This morning I found a small snake out in my front yard. I researched and I am 98.9% positive its a rat snake. Its now in a small cage with shredded paper as "bedding". Nothing else is available at the moment.
When I first picked it up (with gloves on, mind you) it was not aggressive at all! But after an hour being in the cage, it is showing more signs of aggressivness, which I know is common in rat snakes.
However, its tail is "knotted" at the end. I began to examine it and it has a puncture somewhere around the knot. Pus, or some liquid, comes out of the hole. I washed my hands and have not touched the snake since.
Can anyone give me advice? Do I need to unknot the tail, or leave it? Is there anything I can do at all?
Thanks!
Skittles
