Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My husband works with a pest control company, and of course finds all sorts of different little creatures. Well, today he found a snake on a glue board. And of course he called me to come get it. Poor thing was really stuck good, and looks like he had been there a while. He is very dehydrated, and has about 1" of his tail chopped off. I got him off the glue board, but he still has a lot of the glue stuck on him.

First question, any suggestions on how to get the glue off? I have tried veg. oil, and it did help get some off, but once the oil wears off, the glue is still a little sticky.

Second question, I am not really sure what type of snake it is. I am thinking fox snake or possibly prarie king, but I am not familiar with either of these snakes and cannot say for sure. I am in central Indiana. Temps are fairly chilly here, 50's during the day, so I was surprised to get the call about a snake. It is only about 7". I got it to drink a little water and I am slowly warming it back up. He does flick his tongue and has started to wiggle a little bit, but he hasn't tried to bite me, so I am worried, LOL. If I were a snake that had been stuck for who knows how long, I would want to bite as soon as I got loose. I am sure he is just exhausted. Anyways sorry for the long post.

another pic

here is another pic. Thanks for any help

>>My husband works with a pest control company, and of course finds all sorts of different little creatures. Well, today he found a snake on a glue board. And of course he called me to come get it. Poor thing was really stuck good, and looks like he had been there a while. He is very dehydrated, and has about 1" of his tail chopped off. I got him off the glue board, but he still has a lot of the glue stuck on him.
>>
>>First question, any suggestions on how to get the glue off? I have tried veg. oil, and it did help get some off, but once the oil wears off, the glue is still a little sticky.
>>
>>Second question, I am not really sure what type of snake it is. I am thinking fox snake or possibly prarie king, but I am not familiar with either of these snakes and cannot say for sure. I am in central Indiana. Temps are fairly chilly here, 50's during the day, so I was surprised to get the call about a snake. It is only about 7". I got it to drink a little water and I am slowly warming it back up. He does flick his tongue and has started to wiggle a little bit, but he hasn't tried to bite me, so I am worried, LOL. If I were a snake that had been stuck for who knows how long, I would want to bite as soon as I got loose. I am sure he is just exhausted. Anyways sorry for the long post.
>>
-----
Chris Harrison

A picture of the snake's underside would help a lot.

~~Greg~~

here is a shot of the underside. not sure if you can tell, but the underside of the last 1/4 or so is almost solid black, and the rust color is the snakes color and not anything from the glue trap.

here is another shot of the underside

Definitely a baby northern water snake. They'll eat small fish like rosy reds, guppies and gold fish, all of which are available at any petstore. You keep these snake just like you would a gartersnake. They are actually pretty good pets when raised from a baby like that one.

As long as it gets around fine and the glue isn't effecting it's health, just keep it fed and watered and the glue should come off with a shed or two.

For food, I would suggest trying small pinkies first. Unfortunately I have never kept a watersnake that small though...

PiersonH keeps alot of watersnakes so he may be able to help you.
-----
Current Collection:
0.1 Antherystic elaphe guttata guttata - Corn Snake
1.0 Elaphe vulpina gloydi - Eastern Fox Snake
0.1 Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta - Black Rat Snake
0.1 Leucistic elaphe obsoleta linheimeri - Texas Ratsnake
1.1 Morelia spilota cheyni - Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Tiliqua scincoides intermedia - Northern Blue Tongue Skink

I have had northern water snakes before, I really do not believe it is a water snake. I am pretty sure it is an eastern fox snake

>>I have had northern water snakes before, I really do not believe it is a water snake. I am pretty sure it is an eastern fox snake
-----

RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

MILKS
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)
Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

I've had one since it was about 10'' long, and it has always had a more brownish outline than grey.
-----
Current Collection:
0.1 Antherystic elaphe guttata guttata - Corn Snake
1.0 Elaphe vulpina gloydi - Eastern Fox Snake
0.1 Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta - Black Rat Snake
0.1 Leucistic elaphe obsoleta linheimeri - Texas Ratsnake
1.1 Morelia spilota cheyni - Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Tiliqua scincoides intermedia - Northern Blue Tongue Skink

I know you said you tried Vegi oil for the glue. But you might want to try this...
Put the snake in a container it cannot get out of. Pour enough vegi oil and water mixture into the container to soak the snake completely in it. If you have to put a lid on the container make sure there is breathing room above the surface for its head to pop up. And make sure there are breathing holes in the lid.
Keep it near a heat lamp or something to keep it warm and leave it in overnight. MAybe even throw a rock that is rough edged, and small enough to sink under the fluid, but big enough the snake can rub on it. Leave it in there overnight and then when you take it out in the morning take a washcloth to its skin and see if the glue and old scales dont just rub right off. Its amazing what an overnight soak in vegi oil will do to a snakes skin.
I had to do that with my rattler baby......only I had the fangs to worry about.
-----
Crazy ZooLady

I was going to try the soaking in veggie oil, but the poor thing is so weak I put it in a dish of water and it didn't even have the energy to lift its head out of the water. I covered the whole body in oil, then put it on dmp newspaper and it seems that most of the glue is coming off

>>I was going to try the soaking in veggie oil, but the poor thing is so weak I put it in a dish of water and it didn't even have the energy to lift its head out of the water. I covered the whole body in oil, then put it on dmp newspaper and it seems that most of the glue is coming off

Oh geeze, poor guy. I've never seen one so weak it couldnt lift its head out of water before. Must have been stuck there a good while to get THAT exhausted.
Good to hear most the glue is coming off. That is another good idea since it cant left its head up. Just saok some newspaper with it and let it soak in there for a bit. That way it cant drown itself!
You can also get REHYDRATING vitamins for reptiles. I use this for dehydrated and weak snakes. They will usally drink it right from the bottle. But some of them dont like the flavor so you have to put it in thier water. I find these help alot to rehydrate and give them some vitamins while they are still too weak to eat. Helps keep them going, make them stronger, and give them the strength they need to get a meal down.
-----
Crazy ZooLady

Could be Midland, Northern, or an intergrade, but it's 100% nerodia.

half moons on underside are dead giveaway. In IN the Northern and Midland both range and are also intergraded. So it could be one of the 2 or a mix.
As far as the glue, that will be tough to get off without damaging any of its scales/skin any further. I would say the best bet would be to neutralize any of the adhesiveness of the glue using vegetable oil or olive oil. But in small amounts. Once the glue has lost most of its adhesive state, then just ensure the snake has no problems sticking to anything and use newspaper as substrate. The glue should wear off and any left will come off with the next shed. As snakes with any kind of heavy skin irritant will shed pretty quickly, I would think this one will go into shed in a week or so.

As far as care, let the little guy have as much water to drink as he wants using a water bowl that is also large enough for him to soak in. Just ensure it is not big enough that he will get trapped in and drown. He will more than likely soak in the water to try and get the glue off.

Let him acclimate for a few days before you try to feed it anything, and then you can try a live pinky. Sometimes you can get a northern to feed on pinks and they will thrive on mice. Contrary to belief, some water snakes dont even live near any water, and can survive on mice and lizards.

As far as the injured tail, that will not grow back and should be treated with a small amount of neosporin. If you find him in his water bowl after the neosporin treatment, dump out the water and replace with fresh.

Hope this helps and keep us posted on the little guys health!!
Brian

>>My husband works with a pest control company, and of course finds all sorts of different little creatures. Well, today he found a snake on a glue board. And of course he called me to come get it. Poor thing was really stuck good, and looks like he had been there a while. He is very dehydrated, and has about 1" of his tail chopped off. I got him off the glue board, but he still has a lot of the glue stuck on him.
>>
>>First question, any suggestions on how to get the glue off? I have tried veg. oil, and it did help get some off, but once the oil wears off, the glue is still a little sticky.
>>
>>Second question, I am not really sure what type of snake it is. I am thinking fox snake or possibly prarie king, but I am not familiar with either of these snakes and cannot say for sure. I am in central Indiana. Temps are fairly chilly here, 50's during the day, so I was surprised to get the call about a snake. It is only about 7". I got it to drink a little water and I am slowly warming it back up. He does flick his tongue and has started to wiggle a little bit, but he hasn't tried to bite me, so I am worried, LOL. If I were a snake that had been stuck for who knows how long, I would want to bite as soon as I got loose. I am sure he is just exhausted. Anyways sorry for the long post.
>>

-----

RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

MILKS
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)
Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

there are fox snakes in Indiana. I may be wrong on eastern, they may be western. I will have to find my native species list again. He does look like the easterns listed for sale in the classifieds right now though.

You have Western fox snakes in IN, however this snake in question is either a midland, a northern or an intergrade.
The markings and coloration on this snake are not fox. The head is all wrong for a fox snake as well. A neonate fox will have an interorbital bar across the crown, another along the posterior edge of the prefrontal scale, and another from each eye to the back of the mouth. In addition the belly is checkered. This one has the classic belly markings (half moon shape) of a northern or midland water snake and the coloration.
The snake you have pictured is a nerodia.
Brian

>>there are fox snakes in Indiana. I may be wrong on eastern, they may be western. I will have to find my native species list again. He does look like the easterns listed for sale in the classifieds right now though.
-----

RATS
1.0 Corn snake "Warpath" (KY locale)
1.0 Black rat snake "Havok" (KY locale)
1.1 Black rat snakes "Reaper and Mystique" (MO locale)
1.0 Albino Black rat snake "Malakai" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Everglades rat snake "Deadpool" (Dwight Good stock)
0.1 Greenish rat snake "Rogue" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Yellow rat snake "Wolverine" (Dwight Good stock)
1.0 Grey rat snake "Punisher" (White oak phase)(Dwight Good stock)

MILKS
0.0.1 Eastern Milk snake "Cable" (KY locale)
0.0.1 Eastern/Red milk intergrade "Omega Red" (KY locale)
Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

Would like to say thanks to everyone who replied. I am pretty sure now that it is a midland water snake. I have had northerns and talked to someone who has them right now, and they say it doesn't look like any they have seen. Anyways, it is doing 100% better. He (?) is moving around perfectly now, biting every chance he gets, and even ate for me today. Thanks for all the help

Midlands have much more widely spaced blotching and are usually much more brown, tan, or red as babies. What you have is a somewhat unusually patterned Northern (Nerodia sipedon sipedon).

A juvenile Midland Watersnake from Georgia
-----
Pierson Hill

Herpetology and Herpetoculture