Lawn mower injury

[Jedi]

Hi, I used to be active on another reptile forum, but it has pretty well died, so I thought I'd try here.

I accidently ran over a garter snake with my mower a few days ago (7/30/16). I wasn't able to get any Betadine until Monday, so the first 2 days I just rinsed him off and used some Dawn dish soap. Since Monday, I've given him a diluted Betadine soak for about 15-20 minutes, and then covered the wounds with antibacterial ointment.

He is active and doesn't appear to have any trouble getting around. He has two injuries, but bleeding was minimal and as of yesterday they started to dry a bit. They look like scrapes rather than deep cuts, and I don't see any bones or organs. He just started going blue yesterday, so I'm a little worried about how his shed will go. He has some attached skin that was scraped off, and I'm not sure if I should remove it or leave it alone. I have pictures, but I imagine it's not letting me add them because I've not met whatever the post limit is.

He pooped twice on Sunday, and is in good body condition. He's a little over a foot long. My thought is to hold off on any feeding until he's begun to heal a bit?

I've got him in a 10 gallon tank on paper towels, with paper towel rolls and paper towels to hide in. He's got a medium sized, shallow water dish, and he's in the warmest room in my house, which stays about 80-82F. I have an extra UTH, but it gets too hot and I don't have an extra rheostat at the moment. I'll definitely rig him a warm spot before I attempt feeding. Is there anything else I should be doing? Thanks!

[Boots]

That is a lot of detailed information. From my thinking if if he has lived so far, is not bleeding and having no problems moving around things should be good as long as infection does not set in. I seem to remember using Polysporin on a wounded boa to stop an infection, but can not say more. As to feeding, if he is willing to eat, then I see no issues. The snake knows best. Any pictures of the wound?

Jason

[guidofatherof5]

Thank you for being concerned and helping this snake out. Sounds like you've been doing well. The shed will be what it's going to be. It may open the wounds as it sheds but that is normal. The snake may also do another shed in a week or two to aid in the healing process. I would leave the shed alone in the injury spots but assist in the none injury areas if needed. I'm with Boots on the feeding question, if the snake wants to eat feed it. If you hadn't caught the snake it would be out eating anyway if it wanted to. Betadine solution should do well. Silver sufadiazine is another produce that might help.
Where are the injuries located?

[Albert Clark]

Kudos to you for taking him in and doing what needed to be done. Keeping the wounds clean and washing the animal off was the correct steps to take. Along with illness and injury, nutrition is very important so yes try and offer food regularly. Nice job!

[Jedi]

Thanks, everyone! I used to keep corn snakes, but I've never had to deal with an injury like this before.

Pictures from left to right are days 1, 3, 4, and 5. I'm sorry to say I didn't clean him that well on the first day, because he was pretty stressed already, so there's still a lot of grass there. The second picture is after putting on antibiotic ointment.

Thanks for the input about feeding! I've been concerned that it might be too much on his body to digest food while healing. What do you suppose the odds are of him taking f/t or live pinkies? I don't have any, but I could get some on Sunday. I should be able to find some worms in my yard, too.

*Edit: Wow, those pictures show up really tiny! It won't let me link to photobucket pictures, though. It denies my post.

[guidofatherof5]

Looks like skin and muscular damage. As long as the spine wasn't injured they should heal in time. If you can get some worms start with those. How is the snakes mobility? Any spasms or odd movements? Keep a bowl of clean water in there, enough for the snake to soak in if it chooses. This snake will probably do multiple sheds in response to the injury, that is all part of the healing process. Be sure the snake has access to a warm/hot spot. The elevated temp will help in the healing also.
Please keep us posted on this situation.

[Jedi]

Ok, I'll see if I can find some nice worms for him! No odd movements that I've seen. He climbs around and coils up just fine. I figured he'd go through a few quick sheds, but the loose flap of skin worries me. I don't want it getting caught and ripping his skin worse. :confused:

I'm still working on getting a UTH for him. Maybe I'm overly worried, but I don't want to bring him in next to my tarantula to use her rheostat because I worry about possible parasites transferring to her. Maybe I can run an extension cord to the next room.

[guidofatherof5]

As long as you keep the cage sparse that bite of skin shouldn't be an issue. It should dry and come off in a shed. I think getting a warm spot is important and should be done soon. Do you have a hide in for the snake?

[Majorica]

Good of you to save this snake. When I was a child, my parents killed a garter accidently lawn moving:(. I decided I hate lawn mowing at the time.

[Jedi]

He was able to shed, though he does have a little that didn't come off the end of his tail. Since I'm going to continue soaking him, I'm not concerned. The shed re-opened the larger injury, but it looks good. Everything looks pink and healthy, and there's no swelling or sign of infection. I'm adding some pictures from today.

I'm frustrated because I couldn't find a rheostat anywhere today, so I'm going to raise the tank up and slide the UTH under there until I get one ordered online. I'll monitor it until I'm sure it's at a safe temperature. Yes, he has hides. I'll attach a picture of his tank. It looks incredibly boring compared to the way my corns were set up, but it works.

[guidofatherof5]

It really does look good. You are doing a great job, eventually it will scar over. Anticipate more quick sheds to come.

[Albert Clark]

Any update on the garter???

[Jedi]

He seems to be doing alright! Still quite active but less biting now. I actually couldn't find any worms in my yard, and he didn't like the slug I offered him. I'm going to get some pinkies tomorrow, and some nightcrawlers if I can find them. He's got a warm spot now. It's about 88-90F, but I hear keeping the temps a little high can help with healing. Still waiting to get a rheostat for better temperature control.

I've not cleaned him for the last 2 days because I wanted to see if he'd start to dry and scab up a little. I might clean him tonight or tomorrow before I feed him, because I won't want to mess with him after he's eaten.

[guidofatherof5]

Allowing the scab is a great idea, nature's bandage is better in many respects. Thanks for keeping us posted on this situation.

[Jedi]

Well, I couldn't find anywhere that sold live pinkies, and figured a pack of frozen would be a waste of money. I did find some earthworms in the bait section at Walmart, and oh boy, that's just what he wanted! I gave him 2, and he ate them right up. Tried to take the second one from my hand, actually.

Upon closer tape measure inspection, he's actually about 2' long. He's about as big around as my ring finger, and I have small hands. It looks like the worms in the container are about 2-3" long. If he's just going to be eating worms, how many do you think I should give him? I've never had a worm-eating snake before. :p Thanks for all your help!

[guidofatherof5]

These are night crawlers, right? The package says that? If it says panfish worms don't feed those.

[Jedi]

Nope, it specifically says "earthworms." They had "red worms" too, but I remembered hearing something about them, but couldn't remember if it was good or bad, so I didn't get them.

[guidofatherof5]

Great. A couple of those every other day should do very well. Eating is such a good thing at this point.

[Jedi]

Awesome! He's got a great appetite. I'm hoping he'll recover soon enough to release before winter. If not, I'll have to try to switch him to f/t pinkies before fishing season ends.

[guidofatherof5]

Walmart usually carries worms year round, might be good to ask. Fresh tilapia or salmon might be good, as long as they are not a product of China. F/T pinks are great also. How soon does Winter set in, not sure where you are at?

[Jedi]

Really? I'll definitely check next time I go in! How would frozen filets be? I get tilapia and swai sometimes. (Obviously, it would be the plain ones.) I'm in Missouri. It depends on the year, but by the end of September we could be seeing 50s at night. We probably won't see freezing until November.

[guidofatherof5]

We're neighbors, I'm in Iowa (Council Bluffs). I caution the use of anything that is prepackaged and pre-frozen. Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) is used in many of these products. Find a grocer with a fresh meat counter and buy from there. Just my opinion.

[Qwerty3159]

You can buy frozen packaged silversides at pet stores, those are a safe fish and they're sold as pet food so they're not loaded with chemicals

[guidofatherof5]

With Fall and Winter not far off and this snake far from being healed I would suggest a mid Spring release. That will give this snake time to heal, enjoy some good meals, clean water and the good life for a bit. No predators, less stress and a Winter to relax. This snake might slow its eating down or completely stop eating before Winter sets in but should come out of that quick enough. Looks like you've got a T. radix - Plains Garter there, awesome species that adjusts well to captivity as a rule. T. radix rule in my book but I am just a bit partial to the species.

[Jedi]

Ok, if I feed fish I'll probably just check at Petsmart for safe feeder fish. I think I'll try worm scented pinkies next, though.

I do think I may end up keeping him over the winter. If he's not totally healed before it starts into fall, I will. Part of me wants to keep him permanently! He's a cool little snake. I was thinking T. radix, too. He's usually out to see what's going on, and he has nice colors. He's scabbing over now, and he ate 2 more worms today. I added some pictures from yesterday.

[Albert Clark]

Nice job! Congrats. Keep up the good work. Be careful with the heat pad being on and unregulated by a rheostat. The heat mat can get pretty hot. Consider using betadine on the injuries also. Try to moisten a paper towel with water first them a couple of drops of betadine onto the paper towel then gently wipe over the wounds making sure to get the betadine onto the wounds. It may be safer to dab the areas.

[guidofatherof5]

Ok, if I feed fish I'll probably just check at Petsmart for safe feeder fish. I think I'll try worm scented pinkies next, though.

I do think I may end up keeping him over the winter. If he's not totally healed before it starts into fall, I will. Part of me wants to keep him permanently! He's a cool little snake. I was thinking T. radix, too. He's usually out to see what's going on, and he has nice colors. He's scabbing over now, and he ate 2 more worms today. I added some pictures from yesterday.

Don't buy any rosy reds(minnows) or goldfish. Both those fish have many strikes against them, low nutrition, parasites and Thiaminase.
Guppies, Mollies and Gambusia are safe in that Thiaminase isn't an issue. Sallies Silversides is a good fish to feed. They come pre-frozen and are safe. Frozen/thawed pinkies are relished by T. radix and are a good source of nutrition.

[Jedi]

Nice job! Congrats. Keep up the good work. Be careful with the heat pad being on and unregulated by a rheostat. The heat mat can get pretty hot. Consider using betadine on the injuries also. Try to moisten a paper towel with water first them a couple of drops of betadine onto the paper towel then gently wipe over the wounds making sure to get the betadine onto the wounds. It may be safer to dab the areas.

Thanks! I put some cardboard under the ends of the tank to raise it up. I just slid the UTH under it, so it's not actually touching the glass. I keep an eye on it with a thermometer, but it seems to be Ok. I will get another rheostat as soon as I can.

I've been letting him dry for about a week, but I did clean him Saturday night because he looked a little stiff at his injury closer to his tail. I gently wiped him with diluted Betadine on a cotton ball, and covered the wounds with ointment to help moisturize them. He's really doing very well. His wounds are drying and look like they're getting smaller. He loves to eat, and is still very active.

We've had a few nights that feel like fall, getting into the 50's and lower 60's already. I think I've got a snake for the winter. I'll set him up with nicer bedding and hides after he's further into healing.

[guidofatherof5]

At this point and the location of the injuries I think you should stop the ointment. That natural bandage should do fine as long as your keep the enclose clean (I know you do). Nature can take over now. If this wound was lower on the body I'd say continue the treatment. Just my opinion.

[Jedi]

I am keeping him pretty dry, but I keep a close eye on him because his scabs do crack. I can't wait until I can switch to aspen bedding. Paper towels are very boring.

He took a f/t fuzzy today! Pinkies are smaller than I remembered... He didn't know what to do with it at first, but he figured it out. You can see his stomach lump in the picture. It seems like we are good to go! :)

*Edit: The white in the injury picture is not bone. It's dry scab/skin that's white for some reason.

[Albert Clark]

Nice job. Keep a close eye on the injury sites to make sure a secondary infection doesn't creep in. He probably could've used a injectable antibiotic to accelerate the healing process but let's see.

[guidofatherof5]

Looking great. I must say that is an awesome orange dorsal stripe on that radi. Is that a flap of dead skin I see on the tail injury area?

[Jedi]

Nice job. Keep a close eye on the injury sites to make sure a secondary infection doesn't creep in. He probably could've used a injectable antibiotic to accelerate the healing process but let's see.

I would've felt better if I could have gotten him a shot, but I don't know of any reptile vets in the area. I have a hard enough time finding reptile supplies here, even in stores that sell reptiles... He'll be on paper towels until I'm sure the injuries are closed for good, so he doesn't get any dust or nasties in there.


Looking great. I must say that is an awesome orange dorsal stripe on that radi. Is that a flap of dead skin I see on the tail injury area?

Thanks! I think he is quite pretty. It's a flap of skin, but I'm not sure if it's dead. It appeared to be living before, and it's attached itself back down to the injury. I guess I'll find out when he sheds again.

[Jedi]

Hey! Thought I'd let you know the snake is still doing well! I've moved him into a 20 gallon long, and he ate his first rat pinky tonight. Mouse fuzzies just weren't enough any more. I put the fluorescent light up because my bedroom doesn't get much light, and he went off eating for a couple weeks. Could have been because it was a rat instead of a mouse, or because it was brown instead of pink. Anyway, after a couple weeks of raised temps and 'day light' (and some worm bribery), he seems to have decided that it's not winter and rats are Ok to eat.

The log in the back is hollow on both sides, almost all the way through. It's his new favorite place to be. Here he is in his new house, and after eating dinner tonight. Happy Thanksgiving to anyone who celebrates it! :)


http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq230/BatsUseSonar/Garter%20snake%20new%20house2_zpsr2quzwfz.png
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq230/BatsUseSonar/Garter%20snake%20new%20house3_zpsihfadvpr.png
http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq230/BatsUseSonar/Garter%20snake15_zpstt1rmqbe.png

[guidofatherof5]

Holy Orange dorsal, Batman! Very rarely do I see a orange dorsal start out light then deepen in color. Awesome stripe. Any sheds yet?

[Jedi]

Really? Thanks! He's the first one I've seen, so I don't know what they usually look like. lol He's shed twice, but the last time was September. I'm hoping he'll shed again soon.

Is there an easy way to tell if he's male or female? I don't want to hurt him by popping or probing, and I really doubt he'd cooperate for either. I've been guessing he's male because his tail looks fairly long and skinny? I'm just wondering whether he's full grown or not.

[Spirit]

Looks like a male to me. The tail melts with the body in a malisch way

[guidofatherof5]

If the cloaca is close to this area than I say female. Hoping to see an under tail photo soon.

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//821/medium/orange5.JPG

[Albert Clark]

The snake is looking great! Congrats.

[Spirit]

Naah, male :)). But agreed, undertailphoto needed too

[guidofatherof5]

Naah, male :)). But agreed, undertailphoto needed too

Nope:D Female

[Jedi]

Haha! I think it's a little higher up on his body than the arrow is pointing. I'll try to get an underside picture soon!

[Jedi]

The snake is looking great! Congrats.

Thank you! :)

[guidofatherof5]

If I'm wrong than I say male.:D

[Jedi]

Finally got some pictures! You can just barely see where the scales get smaller in the top picture. The flash whited it out on the bottom picture, but the vent is right above where the orange line starts underneath.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq230/BatsUseSonar/Garter%20snake16_zpslveomabq.png

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq230/BatsUseSonar/Garter%20snake17_zpskz4dvsmu.png

[guidofatherof5]

It's a girl. Congratulations. Keep up the good work.

[Eddie]

Nice looking girl you have there!!

[Albert Clark]

Congrats!!

[Tommytradix]

I also say female.

[user]

I was reading this nervous that it got infected but that snake looks really good. I also really like the stripe.

[Jedi]

Thanks! I guess she may still have some growing to do, then!


I was reading this nervous that it got infected but that snake looks really good. I also really like the stripe.

I was nervous about that too, but luckily we didn't have any infections! Thank you! I think she's a pretty snake.