Snake and mouse wrapped up in a napkin

Zelg · 11-24-13, 10:19 PM

Ok so I'm not sure if this is a common mishap or not but it seems like it could be. I normally feed my ball python in a plastic tub just to avoid any substrate ingestion and for it being an easier place to monitor and make sure everything is going ok. When I do this I normally put paper towels down on the bottom in case there is any leakage from the prey so its easy to clean up. Today though I didnt have any paper towels on hand so I used some napkins and unfolded them and just kind of carelessly laid them on the tub and kind of folding inwards from the walls real loosely.

I put muh snake in and then dropped the prey down and as soon as it struck the mouse and coiled up, I saw the napkins coil up along with the food. I kind of panicked and tried my best to pull the napkin away and uncoil the snake a bit and eventually was able to slip the napkin out and all is well but it got me wondering.

1) Is this a common mishap that people experience and should I just avoid using napkins/paper towels?

2) Does it really stress the snake out to fiddle with it while its trying to eat? Didnt seem phased by me picking it up and trying to pull the napkin out, it just tried to squeeze a bit harder is all but I'd still obviously like to avoid adding more stress.

and 3) Would the snake even try to eat its food with a napkin wrapped around it or might it uncoil and scoot the napkin out of the way? I didnt really want to find out before it was too late.

Here is a picture I took in the middle of it all after I pulled some of the napkin apart to let me see a bit better.

Anyways, wasnt a terribly huge issue but just wanted to get some other thoughts on this.

DeadlyDesires · 11-24-13, 11:05 PM

you should feed him in his enclosure.. there is no need to move the snake for feeding..

Terranaut · 11-25-13, 03:59 AM

This is why you never feed on paper towels. Feed in the enclosure.

Lankyrob · 11-25-13, 05:03 AM

Have read this on a number of occassions, if you use paper towels, tho there is no need, then you must make sure the prey is dry or it sticks. This can happen with substrate too if the rat is wet but i personally would rather the snake ate something natural like a small piece of sustrate rather than a large piece of paper

Terranaut · 11-25-13, 05:13 AM

Occasionally the entire piece of paper towel follows the rat and gets caught in the snakes throat. I have read about snakes dying from this but I do not know of anyone personally that has had a death.

shaunyboy · 11-25-13, 09:43 AM

if you ever want a snake to let go of something,i have found the best way to do it, is to drip cold water onto its head.....

pulling at the snake may break teeth mate

cheers shaun

Zelg · 11-25-13, 01:33 PM

Hmm ok.. Thanks for the responses. Maybe I'll just start feeding him in his enclosure from now on. Also the tip about dripping water on its head its wonderful to know. I dont know that I would have thought about it. Thanks.

mistersprinkles · 11-25-13, 01:49 PM

Definitely DO NOT feed the snake on any kind of cloth, towel, napkin, paper towel, etc. It's dangerous.

You can feed the snake in its enclosure provided it is on no substrate, or a substrate (like certain kinds of wood shavings) that is not dangerous to ingest.

Darkbird · 11-25-13, 03:04 PM

Not a fan of the feeding tub thing, but if your snake is doing ok it doesn't hurt either. Definately no substrate in the feeding tub though, it kinda defeats the purpose. And yes it will add stress trying to fix this type of mishap, some animals just handle it better than others. I did have almost the same exact thing happen to me the other day, I just left the snake be and monitored it to make sure the papertowel didn't go the same route as the rat. I use paper towel as substrate in my racks.

Zelg · 11-25-13, 08:02 PM

I use cypress mulch as my substrate in his enclosure due to it holding moisture well which is why I like to take him out and feed him in the tub. It just doesnt seem like it'd be good to risk pieces getting ingested I guess.

Its my first snake so I'm still not very knowledgeable about signs of stress but to me he seems very comfortable. Its very tame and easy to handle and comes out of his hide whenever I sit down next to his enclosure. As far as I could tell he seems fine with feeding in the tub. I'm always up for hearing other opinions and ideas though.

DeadlyDesires · 11-25-13, 08:52 PM

if your reptile is properly supported by his husbandry and everything is right within his cage he will be fine eating in there.

formica · 11-26-13, 04:19 AM

too much freaking out!

the same thing happens all the time with substrates, plants, leaves, twigs, whatever happens to be in the way at the time of the constriction, it doesnt mean the snake will then eat said objects along with its prey...esp not a huge piece of paper towel, which will quickly uncurl itself once the snakes grip is loosened

unless the snake starts eating the paper towel, this is not an issue, but there is no reason for the snake to eat the paper towel, keep an eye and it'll be fine - but there is no need to feed in a separate enclosure, it just adds stress.

I've pretty much always used live plants in my vivariums, i've seen many large leaves (both dead/unattached to plants, and live-attached to plant) coiled and tangled up in constrictions along with prey, they have never been eaten along with the prey. once the snake starts looking for a point to start swallowing, it loosens its grip, substrates, leaves, paper towel, whatever, all gets untangled and the prey is swallowed without any issues.

Terranaut · 11-26-13, 05:57 AM

Well even a google search will find you an unfortunate plethora of stories of people having thier snakes die or suffer huge over eating paper towel.
It is not like eating forest floor in the wild or the normal use substrates we all use. Processed, bleached and glued are not things I want inside my snakes. To any newer snake owners reading this and wondering which opinion to trust please ere on the side of caution and never feed on paper towel....ever!!!!
This snake regurged most of the towel and still died. Not my snake. This was posted on another forum.

formica · 11-26-13, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terranaut

Well even a google search will find you an unfortunate plethora of stories of people having thier snakes die or suffer huge over eating paper towel.
It is not like eating forest floor in the wild or the normal use substrates we all use. Processed, bleached and glued are not things I want inside my snakes. To any newer snake owners reading this and wondering which opinion to trust please ere on the side of caution and never feed on paper towel....ever!!!!
This snake regurged most of the towel and still died. Not my snake. This was posted on another forum.

my point was not that paper towel cannot be dangerous, but that snake owners should not be letting it get to the point where it is swallowing it in the first place!

the same can be said for numerous things in a snake enclosure, i find it strange that a snake owner would not be taking care to make sure that this did not happen, regardless of the substrate being used or other contents of the enclosure! what a horrible way for a snake to die

another good reason for people to dry their rodents off after defrosting aswell imo, it wont get substrate etc stuck to it, and go down inadvertently, i bet the mouse on that paper towel was soaking wet straight out of warm water

Terranaut · 11-26-13, 10:18 AM

Well when I read your post I read it as you supporting the use of paper towel as an ok practice. It is not. arguably the worst choice to feed on out there. The answer to the problem is not to keep an eye on things and make sure it doesn't get that far. The answer is ..... never ever feed on paper towel....period!!! It is not the same as injesting a bit of eco earth or aspen. My god how is a new person ever supposed to learn on here with muddled posts like that when it is cut and dry. NEVER FEED ON PAPER TOWELS! !
The End.