My Boa Ate A Towel!!

Billyh · 03-21-09, 10:40 AM

Someone Please Help. Last night my 7' burm bit me when I was going to take her out for her feeding. So I fed her in her cage. I didnt want get my boas out with a blood-smelling hand so I fed them in there cages too, I layed a towel down so they wouldnt swallow the aspen-Big mistake! When I looked in my female boas cage the towel and rat were gone! I called every vet in Kansas City and They all said bring her in immidiatly for surgery, except for one said to give her til monday to regurgitate on her own and if she doesnt regurgitate by monday it is a $1000 surgery. How can I help her regurgitate? The towel was 15"x30" so I know it wont pass and I dont have an extra $1000 for surgery.

**Aaron_S** · 03-21-09, 12:45 PM

Umm, handle the snake? That may entice a regurge. You'd have to literally stress the snake out enough to make it regurge.

On a side note, why the hell did you place a towel of all things? Did you not realize that a towel folds up and can easily be swallowed? A little bit of aspen wouldn't have hurt your snake. I feed all of my snakes in their enclosures on apsen. I've had no problems. You probably just killed your snake.

Wolfus_305 · 03-21-09, 07:36 PM

Billyh probably didn't think the snake would eat a towel. Sometimes it's the most obvious things that slip our minds. Hindsight is 20/20.
Telling Billyh that he probably just killed his snake probably wasn't the best thing you could have said to a person who is clearly feeling bad and is already stressed out.

Billyh: I hope that everything works out for you and your boa!

Kendra

**Aaron_S** · 03-22-09, 06:40 AM

I'm just being truthful. I should say something that most likely isn't true that the snake will pass the towel without problem? Then when it dies he comes and gets angry at me? They already stated they can't afford the surgery and most likely that is the only thing to save the snake's life now.

Billyh · 03-22-09, 07:13 AM

Thanks for the responses, I have read all the info that I could find online, and read the entire "Boa Constrictor Manual" I take the best care of my snakes, And I have saved all of my snakes from certain death, When I got her she was in a mess of feces, old skins, had severe nose damage, no water source, a mild RI, and was underweight. She was never held, teased by kids, had no heat, and her cage was empty and way too small. I NEVER thought that a snake would eat a towel

, yeah I know I should have put two and two together but, Can you really tell me you have never done something stupid that you regreted and couldnt do anything about? I feel horrible, and I will do all I can to save her, but it is looking like the best thing I can to is inform others, what happened so they wont let it happen to themselves, all the vets that I talked to yesterday said they have seen it happen before. If I would have read anything about it I could have prevented it from happening.

Wolfus_305 · 03-22-09, 09:43 AM

I know you're being truthful and you don't want anybody mad at you but I'm sure if Billyh already stated he can't afford the surgery he is well aware of his snakes most probable fate.

Smilts · 03-22-09, 11:07 AM

I agree on the stressing the snake out , the one thing we usually try and avoid.

Kmef07 · 03-22-09, 12:30 PM

well i would suggest wearing some gloves especially if the snake has any size to it because i would assume pissing a snake off would get you bit.

Smilts · 03-22-09, 01:03 PM

I wanted to mention that brutal honesty is often the best course even if it hurts. But there is such a thing as unecessary comments whether true or not. often times on here its is best and necessary to be honest to the point of cruel but at other times its not.

**Aaron_S** · 03-22-09, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfus_305

I know you're being truthful and you don't want anybody mad at you but I'm sure if Billyh already stated he can't afford the surgery he is well aware of his snakes most probable fate.

I really don't care if someone is mad at me or not.

Then if he knows the fate of his snake already there is no point in coming asking on a forum for advice.

gonesnakee · 03-22-09, 01:50 PM

Well for starters I am not a big fan of folks moving large Boids around to be fed, feed them in their enclosures. At least the Burm is only 7ft & not 17ft or maybe I would be reading about this all on the news, not a reptile forum (or both)

That said if anything is to be used as a "plate" make sure it is like a chunk of plastic, something like a rubbermaid lid or something, not a towel & should not have been left unattended with it.
OK now that I have stated the obvious. We know how big the towel was, how big was the snake that ate it? This is the key factor here. If the snake is a large Boa it may very well be capable of passing the towel??? Was the towel an old worn out one or a nice thick fluffy one, I'm hoping seeings how its used with dead rodents its a nice thin worn out one? Hopefully the Boa will just regurge it? If the towel is real thin & the Boa really large HOPEFULLY it will be able to pass it if it does not regurge it.
I have had snakes eat blue shop towels on more than one occassion, in some cases regurging them & in others passing them. There is a big difference betweeen that & a "terry" towel though. I'd wait it out a bit & pay close attn. for signs of impaction is that is going to be the main concern along with dehydration as the towel is going to suck up all the digestive juices in the snakes guts. Best case is if the snake pukes. If it doesn't & beins to look impacted intravention will be required or the snake can die from the impaction. Don't know what else to really tell you, except for it MAY be a hard lesson learned. Mark
edit - IF the snake pukes provide it with non stop fresh water to rehydrate it & DO NOT feed it for at least a week or 2 after the regurge.

Kmef07 · 03-22-09, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Then if he knows the fate of his snake already there is no point in coming asking on a forum for advice.

I disagree im sure he knew 100% that his snake doesn't have a good chance but it is admirable that he would seek advice and suck up a little pride to tell us he screwed up and by coming on here maybe someone would know another thing to try. He is trying to catch a bone so to say and that just shows he really did have the snakes best interests in mind. From what i've read he is willing to take a little criticizing to have a better chance at saving his snake. i never would have thought to not feed a snake on a towel. (I always watch the feedings cuz it is cool to see the snake swallow but I know from this post not to ever feed on a towel) so thank you billyh even if your snake doesn't make it then at least you have shared a valuable piece of information with the rest of us and maybe have indirectly saved a couple snakes. That is what a forum is for isn't it? to share the stories and experiences both bad and good.

I hope someone gets on here that can give you some advice and maybe a couple things to try.

anyways good luck!!!!

gonesnakee · 03-22-09, 02:48 PM

Could also tube feed it a bunch of mineral oil to help lube it up, but I'm not too sure about doing that. I know folks have done it with impacted lizards before. Mark

**Aaron_S** · 03-22-09, 05:53 PM

Well Mark came in with some more information. I really wouldn't have thought a snake would pass a towel, but anything can happen.

Kmef07 · 03-22-09, 08:19 PM

ya im kinda curious now as to how big the snake is. and the mineral oil is an ingenious idea that is really thinking. I wonder how someone came up with that idea...on second thought that probably started with something very innappropriate for this site.