Snake Undergoes Surgery After Swallowing Gear Shift Knob
An eastern rat snake, having swallowed a gear shift knob, underwent successful surgery at the Second Chance Wildlife Center. The unusual case left both herpetology and automotive communities astonished, and it’s believed that the snake mistook the knob as an egg.
By Beth Snider · February 3, 2024
Veterinarians at the Second Chance Wildlife Center (SCWC) in Gaithersburg, Maryland, successfully performed surgery on an eastern rat snake that had mistakenly swallowed a gear shift knob. The incident has left the herpetology and automotive communities equally astonished.
The serpent was brought to SCWC by a concerned member of the public who noticed an unknown foreign object protruding from the snake’s stomach. The wildlife center revealed in an Instagram post, “This rat snake was one of the most unusual cases we have treated at SCWC! Upon intake, it was apparent that the snake had ingested a foreign object resembling an egg.”
It appears that the rat snake had mistakenly identified the gear shift knob as an egg, a common occurrence with golf balls and decoy eggs. Shockingly, the object had been lodged in the snake’s stomach for so long that it had worn a hole through the snake’s skin.
Dr. Lance, a veterinarian at SCWC, performed a delicate surgery to remove the gear shift knob from the snake’s stomach. The procedure included suturing the stomach and repairing the hole in the snake’s underside. The veterinary team provided essential care, including fluid therapy, pain management, antibiotics, and wound care during the recovery period.
"The team was shocked to see that the object was a gear shift knob, likely removed from an old car. Eastern rat snakes naturally eat eggs, and while records exist of snakes mistaking golf balls and fake eggs for food, this is the first instance known by Second Chance of a snake ingesting a gear shift knob."
After six weeks of recovery, the snake has made a full recovery, as confirmed by recent photos shared by SCWC. Currently undergoing rehabilitation for brumation, a period of inactivity during winter, the snake is expected to be released back into the wild in spring.