Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been catching up on some old posts and was reading about people putting feeders on paper towels...reminded me of something that happened to me.
A few years ago I had a hatchling who somehow managed to start swallowing the paper towel! Talk about swallowing substrate. It was about 4 inches down his throat before I noticed it. After momentarily freaking out I patiently worked the rolled up towel out of the snake. I couldn't believe how much he had actually swallowed! He must have been rolling around because it was all twisted up. I can only imagine what would have happened if I didn't catch it in time. I'm sure this was a freak event...but if one could do it others could too...

OMG, thank you so much for that warning! I normally feed in a separate empty tub, but I have a few shy snakes who won't eat in the tubs so I feed them in their enclosures on a plate or for the babies I use an old Calcium lid. I was reading about the paper towels and last night had no free lids so I tried it for the first time. Luckily the mice were gone this morning but paper towels in tact. I will go back to the plates and lids though, I can see where they could easily swallow the towels.

I use paper towels in my moist hides for my Geckos, and one day my African Fat Tail shed, and in eating his shed he grabbed a corner of the towel and it was just like you said. I found him in time but had to really gently pull it back out and was amazed at how much he'd swallowed. Thank God it didn't break off while swallowing or while pulling back out.

I still use paper towels in my moist hides and knock on wood nobody else has tried to swallow it. But I won't use them to feed my shy snakes anymore! I'm glad your snake is OK.
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Lyns Lair
WNY Herpetological Society

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