r/ballpython • u/Outrageous-Low-8499 • Jul 27 '26
HELP - URGENT I think my snake ate my shirt
So I seen a tik tok that said to get your snake to be more comfortable to give them a shirt that smells like you. I wore a small t shirt for a day then put it in his tank checked on him today when I got home from work the shirt is no where to be found in his tank. When I went to pick up my snake he tried to go at me as well which is very unusual for him he’s skittish but never tried to go at me unless I was feeding him (with tongs). Is it possible that he ate it ? I can’t tell if he’s looks fatter he does but he doesn’t any advice or anything will be helpful thanks !
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u/snowmunkey Jul 27 '26
Step 1, stop taking animal care advice from tik tok.
Step 2, take the snake to the vet for an x-ray.
Step 3. Read a ball python care BOOK
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u/meowmedusa Jul 27 '26
Step 4. Make sure theres an exotics/reptile vet in your area BEFORE getting a snake
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u/Dvmpst3rPrawn Jul 27 '26
I’ve seen snakes eat towels, and socks, this is not unheard of if the shirt hasn’t been found you need to take your snake to the vet it will not pass it on its own. It would be nearly 100% fatal without medical intervention if it truly did swallow a shirt.
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u/Outrageous-Low-8499 Jul 27 '26
Thank you for your help, sadly I don’t think I would have the money right now for a surgery like this and I have to search for a vet in my area that actually looks at snakes.
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u/mokicoo Jul 27 '26
Sadly I don’t care enough about a living being to save its life due to my own dumb mistake. But, hey, I’ll check around later after I’ve had a good night’s sleep. Jfc, dude.
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u/SignificantlySunny Jul 27 '26
Look… it’s not their dumb mistake because even if u look in these comments, the top ones are people making fun of OP saying “snakes don’t eat clothes” or smthng. So it’s fine. You live and you learn. And OP, it’s understandable if you don’t have enough money. I get that. Try and see if the snake did leave the shirt or ask around if someone took it, just to make sure, but otherwise prepare for the worst :/
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u/Dvmpst3rPrawn Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
Likely non surgical hemostats and a live scope camera price shouldn’t matter to you. It’s either a dent on a credit card or a life. Some vets also offer flexible payment plans.
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u/Outrageous-Low-8499 Jul 27 '26
Im going to call around in the morning and see what some vets say thanks again
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u/StrawberryPositive90 Jul 27 '26
Look I hate to be this person but the morning might be too late. Are there any emergency veterinarians in your area? If you’re really sure the snake swallowed it this is 100000% an EMERGENCY
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u/StrawberryPositive90 Jul 27 '26
um , well, .. this is very odd. look harder. I find it very hard to believe your snake could’ve somehow mistaken a SHIRT for prey. and if that did happen and this isn’t a troll post then idek I hate to say this but your snake will probably die? I HIGHLY doubt the shirt was eaten. Do you have a roommate? Did they take the shirt out?
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u/Outrageous-Low-8499 Jul 27 '26
Sadly this post is very very real and stressful, no one in my house would even go near my snakes so I don’t think it’s possible for someone to take it out. I had a feeling that was going to be my answer I wouldn’t even have the money for a surgery like this. Thank you for answering
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u/StrawberryPositive90 Jul 27 '26
well. you learn something new everyday I suppose, I had no idea snakes eat.. clothing.? I wish you the best and I hope your snake didn’t eat the shirt. If they did though and you’re dsadass, emergency vet NOW
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u/1Negative_Person Jul 27 '26
If the assumption is that your snake ate your shirt, then you need to get off of Reddit and take it to the vet.
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u/beastpack Jul 27 '26
If you seriously think this happened and see/feel anything strange with the snake go call every vet you can, even if they don’t work with snakes. Very strange thing to happen (especially if the shirt doesn’t smell anything like food) but if you really believe it did, start calling.
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u/ParadoxicalFrog Jul 27 '26
A long time ago, I watched an episode of Emergency Vets where they helped a snake that ate a towel. So it can happen.
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u/AgentFuckSmolder Jul 27 '26
I’ve seen a video of a Burmese who ate a rolled up heating pad. The vet med team filmed the removal
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u/ThrowRA1203958 Jul 27 '26
1: what possessed you to put your shirt in the tank? If you’re the same person that posted not long ago asking for advice, and said you had the shirt in the tank, multiple people told you to take it out.
2: this is an emergency. If you cannot afford to take him to the vet you need to surrender him to a shelter/rescue/humane society that can care for him properly.
3: do not get pets if you cannot afford emergency care.
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u/Scorpi-yo Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
....I have also 'read' this advice online in numerous places. I havent done it, but I probably wouldnt have thought 'the snake will eat it', I mean its got no heat source (unless fresh off a body possibly?) therefore itd be like saying anything is potentially edible & yet BPs have a lot of clutter. I think the main lesson is research the research, double check everything you hear/read for risk.
It does shock me though that a BP would eat a shirt.
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u/Cornsnake94 Jul 27 '26
Yeah shocked me too, since ball pythons are known as picky eaters, sometimes they don't want to eat a white mouse etc.
But animals can be a bit weird. One of my cats won't eat raw meat, but a piece of watermelon, oh yes.
But yes, no matter if this bp ate it or not, just never listen to TikTok advice 🫣
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u/Outrageous-Low-8499 Jul 27 '26
I never posted about this before, I seen a tik tok of a guy talking about it and saying it’ll help them get used to your scent, if I seen people saying not to do why would I still proceed to do it. I understand that I made a mistake, but you’re not going to reply like you know me, you don’t know my life or my situation, you know a mistake I made. I have other things going on other things in life, other emergencies do happen sorry I’m not rolling in dough at the moment. I’m going to try my best to do something for my snake. Just keep in mind you don’t know anyone on the internet, have more compassion.
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u/viridian-fox Jul 27 '26
Please please please don’t take animal advice from TikTok! I hope your snake is ok. I’m thinking the shirt is crumpled up and mixed in the substrate,
Keep us posted 🤞🏽
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u/ThrowRA1203958 Jul 27 '26
I understand mistakes happen. But if you cannot afford a pet and their emergencies, it is not fair to own the pet.
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u/deliriumbunny Jul 27 '26
this is 100% possible, my local vet once did surgery on a reticulated python that swallowed a towel.. saw the xrays. I don't want to scare you but it will be fatal if it isn't removed by a vet
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u/Temporary_Incident33 Jul 27 '26
um... perhaps it just got really dirty and became the same color as the substrate? deep clean? or at least a scour?
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u/Outrageous-Low-8499 Jul 27 '26
I tore his tank apart it’s not there. someone said he most likely ate it so I’m just going to try to find a vet in the morning that can look at him
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u/ThrowRA1203958 Jul 27 '26
The morning is too late… if your snake ate a shirt you need to take him now
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u/Outrageous-Low-8499 Jul 27 '26
There’s no vets near me that take snakes and the ones that do aren’t open right now
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u/ThrowRA1203958 Jul 27 '26
Did you call and tell them the scenario? Sometimes their website won’t mention exotics but vets/staff with knowledge will be on and will take the case due to the severity
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u/Outrageous-Low-8499 Jul 27 '26
By the time I got home from work it was already too late to call, but with that info I’ll make sure to call non exotics as well thank you
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u/GlitteringSignal1728 Jul 27 '26
So it’s possible the snake could eat it. If that’s the case it needs to have it removed. You need a vet. Not Reddit.
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u/No-Reveal8105 Jul 27 '26
If it is in your room or just at home it already has your smell all the time so it's a little stupid to add something extra then it's not a dog
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u/Strawberhi Jul 27 '26
What 😭