Thanks for the quick reply, guess I'll try that next time. I've tied the cord/stem off like this at least a dozen times over the years (including one of this little guy's clutchmates) but every other time, the knot has ended up on the outside of the snake when all is said and done. I covered the belly button area (including the protruding thread) with a gob of antibiotic ointment, pulled it out a couple of millimeters (which didn't seem to distress the hatchling), and trimmed the string as close to the ventral scales as possible. After a few seconds, the remaining millimeter of thread disappeared into the hatchling's "belly button". Hopefully that will be the end of it.

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