Scared to death - Thank Goodness she's OK

[Chocolate Muffin's]

I had a moment of utter shock tonight when I went to get Little Miss Muffin ready for dinner. When I pulled back her hide she began stargazing, wobbling and gagging with her mouth cocked opened.

I have NEVER seen anything like this and I immediately picked her up and looked in her mouth. What I saw was what initially *appeared* to be very large chunks of bloody matter - I was so freaked out by this point.

The situation was so dire that I attempted to open her mouth to ensure that she didn't have anything lodged inside. She looked terrified too and I couldn't quite see what was in her mouth. I had the phone in one hand to call the vet and Muffin in the other.

I took her into the bathroom where the lighting was much better, and tried to pull out some of the debris in her mouth. I couldn't imagine where it could have come from; there was no blood in her cage.

It turned out to be substrate that got stuck in the very back of her throat. It must have been there for awhile. She seemed to be doing the odd movements to get it to either pass down or move out. She didn't have enough saliva in her little mouth so apparently the more she had been trying to get it out, the more full her little mouth became.

I pulled out quite a bit with my finger, and used water to help get the rest of it out. That poor little pumpkin must have been so scared too, she was so happy to have me help her get that stuff out – and was not defensive or agitated in any way. She is clearly very trusting of me.

When I got it all out she was completely back to normal, with her mouth closed and tongue flickering. I call that the BP Smile and it’s so cute - I know this is not the first time anyone has shared this story, but it’s the first time it’s happened to me, and it was terrifying.

I'd never be able to make anyone else understand just how horrifying this was. On to paper towels from here on out.

[Christine]

I am so glad your baby is ok. I would be pretty freaked out

[angllady2]

My goodness!

I would have been hysterical if that happened to me. Thank goodness she understood you were trying to help. What kind of bedding was it ? Now you have me worried!

Gale

[Chocolate Muffin's]

My goodness!

I would have been hysterical if that happened to me. Thank goodness she understood you were trying to help. What kind of bedding was it ? Now you have me worried!

Gale

Oh it is Coco Mulch. And the thing is Gale, I love Coco Mulch. But I normally use the kind that is a larger pulp, if that make sense. A few weeks ago, the kind I usually get was out, so I bought the finer grounded version. Looks good, but it is ground so fine that it is essentially dirt. Thats where I think I made my mistake, because I know that snakes can ingest substrate so one has to be careful - Hopefully my last rookie mistake.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

I had the same problem with an aspen bedding which was very fine cut. Like confetti. That stuff just filled the mouth of one of my young BPs. I took her in the bathroom and used my finger and a Q-tip to get it out. I used the rest of that bedding for the rats and put the snake back on regular aspen chips. I have only ever had a problem with the stuff that is so small that it clumps in the mouth. I now use paper for some of the snakes and regular large aspen chip for some others.

That is a freaky experience. Im glad you fixed her up.

[BPelizabeth]

Oh my goodness....thank god you kept your cool and were able to get it out!! Wow...what a story!! We use to have the snakes on substrate and if they missed a strike we would be pulling stuff out of their mouth like crazy. Now we are on paper towels....gets a little pricey....but so well worth it. Cleaning is awesome and sooooooo easy!! I love it!!!

Glad to hear she is ok....good on you!!

[Rock star Reptile]

Happy to hear all went well. I too have had my snakes eat the bedding. While feeding the aspen sticks to the food. I am a bad person but I wait till they are done and if I see them with aspen out of their mouth I pick it out with tongs.. I am sure it is stressing for the snake & me ..
I have even gone as far as to pick off aspen from the food while eating if I see there seems to be quite a bit of it.
I know bad snake owner but I worry for each and every one of them. Once in awhile you get som food that either "pops" or is a lil damp then it tends to pick up the bedding.. Large aspen seems to be the best but even then you get a few once in awhile. Paper & paper towels would solve this I guess..

Well I have rambled enough..

thanks for this topic/ thread

[BallsUnlimited]

that is one reason why i like to use unprinted paper. Saves you the hassle of checking on your snake only to find it the way you did.

[Chocolate Muffin's]

Happy to hear all went well. I too have had my snakes eat the bedding. While feeding the aspen sticks to the food. I am a bad person but I wait till they are done and if I see them with aspen out of their mouth I pick it out with tongs.. I am sure it is stressing for the snake & me ..
I have even gone as far as to pick off aspen from the food while eating if I see there seems to be quite a bit of it.
I know bad snake owner but I worry for each and every one of them. Once in awhile you get som food that either "pops" or is a lil damp then it tends to pick up the bedding.. Large aspen seems to be the best but even then you get a few once in awhile. Paper & paper towels would solve this I guess..

Well I have rambled enough..

thanks for this topic/ thread

I appreciate everything you have said, and you are not a bad snake owner at all. Just very protective of your animals and I totally understand that.

Thanks for sharing your story