Need help with recaptured snake

[Dead Alice]

Hey everyone.

So in February this year, I bought a 0.1 normal named Ygnizem. She was doing pretty well, real heavy eater, tame, good sheds and everything. One day in May, she escaped from her cage after one of our cats knocked it over. After searching for a month (actually turning everything over inside the house) and without any success in finding her, I gave it up.

Last night, however, one of my dogs was scratching at the bottom of a closet, and when I checked what was going on, there she was! She got visibly larger since the last time I saw her, but seems like she had a bad shed (still had some scales stuck to her). When I picked her up, though, she started striking (and pooped and peed on me, lol).

So, any of you have advice on what to do about her rehabilitation? Thanks in advance

[bcr229]

Obviously you need to better secure and cat-proof her enclosure.

Otherwise she will simply need time to re-learn that people are ok and you aren't going to hurt her. Think short handling sessions and put her away immediately if she goes from acting frantic, biting, musking, etc to acting nicely. You don't want her to learn that bad behavior means she gets to go back into her home or she'll just get worse.

[Albert Clark]

I'll go with everything bcr229 said. Do you think she was feeding on wild mice and or rats and that's how she got bigger? I would say that she is stressed from the time living wild and you just have a process with retaming. Congrats on getting her back.

[pbyeerts]

Your snake was missing for 4 months? Holy cow! Do you see any injuries? I would think that she must be dehydrated....hence the dry scales. Her humidity must have been a hot mess...

I'd leave her alone for a while so that she can acclimate to her enclosure.


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[Dead Alice]

Update:

Thank you guys for responding!

Since posting this, I've kept a close watch on Ygnizem and she's pooped and peed already (so I guess that means she ate something while she was on the loose). She's been soaking a lot and it looks like she's about to go into blue sometime soon. I've fed her a large mouse and a hamster, the latter so she can recover whatever fat she's lost.

As for handling, I've only tried putting my hand in her new enclosure and she's stopped hissing and striking already. However, when I lifted her out one time I saw that her abdomen (near the vent) was swollen and tender. I wonder what this is