Snake trying to squeeze into something/get away, best course of action?

[Praireboyfarmer]

I have had this happen to me three times. I'm holding my Ball Python snake (Or helping it shed in this case) and it finds a small crack that you would have NEVER thought possible, and it's half way in.

First time was he squeezed under a small door. I had no experience with snakes at this point, it scared me to death (I didn't know they could squeeze down that small) I just let him go eventually and opened the door and grabbed him.

Second time I had him on the couch and he found a small tiny hole in the fabric zip zoop zopp there he goes. Wrapping around springs, and such.

Third time I was helping him shed in my bath tub and he found my faucet, so I let him curl around it in order to get his skin off (It did wonders) and he found a crack behind the faucet and the wall and started crawling up INTO the faucet (the wall was sealed)

All of these times I just got a firm grab on him and didn't let him go any further until he either gave up or I found a solution to get him out. The first time I pulled a little and heard a godawful pop in his body. I never did that again

Anyway, when this does happen, what is the best course of action besides making sure it DOESN'T happen (As I will surely do a better job of in the future). Is it best to do as I did and just get a firm hold of him (Without pulling) and waiting until he gives up. Or what? Because I'm sure, that despite my best efforts, I'll probably see this problem again and I'm trying my best not to injure this poor little guy.

Just for the record: Letting him go into that faucet was not an option. I would have had to tear my whole wall out, turn off the water, and reach far up in there to unbolt the faucet assembly and pull it out.

[Tsubaki]

Don't let him roam or handle him anywhere where he can get into stuff (Sit on the open floor for example) Because this is what snakes do, and there is no other way to prevent it other than keeping them away from it.

[Jim Smith]

I agree with Tsubaki, the problem is not the snake, it's the fact that you leave it unattended around areas where it could (and will) get stuck. If you feel compelled to hold your snake, then hold it in your lap or on your arms. I even take off my watch when I hold my Hondos as they are just as inclined to get squeezed into a loose watchband as yours is to squeeze into a faucet. This is all part of the learning curve with keeping reptiles.

[Praireboyfarmer]

Originally Posted by Jim Smith

I agree with Tsubaki, the problem is not the snake, it's the fact that you leave it unattended around areas where it could (and will) get stuck. If you feel compelled to hold your snake, then hold it in your lap or on your arms. I even take off my watch when I hold my Hondos as they are just as inclined to get squeezed into a loose watchband as yours is to squeeze into a faucet. This is all part of the learning curve with keeping reptiles.

Well I don't leave my snake unattended, it's literally a case of look away for a second and off it goes.

The accident with the faucet was the fact that I didn't realize the crack was there. I had actually checked to see and missed it. When he went around on the bottom half his head was obscured and he got in before I even realized what happened. I had my eye on him the entire time. The only reason I allowed him on it is because it helped him shed perfectly. Generally he doesn't leave my hands.

I made a mistake, and I'll learn from it. Things could be a lot worse. He is fine now though and I now know the bathtub and any faucets are off limits.

[EL Ziggy]

I agree with the others. The only way to prevent this from happening is to keep him in open areas where he can't get away from you so quickly. On another note, have you gotten your humidity up so you won't have to assist the snake with shedding?

[PatrickT]

I don´t understand the problem. If you would act responsible nothing of this would happen.

[Wingbeats]

I never let my snake crawl around on her own, since she is a small baby right now. Whenever I take her out, I let her thread through my hands (and around my shoulders or through my shirt) but I never set her down. If I set her down, I know she'd just try and go hide Hiding is what snakes do. With all the nooks and crannies in my house, I don't want her to do that xD

So basically, my advice is to never let him go to begin with!

[Obsidian_Dragon]

Never take your eyeballs off the snake.

I'm sorry, but...that's just how it has to work, haha. (I have very fast, lively colubrids, the idea of taking my eyes off them for a second is a giant NO.)