Python stuck in chair (Don't worry I got her out but worried about her)

[traveling_classicist]

So I'm sure some of you are going to think I'm irresponsible or whatever but it was truly just an accident. I had my ball out and she was sitting on my lap in an armchair just cruising about and doing her normal thing. She decided to go down the arm of the chair and behind me. I moved to put her back on my lap but when I stood she was gone. She had found a hole in the fabric of the chair and was going inside! I grabbed her tail and tried to gently work her out but I'm sure my fear and anxiety and urgency scared her and she clenched up and tried to get away from me. Fast forward 20 minutes and more gentle wiggling and moving and I finally got her out. I'm surprised she didn't bite me. I would have bit me. I looked her over and she seemed just fine. I quickly put her back in the safety of her tank and she went into her favorite hide.

So, now, my question. Will she be traumatized by this? She seemed perfectly fine when I was looking her over. Not scared or jumpy or even really stressed. She was just her normal, calm, relaxed self. I jokingly told my mom who was helping me that she probably thought it was funny to hide from me like that but I'm actually a little worried about her. I don't think she's physically hurt at all but I'm just afraid she may be shy or jumpy the next time I get her out. We won't be going back to that chair, that's for sure.

[Bogertophis]

It's so easy to have your snake get stuck this way & she'll probably be fine, as long as you didn't pull on her (in such a way to cause internal injuries, you have to be
really careful). Snakes find holes that you never knew were there...now you know. If you're calm when you next take her out, that will likely count for a lot more than any minimal memory of this, but speaking of "memory"...snakes DO learn (remember) their way around, so she may remember where to go again, make sure she never does.

[traveling_classicist]

I don't think I pulled hard on her. It was more like just coaxing her off of the internal pieces of the chair and then pulling her out of the hole. My mom kept the springs pushed down while I worked on getting her free. I was trying to be as careful as possible. She seems okay. I've checked on her. She's just hanging out in her rock lair like normal.

Good to know, though. We will not be sitting in that chair anymore.

[CALM Pythons]

The thing is, even though snakes are our pets, some people (not saying you) think they are domesticated because we may have raised them from a Hatchling. This will never happen, if they have a chance they will run from us and hide. They have a different brain and they will always be wild.
Sometimes while I’m talking to mine and handling I say “hey why are you kicking me” or “hey get back here”... its hard even for me to remember that even after 20 years, this animal who i fed and protected, just wants to get away even when they ask me to come out or will sit with me comfortable most of the time on my lap.


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[GhostEchoes92]

My very first BP years ago decided to get herself stuck in the locking mechanism of a fold up table when I was very new to the hobby. She got about 6-8 inches of her body in and then her little chunky self just wouldn’t fit anymore. I very gently and carefully wiggled her backwards (which she wasn’t a fan of) and got her unstuck. Panicked me, but she was no worse for wear. It’s one of those things where you just have to stay calm. I never had any trust issues with her until the day she passed. Just give your kiddo a bit to calm down, and relax. If she seems nervous just be patient with her. Hope all goes well!

[FollowTheSun]

Oh my goodness! Sounds like you have a very active, healthy python! I agree that she's probably just fine, and don't be surprised if she remembers that hole in your chair and tries to go for it every time you sit there. My daughter's BP managed to get herself into my husband's brand new speaker through a hole I never saw. She refused to come out and I had to put the whole speaker into a tote until she came out at night. She remembered that speaker and the next time I sat near it she went right towards it!

My ratsnake loves to hang out in my bathrobe, and will look for sleeves and necklines to go down if other people are holding her. :-)

Anyway I'm sure your snake is fine. If she gets caught in or around things thing in the future, I find that tapping their tails is annoying and they'll move forward to escape that. If you can direct the head in the right direction while tapping the tail they will generally be able to be persuaded in that direction.