worried about my snake after accident

[redline23]

Hi guys... I am new here I have had my snake for over 2 years but last night I got into a car accident and he was in his tank in the back seat because i left town for over a week so i had to take him with me. I had the passenger seat resting on his tank so it would not shift around while driving so when it happened his tank didnt fly forward but the rock he was under did and his water dish and everything and when i looked back he was out of his rock and the substrate was all over him i have been checking on him since and he seems fine and he doesnt look bruised or anything. I think it was just a big shock for him but i wanted some advice to see what you guys think or if i should do anything else to make sure he is alright. he is moving around fine and is acting normal but i am still worried.

[stephanbakir]

If you can see no reason to worry, I'd keep an eye on him and let him "rest" don't handle him for a while and let him get used to his new tank.

[shaunyboy]

imo he will be ok

re a week
i have left my carpet pythons for 3 or 4 weeks with out anyone in the house,they do just fine

before i did it...

i watched my carpets for 4 weeks without giving them water,they were NOT dehydrated or showing any signs that the lack of water was stressing them

even when i put their water bowls back in,i did NOT see them drinking

imo carpet pythons can go a lot longer than keepers think without water..

they can go months without feeding,i only feed my Diamond Pythons 8 month of the year

cheers shaun

[Mark Taylor]

Sounds like your snake will be OK.

My only concern when I go away is temps, if there was a fault with a heat mat or the electricity went of and I was not there to do anything. So I can see why you would worry about your snake being left. There is not many people round me that I would trust to let them look after my snakes.

Keep us posted with how your snake is doing and as suggested don't handle for a short while.

And welcome.

[redline23]

thanks so much guys I feel better about it now. I change his water everyday so I wouldn't leave him for longer than a few days without fresh water and also I would not trust anyone else to take care of him when I am away except for my boyfriend and he lives far away and my roommates are terrified of him so I don't really have other options but to take him with me so I can change his water and feed him and stuff. I think he will be ok though so I feel better about it. Thanks again guys I appreciate it!

[Chu'Wuti]

Even when I'm taking enclosures to a show, I don't travel with the snakes in the enclosures because of the very possibility of what you experienced. I've always worried that the snake could get seriously injured by hitting the glass or by being squashed between hide or water bowl and glass, or if I'm in an accident, by broken glass. ACK! So I can really empathize with your worry after this happened!

I keep snake bags (pillowcases work) and use them for transport inside a plastic tub (like a rubbermaid tub). I know people who pack their snakes inside a small plastic tub not much larger than the snake coiled up, with a small towel for some padding (like a hand towel) and then pack the smaller tubs inside a larger one). They aim for something secure in which the snake can't get thrown around at all or at least very little if something happens.

Hope you and your snake recover from the fright!

[Lankyrob]

Originally Posted by Chu'Wuti

Even when I'm taking enclosures to a show, I don't travel with the snakes in the enclosures because of the very possibility of what you experienced. I've always worried that the snake could get seriously injured by hitting the glass or by being squashed between hide or water bowl and glass, or if I'm in an accident, by broken glass. ACK! So I can really empathize with your worry after this happened!

I keep snake bags (pillowcases work) and use them for transport inside a plastic tub (like a rubbermaid tub). I know people who pack their snakes inside a small plastic tub not much larger than the snake coiled up, with a small towel for some padding (like a hand towel) and then pack the smaller tubs inside a larger one). They aim for something secure in which the snake can't get thrown around at all or at least very little if something happens.

Hope you and your snake recover from the fright!

Reading through i was going to say exactly this ^^^^

[mykee]

Maybe he has whiplash. Do they sell those neck braces for snakes?

[redline23]

Originally Posted by Chu'Wuti

Even when I'm taking enclosures to a show, I don't travel with the snakes in the enclosures because of the very possibility of what you experienced. I've always worried that the snake could get seriously injured by hitting the glass or by being squashed between hide or water bowl and glass, or if I'm in an accident, by broken glass. ACK! So I can really empathize with your worry after this happened!

I keep snake bags (pillowcases work) and use them for transport inside a plastic tub (like a rubbermaid tub). I know people who pack their snakes inside a small plastic tub not much larger than the snake coiled up, with a small towel for some padding (like a hand towel) and then pack the smaller tubs inside a larger one). They aim for something secure in which the snake can't get thrown around at all or at least very little if something happens.

Hope you and your snake recover from the fright!

Great advice and thanks so much I will take this advice from now on. I will be moving in a couple of months all the way from florida to up north and it's going to be a long drive and i was wondering what I should do with him for the ride. would one of the small plastic tubs and a towel be irritating to the snake for such a long drive since he is used to being in such a big enclosure all the time or will he not really care...also without having access to water for a long time..would you suggest i leave him in there for the whole trip or switch him back into his tank with water when i am stopped for the night. I don't want him to get upset from being in such a small container for so long but i also don't want to confuse him by going back and forth. maybe i am just crazy and he won't care at all but what would you suggest? sorry for all of the questions I am just really worried about keeping him safe after this happened.

[rmfsnakes32]

How many days will the drive take? You can buy those air activated hot packs to keep him warm. Also a few days without water wont hurt him,snakes can go weeks without drinking. Important thing is heat.

[redline23]

Originally Posted by rmfsnakes32

How many days will the drive take? You can buy those air activated hot packs to keep him warm. Also a few days without water wont hurt him,snakes can go weeks without drinking. Important thing is heat.

I think the drive will take 3 days or so. Where would I get the heat activated packs? Thanks

[rmfsnakes32]

Any Walmart or drugstore would carry them