HELP! My ball python has mice stuck in its throat

[WildSnipez]

I fed it what it usually eats and usually it eats it down fine yesterday I fed it at night and it ate but the mice got stuck right at the throats it's almost been 24 hours and it's still stuck and it's not spitting it out it is currently in the process of shedding too I fed it when it was shedding before and it ate fine what do I do will my python die

[Ax01]

oh no! is the food like hanging outta it's mouth? or is it fully swallowed but just a lump in the throat/neck? which way did the food go down - head or tail first?

pix?

i'm not sure what to do. if it can't swallow, maybe a forced regurgitation?

anyway bamp so others can comment.

bamp!

[WildSnipez]

Idk which way it went down because I went away for a sec and then it was stuck but it's stuck right after the mouth ends u just see a big lump there and also it has its mouth open most of the time like it's struggling to breath

[tttaylorrr]

you need to get in there.

do you have tweezers or hemostats? forceps? at this point use your fingers, you NEED to get in there.

you're going to need to open the mouth as wide as you and the snake can go and try to GENTLY GENTLY wiggle the prey. wiggle it to get a better sense of HOW the prey is stuck, not to remove it right away. the most dangerous part of this situation is going to be the feet scraping the insides; if you can, use tweezers to grab those feet and try to GENTLY pull them out.

let us know what you discover.

EDIT: the prey might be stuck to the teeth. just try and get a sense of how the prey item is stuck.

[BluuWolf]

So this was the same size you normally feed? I second what Taylor says just very gently see what you can do. I wish I could be if more help


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[Psyrocke]

^ what tttaylor said. Also, it is not a good idea to feed a snake who is shedding. They will be fine for the time, even if its been a week since the last feed. If I catch them blue-eyed I wait until after shed (at least 24hours) to feed them.

[cletus]

Any update?

[Psyrocke]

Also, I believe this was posted in the wrong section. Perhaps it should be moved to BP Gen Info?

[WildSnipez]

So I started to pick it up and went near its head it started wiggling and now is in the process of throwing it up so if it throws it up do I wait a week to feed it

[Psyrocke]

So I started to pick it up and went near its head it started wiggling and now is in the process of throwing it up so if it throws it up do I wait a week to feed it

Yes absolutely. You wait minimum 1 week after a regurge to attempt a feed. Stay with it, make sure it does throw it up. If it doesnt you WILL have to manually remove the rodent.