Snake Nearly Dies After Swallowing Golf Ball

The following story was shared with us by Appalachian Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina.

An Eastern black rat snake (patient ID 19R85) arrived at our facility in October of 2019 after being found with a large lump in his mid-section that resembled a golf ball. Upon examination it was determined that he had ingested a golf ball. He needed gastrointestinal surgery to remove the object. Our veterinary team successfully removed the golf ball after he was fully stable, and then he began his road to recovery.

He was started on bi-weekly tube-feedings with EmerAid Intensive Care Carnivore diet the week following his surgery to restart his gastrointestinal tract and slowly re-feed him. He gradually regained strength receiving the tube-feedings of EmerAid. We began to see that his intestinal tract was indeed working. We weren’t sure his intestinal tract was going to work, because we did not know how long the foreign body had been present in his system.

Three weeks post-surgery we were able to offer his first small whole prey items, which he willingly ate. He continued to improve. His surgery site healed completely, and he made a full recovery.