Caught in the drain

[zendragondrew]

I feel bad that this even happened and I couldn't find anything related in the search.

Today I was letting Matt swim in the sink like I sometimes do and she decided to go into the top drain (not the real drain which I always close, but the one at the top for when the water gets too high..never thought about it so it wasn't closed).

I knew if she went fully into it she would be lost forever and probably die so I acted quickly and grabbed her at once...she was about three inches (seven cm) into it. Once she was in it was very hard to pull her out though. She's very stubborn and it took some force. I tried to be careful.

I don't think she was injured. Some flakes of something started coming out when I finally got her to budge and I thought maybe it was parts of her scales, but now think it was probably just dirt and grime from the drain. I've examined her and blotted her repeatedly with a paper towel and there's no blood or breakage in her skin.

Any advice at all in regards to this matter? How to make sure she's OK (she has been moving around normally and seems to be the same) or anything else...like if there's an easy fix to make the snake let go when they get into an area that you don't want them to go. Anytime she latches onto something it always seems to be an ordeal to bring her back to safety, though nothing as scary as this time.

[EasternGirl]

I'm going to let more experienced members take this one...I'm glad that she didn't disappear into the drain and that you got her out though...if worse comes to worse is there a vet near you that will see reptiles?

[zendragondrew]

The Humane Society in NYC has a reptile clinic. I've never taken her yet.

I'm glad she didn't get stuck in the drain too, I would've been so sad. I'm glad she seems OK now, just don't want something similar to ever happen again.

[EasternGirl]

Wait for another member on here to tell you how to check her and if she then seems like she needs care take her to the reptile clinic...and just be extra careful in the future...not to make you feel bad because I know you're feeling awful and scared right now and you didn't know the drain was open...might be best though to let her swim in a big bowl or bucket instead :).

[infernalis]

If everything seems fine with your snake then don't worry about it unless a problem should arise.

Meanwhile get one of these handy basins at a local store, they are cheap and plenty big enough for a garter snake to swim in. Bets insurance policy ever, keep snakes away from places where they can find trouble to get into.

http://www.thamnophis.co/things/basin.gif

[EasternGirl]

Lol...that is an emesis basin...but good advice Wayne. Yes...anything like that is much better for the snake to swim in!!! I have some of those...I think I'll let my snakies have a little swim today:).

[guidofatherof5]

Glad you didn't loose her.
Watch her over the next few days for anything unusual.
That's about all you can do at this point.

[zendragondrew]

Thanks a lot. I'll be more careful now.

[Stefan-A]

http://koti.mbnet.fi/thamnoph/photos/garbage/trap.jpg

[d_virginiana]

If she's moving around and acting normally I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep an eye on her for a few days.

When a snake decides it wants to hang onto something the only way to get them to stop is for the snake to decide they don't want to hold onto it anymore ;)

[katach]

That pink basin you can probably get at your local doctor's office or urgent/prompt care. They get them in by the hundreds at our local urgent care.

[zendragondrew]

Cool, I'll try to pick up something at the hospital next time I'm at work.

[EasternGirl]

Oh...and if you've been following the "wash your hands" thread...if you get salmonella and puke all night long...you get to take one home for free! Lol! Sorry...I couldn't resist that one...:cool:.

[Mommy2many]

Oh...and if you've been following the "wash your hands" thread...if you get salmonella and puke all night long...you get to take one home for free! Lol! Sorry...I couldn't resist that one...:cool:.

Not free, probably would cost you around $1,500.00:)

[Didymus20X6]

You can get plastic tubs with lids at Wal-Mart for like $4. They're plenty big enough for a snakie to swim around in, and if one keeps trying to escape, you can always install a screen in the lid and put it on when in use.

[chris-uk]

We just let ours swim in the bath. The overflow is too high for them to reach, I think the two Cuitzeos could reach, but they're too big to get in. Usually we give them turns in the bath, no more than two at a time so we can keep a close watch on them. We also put an upside down plastic lid in to provide a rest platform... For what it's worth, the Cuitzeos prefer to sit on the bottom and hold their breath, Vlad likes to wrap his tail round the plug to anchor him down. :)

[EasternGirl]

That's cute...I have never given my snakes a swim before...well that's not true...once I put a big plastic dish in the enclosure for them to swim in...I need to start letting them have a swim more often.

[Stefan-A]

Geo Flat.

[EasternGirl]

What?

[Finalflash50]

That's sad. I hate when things like that happen where you are in a case that you need to worry about if you hurt it for it's own good or not. The bright side is, she is alive, and still with you. Going down the drain would have been a sad thing to go through.

[zendragondrew]

Yeah, she seems totally fine now, a week later. Eating normal, playing, everything seems good. Glad everything worked out!

[EasternGirl]

I'm so glad to hear that. Had me worried there for a bit!

[ConcinusMan]

I know it sounds counter intuitive, but the best thing to do, is to just let them go into the hole once they're on their way. Most sink drains have a "U" curve in them. The snake usually won't go any farther than that. If you fill the sink up and cold water starts trickling in through the overflow drain, the snake will usually make a hasty exit back out. The curve causes the drain to flood at that point. (the water won't flush the snake down if it's just a trickle) The snake's instinct, to avoid drowning, is to go against the water coming in. In other words, back out of the hole he came in. I've never had that fail.

Better yet, don't let it happen ever again.;) The snake probably wasn't seriously injured. I wouldn't worry too much.