and a few more sheds and I think ill close itself up, itll never look the same, but I dont care, aslong as shes alive is all I really care about. And, she still has both her 'minni mouse heads' :D

My fingers are no longer crossed...I know she will make it! but ill keep you all posted.

Thanks again everyone who posted on the subject.

[Will]

OUCH!! :(

The fact that she seems to be recovering is just amazing to me...

Hope she recovers fully!

How was the shed -- did it come off in a big piece like normal or just sort of shred around the wound site...?

Post pics when she's done healing, I'd like to see what she looks like once some skin/scar tissue grows back over.

Good Luck!

[SnakeyeZ]

Yea, even after I found her, she was allert and looking well, so I wasnt really worried then. She has since deficated, and just ate too, so now I have no doubt in my mind that she'll recover.

The shed was fine up until the wound, then I assisted with a damp towl to remove the remaining skin.

[vanderkm]

Glad to hear she is doing well despite the ordeal - she is a lovely cal king - very unfortunate that it happened, but glad she is recovering for you,

mary v