Cat Bites Snake

[JustGeorge]

Yeah, you read it right.

The cat knocked the snake cage over, and it appears she has bitten it. The cat does not appear to have been bit. Really, we're lucky we found it again. Its not a large snake.

However, due to the search engine insisting on flopping snake and cat around, I can't find anything about how to treat a cat bite on a snake. Will this be problematic? Anyone know anything on this?

 

[Meow Mix]

Yeah, you read it right.

The cat knocked the snake cage over, and it appears she has bitten it. The cat does not appear to have been bit. Really, we're lucky we found it again. Its not a large snake.

However, due to the search engine insisting on flopping snake and cat around, I can't find anything about how to treat a cat bite on a snake. Will this be problematic? Anyone know anything on this?

Cat bites can carry a lot of bacteria. I'll not pretend to know how to treat that on a snake, but I recommend looking into disinfecting it safely.

 

[JustGeorge]

Cat bites can carry a lot of bacteria. I'll not pretend to know how to treat that on a snake, but I recommend looking into disinfecting it safely.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking... but I don't know exactly what one can put on it.

The snakes are my husband's, and I know very little about them, though I'm fond of them. This one is a ribbon snake, I think.

 

[Meow Mix]

I am not sure what's safe for a snake. I did a casual google for hydrogen peroxide and it said that could harm the snake. According to some reptile magazine, washing with soapy water is OK if the wound isn't deep. I'm just not qualified to give advice other than the one thing I know (that cat bites are pretty dirty as far as bites go).

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's a reptile. They get in fights all the time in the wild so I'd just watch for complications but I'd just let the animal heal on it's own accord.

Still it never hurts to consult a vet familiar with reptiles as pets.

 

[JustGeorge]

I am not sure what's safe for a snake. I did a casual google for hydrogen peroxide and it said that could harm the snake. According to some reptile magazine, washing with soapy water is OK if the wound isn't deep. I'm just not qualified to give advice other than the one thing I know (that cat bites are pretty dirty as far as bites go).

I think he's used ointment on another snake once. I mentioned that, but he's wanting to watch and see.

It's a reptile. They get in fights all the time in the wild so I'd just watch for complications but I'd just let the animal heal on it's own accord.

Still it never hurts to consult a vet familiar with reptiles as pets.

I think this is the route he's going for now.

My house is backwards...

I've also had to search for 'child bites dog'. That didn't come up for the best, either. Though in this case, I wanted to see what other parents did about their kids biting the dog... Apparently, this is not a common problem.

Though, to solve that we bought a box of dilly bars from DQ. He bites the dog, I start unwrapping it and calling the dog over to eat it. If he doesn't, then he gets it at the end of the night. He hasn't bit the dog since.

This also helps with hitting... if he hits someone, they get a bite off the dilly bar, so he essentially has less at bedtime.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Yeah, you read it right.

The cat knocked the snake cage over, and it appears she has bitten it. The cat does not appear to have been bit. Really, we're lucky we found it again. Its not a large snake.

However, due to the search engine insisting on flopping snake and cat around, I can't find anything about how to treat a cat bite on a snake. Will this be problematic? Anyone know anything on this?

Clean the wounds with a mild antiseptic (not hydrogen peroxide, soap and room-temp water is best), then use a little Neosporin on the puncture marks.
Should be ok. Hopefully. If no bones were broken; if there are, you’ll see swelling.

I’ve treated kingsnakes and corn snakes this way; they recovered well.

 

[JustGeorge]

Clean the wounds with a mild antiseptic, then use a little Neosporin on the puncture marks.
Should be ok. Hopefully. If no bones were broken; if there are, you’ll see swelling.

I’ve treated kingsnakes and corn snakes this way; they recovered well.

I have passed this along to him.

 

[We Never Know]

Cat bites can carry a lot of bacteria. I'll not pretend to know how to treat that on a snake, but I recommend looking into disinfecting it safely.

Not a much as human bites.

Human bites are often more dangerous than animal bites because the human mouth has more bacteria in it than most animals' mouths.

 

[JustGeorge]

Thankfully, the kids didn't bite the snake.

(I didn't, either... this time...)

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Yeah, you read it right.

The cat knocked the snake cage over, and it appears she has bitten it. The cat does not appear to have been bit. Really, we're lucky we found it again. Its not a large snake.

However, due to the search engine insisting on flopping snake and cat around, I can't find anything about how to treat a cat bite on a snake. Will this be problematic? Anyone know anything on this?

I saw it happen once. Damnest thing. It was a wild (and highly poisonous snake), and the farm cat decided to protect...well...I really have no clue what. But the cat teamed up with a duck (I kid you not) and they gave the poor old snake merry hell. He slithered off, carrying a small puncture wound. Didn't find a body later, assume he survived.

Have nursed a lizard back to health after it getting bitten by a small dog. Might be similar? Main thing was that they feel traumatised, so you need to put them somewhere they feel safe and comfortable (warm, in particular). But in the case I'm talking about here was very limited bleeding, and no vital organs were punctured. Lizard just healed itself, basically, and then ended up having babies under our decking.

[edit]Someone earlier made the point that cat bites might be a little more hazardous in terms of infection than dog. No idea, as I steer clear of cats. Might be right, and I guess I'd go with @Hockeycowboy in terms of cleaning the wound.[/edit]

 

[We Never Know]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking... but I don't know exactly what one can put on it.

The snakes are my husband's, and I know very little about them, though I'm fond of them. This one is a ribbon snake, I think.

Reptile Wound Care - Reptiles Magazine.

 

[JustGeorge]

I saw it happen once. Damnest thing. It was a wild (and highly poisonous snake), and the farm cat decided to protect...well...I really have no clue what. But the cat teamed up with a duck (I kid you not) and they gave the poor old snake merry hell. He slithered off, carrying a small puncture wound. Didn't find a body later, assume he survived.

Have nursed a lizard back to health after it getting bitten by a small dog. Might be similar? Main thing was that they feel traumatised, so you need to put them somewhere they feel safe and comfortable (warm, in particular). But in the case I'm talking about here was very limited bleeding, and no vital organs were punctured. Lizard just healed itself, basically, and then ended up having babies under our decking.

That's awesome that a cat and duck worked together... You'd think us peoples would try it sometime.

We're lucky we found the snake, curled up in my son's room(we think he went through the vent). There wasn't any bleeding, but he did find a ding on it. Hopefully he isn't too stressed...

 

[lewisnotmiller]

That's awesome that a cat and duck worked together... You'd think us peoples would try it sometime.

We're lucky we found the snake, curled up in my son's room(we think he went through the vent). There wasn't any bleeding, but he did find a ding on it. Hopefully he isn't too stressed...

The cat and duck were both household pets, and knew each other well. The duck had been raised since birth, and I think it considered itself a human. It was my dad's cousins farm, which we used to go to a couple of times a year when I was a kid. Never saw anything like that in the 'burbs where I grew up!!

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I'm late to this party but hope your guys noodle recovers quickly. Hubby and I have a corn snake going on 18 years old now. Amazing the personality they have.

 

[JustGeorge]

I'm late to this party but hope your guys noodle recovers quickly. Hubby and I have a corn snake going on 18 years old now. Amazing the personality they have.

This guy's new to the pack. Haven't got to know him too well, but he seems a tough little guy(and I suspect he dislikes cats; this isn't his first negative experience with them).

18 years is impressive!

 

[Secret Chief]

Yeah, you read it right.

The cat knocked the snake cage over, and it appears she has bitten it. The cat does not appear to have been bit. Really, we're lucky we found it again. Its not a large snake.

However, due to the search engine insisting on flopping snake and cat around, I can't find anything about how to treat a cat bite on a snake. Will this be problematic? Anyone know anything on this?

Ask your vet

 

[JustGeorge]

Ask your vet

He's got some professionals I hope he'll talk to...

 

[Secret Chief]

He's got some professionals I hope he'll talk to...

Good. Our vet has been known to phone a zoo when needed.

 

[JustGeorge]

Good. Our vet has been known to phone a zoo when needed.

There aren't many vets in the area that will see snakes; there is one that has a person come in periodically throughout the week, but that's about it.

We do have a pretty reliable exotics store(where he bought the snake) that has a pretty knowledgeable and helpful staff, however. I've suggested he contact them in the morning(and maybe get the number of one of the more sociable ones for when things happen afterhours).