Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay guys and gals out there...
I have a question... or more likely a delimma.
I have a Colorado desert sidewinder.... and for a substrate I use the ESU desert blend lizard litter... I have used this for other species and have never had a problem with it. Well, this morning I noticed that a flake, chunk, particle or whatever you want to call it was lodged in one of his pits... (he has been kinda grumpy lately... could that be it?)
Question: Should I attempt to remove it (stressing both myself and my crote), or will he perhaps lose it on his next shed?
Have any others ran into this problem? Just looking for some input before I attempt anything.
Thanks in advance.
Michael
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Cohabitants
0.1 Western Hognose
0.0.1 Goliath birdeater
0.0.1 Jv Cottonmouth
0.1 Red tail boa
0.1 Canebrake
0.1 neonate rhino viper
0.1 pygmy rattlesnake
1.0 Sidewinder(laterorepens)
1.0 Cerastes cerastes

If it were me, I would tube the snake with an appropriate sized and lenght of tube. Ideally, you want something that is kind of snug but where the snake can still pass through. Once the head is just outside the tube, you want to securely secure the rest of the tube/body so that the head cannot move any further. Another person can then take some tweezers and try to get the particulate matter out of the heat pit. BUT, if you have any doubts, I am fairly certain the snake will be just fine and if it doesn't become dislodged during the course of a routine day, it will most likely come off with the next shed. If this happens again, you might consider a different type of substrate....just a thought.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center
Lake Forest, IL

>>Okay guys and gals out there...
>>I have a question... or more likely a delimma.
>>I have a Colorado desert sidewinder.... and for a substrate I use the ESU desert blend lizard litter... I have used this for other species and have never had a problem with it. Well, this morning I noticed that a flake, chunk, particle or whatever you want to call it was lodged in one of his pits... (he has been kinda grumpy lately... could that be it?)
>>Question: Should I attempt to remove it (stressing both myself and my crote), or will he perhaps lose it on his next shed?
>>Have any others ran into this problem? Just looking for some input before I attempt anything.
>>Thanks in advance.
>>Michael
>>-----
>>Cohabitants
>>0.1 Western Hognose
>>0.0.1 Goliath birdeater
>>0.0.1 Jv Cottonmouth
>>0.1 Red tail boa
>>0.1 Canebrake
>>0.1 neonate rhino viper
>>0.1 pygmy rattlesnake
>>1.0 Sidewinder(laterorepens)
>>1.0 Cerastes cerastes
-----
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Many years ago I lost a gem of a Sonoran winder to an inhaled pebble of granite substrate, a natural DG type mix. I have a foto from the dissection which shows it lodged in her trach and then removed. As she fed on f/t she could not have struck at anything? needless to say I changed substrate to a larger aquarium gravel that is too large to be inhaled or pass into pits or airways but small enough to be infilled with fine sand to provide a very nice substrate that is easy to clean.

I would not attempt to remove the piece unless you are pretty certain you wont cram the particle deeper into the pit. It should come out with the next shed, at worst his "vision" is a little blurry LOL.
Cheers
B

I actually had this happen with my copperhead, except it was a wood sliver. She went opaque a few days after it happened and shed. When she shed the wood came out. It was about 2-3 months before her shed should have been.

If that doesn't work, tubing with a long set of forceps. I would also try cooling the snake a little so it wouldn't have any energy.

yeah i am forseeing all kindsa trouble with the tubing suggestion....i know that's what a tube is for sort of,but in the perfect world....s$%^t does'nt happen,etc.....my suggestion as for what to do in the immediate furture?nothing;see if it will clear itself with the next shed.if it's still there somehow,i would sooner pin the snake and hold it's head and pull it out with very fine tweezers than try the tube method-i find they just stretch and withdraw too much in a tube-never really know just where you'd be safely beyond it's reach;when you've got it where you think you'd want it to be it could 'hook' it's head on the upper end of the tube,and then it's head is free,then it just gets potentially uglier...i feel tubes are really more for having the TAIL hang out,for probing,etc. while the head is safely inside the tube,away from the ends....also,i used to use pine shavings....then switched to aspen....ok i use newspaper now,lol....no inhalation of dust/pieces,no impactions due to ingestion,no pit-lodgings,etc. to speak of...good luck,be cautious.