help! snake stuck!

[homecatmom]

I can't remember who raises snakes on this board. My ball python 33 inches long is shedding (trying to). He went through the hole in his den rock and is stuck. I have stroked him trying to get him to relax and back out. I have oiled him up trying to get him to slide one way or the other. Nothing is working. He is getting very swollen and reddish looking. The reptile store doesn't open till around 11am here and I'm thinking Curly isn't going to make it. Any other suggestions? I have tried breaking the rock and it seems to be made of kryptonite.
Cathy

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Terrible! Hopefully someone here can help, wish I had some words of wisdom. I know theOEGBman keeps corn snakes.

 

[homecatmom]

thanks. I'll email.

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

Wow! What a problem!Do you have a pair of bolt cutters? They might have the strength to penetrate the fake rock material.

My snake's rock has an opening that is not totally enclosed in the material-it's more like the mouse-hole you see in cartoons, so can never trap ihim. But several years ago he crawled through the ring on my lanyard at school, and I had a heck of a time getting him back out.

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

try warm water. Baby oil... anything that'll make him "slick".

Give him a little push now and then.

 

[theOEGBman]

Hi Cathy,

I just got your message. This is definitely a tough one. My snakes arent thick my BPs, so they fit through everything. Have you tried pushing him forward? If you try pulling him back, it would push the scales up and cause more damage. I think your best bet would be try breaking it any way possible without harming the snake. Possibly try holding the container in a tub of warm water, make sure his head is out, obviously. It might help him relax and loosen up the body. If he has recently eaten, the warm water should make him poop and it could help him out. Im sorry Im not much help, I've never dealt with this before. I would try that. Let us know what happens!

 

[ilovemychickies]

Oh no! How terrible. I don't have any snakes, so I can't really give any advice. Sorry.

Tell us how it goes! Good luck little snakey!

 

[Roux]

What kind of den are you using? Is it a resin type rock? If so, get help holding the den & snake, and I'd gently tap at the opening with a hammer to break it in order to get the snake out. Obviously you want to avoid hitting the snake, but the sooner you get him out of there, the better.

 

[CrowinKing]

the only thing is if he goes out backward and hes as stuck as you say he is your gonne rip out the scales!!! If its a plastic rock take safety knife to it becareful not to cut the snake! after you get it out soak it in luke warm water to help with the rest of the skin!!!

 

[homecatmom]

Thanks everyone for all your advise!

I got an answer at the reptile store at 10:15 and explained my problem. They opened for me to bring curly in. We tried for about 30 minutes and decided that the only way to get him out was to cut him out. I made a run to Home Depot and got a little hack say with tiny teeth and back to the store I went. Keith had Curly in gently running water, but he still wasn't budging. The kryptonite rock wasn't being cooperative either. Several customers were coming in by this time and holding either one end of the snake or the rock or the drywall spatula we were using to keep the saw away from Curly's body while we sawed. After sawing two sections almost to the snake out came the vise-grips. One customer held tail, one held head, I held the rock and Keith grabbed the part of the rock between the two cuts. After much grunting and a fair share of cursing (I forgive him) he was able to snap the piece out and Curly is free!

I called his boss and sent an email to praise Keith for helping a customer this way. When I asked what I owed him, he said "nothing". I think a gift card to a restaurant would be a nice idea. Again, thanks for all the help. Crisis complete!