Help! Baby snake stuck on tape. How do I save it?

14 years ago

I hope there are some wildlife rescuing experts here who know what I should do about this!

I had some flattened boxes lying on a patch of new veggie garden to smother the grass that was growing there before. I was too lazy to remove the packing tape, figuring it wouldn't do anything harmful.

Well, this morning I'm messing around out there and found a snake (not sure what kind beyond non-venomous) the size of a large earthworm with about half of its body (the front half, sadly), stuck on the tape.

I cut around the snake with scissors and got him off the box, but I have no idea how to get the tape off without hurting him. Right now he's in a pot on my porch in the shade. Poor thing is still thrashing around, so I know it happened recently because it still has a lot of energy left.

I'm thinking the only way I could save him is to find some sort of solvent that will dissolve the glue but not hurt the snake. Anybody know anything like that? I wish his head wasn't stuck, but it is. He's stuck from the middle of his belly all the way up to his chin.

I really hope this little guy isn't a goner. I feel guilty.

Featured Answer

neohippie
Original Author

14 years ago

Ok, the snake has been freed! Good idea to look up the pet snake people. I found a post on a forum where someone put their pet snake in a box to transport it, and it got stuck to the tape. Turns out vegetable oil is the way to go when you have an animal stuck to tape. So I got my snake and some oil and Q-Tip and after much gentle stroking and prodding with the oil soaked Q-Tip he finally came loose.

Good thing to know in case anyone is in a similar situation. My boyfriend just called and he said he found a lizard stuck to tape in his store several years ago, so I guess this isn't a totally unusual thing to happen. He also freed it with vegetable oil.

The snake has been re-released into my back yard, and then I went to pull up the cardboard boxes and found another (unstuck) snake just like him that zipped away real fast when I pulled up the boxes. I think a garder snake or something similar decided my garden was a nice place to have some babies. This is great as long as the place doesn't turn out to be some sort of DEATH TRAP.

These boxes were put down last fall, and I'm surprised the tape is still sticky. Anyway, needless to say, it's being removed!

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Comments (15)

lucypwd
14 years ago
Oh my, I'm sorry. Try calling a vet.
I would also google snake blog/forums to see if you can post to an additional group.
I just googled herpetologist questions and got this email address Tina.Jackson@state.co.us colorado state herpetologist

maybe try calling the zoo

At least he will shed his skin at some point.
lucypwd
14 years ago
another thought - cross post to the reptile amphibian forum. let us know how it works out
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lucypwd
14 years ago
that's amazing... Who would think that someone else would have a snake stuck to tape and document it...Glad it worked out.
paulsiu
14 years ago
I am surprise you are seeing so many snakes. I am sure that they exist in my neighborhood. I have rarely seen one. I get lots of frogs instead. In the summer, it becomes a challenge to mow the lawn.
terrene
14 years ago
I'm glad that you got the snake free. I use a lot of cardboard in the gardens, for smothering and suppressing weeds. It's a pain, but I am pretty meticulous about removing tape and plastic labels from the cardboard, because the plastic doesn't break down and leaves litter in the gardens. I never thought about the glue trapping snakes!
Min3 South S.F. Bay CA
14 years ago
i'm happy that you were able to free the snake neohippie, and i'm very glad to have the info- thanks!

and just fyi (everyone); the very fine black bird netting will also trap snakes- they can't back out of it. i discovered a beautiful one hanging dead in my berry patch.

-and it traps birds too, so check out the piles of netting you have in sheds and garages and put it in plastic bags.
i found this out the sad way one summer long ago and have never used it since.
min
Jesspayton_hotmail_com
12 years ago
Wow It really works I just got a baby ribbon snake off some strong black tape and he seems to be ok. I really thought he was a goner!
Yes2Aloha_gmail_com
12 years ago
You helped me save a baby lizard stuck belly up, with its entire back essentially glued to a rubber brush in the shower. It had been there for a long time by the looks of the situation, and the vegetable oil and Q Tip worked wonders. It took maybe an hour of gentle work, and the lizard was finally freed, with use of all legs, arms, and tail. Thank you for the helpful information above!
akaj9
12 years ago
What a crazy post...look at the people you helped :) Well critters you have saved !!!!
Brandi Buteau
8 years ago
I have a house snake ball python he was stuck on tape I pulled him off or he was going to die he lost skin but he's OK is there a chance he will die man I cryed
amberm_kuehne
8 years ago
I you ever find a snake stuck to tape I recommend using oil like canola or olive oil to make it easier for the snake to escape from the tape.
khamstudio
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Thank you for Google and this! Our baby ball python wrapped itself around the round thermostat we used the adhesive (it came with) to stick on the inside of the terraquarium. It fell off and he got stuck! Olive oil worked like a charm!
sharon's florida
8 years ago
Oh I am so glad he is free. Oil ... what a great idea. Thanks Google! I use boxes under my leaves ... I will never leave tape on them again ... goodness knows what else would get stuck. I'm so glad I read this post ... very helpful.
Adam Bunnell
2 years ago
I just used this advice to save a juvenile common watersnake that got stuck in vapor tape in the crawlspace. We're going to foster her over the winter to ensure a full recovery and let her go in the spring!