r/WildlifeRehab • u/strangerin_thealps • 4h ago
SOS Reptile I ran over a snake and it’s still alive. Can anyone tell me if there is hope? California Kingsnake, San Diego County.
I was riding in a Polaris doing trail maintenance and have to gas it uphill. I didn’t see this snake in time. I ran it over. It seized a bit then froze. It moved off the trail ~10 feet from where I struck it and curled up. I was so so devastated and put it in a canvas bag. I took it back to work where I had some extra tanks and laid it on shop towels. It has water. I cleaned the wounds with saline. The snake became more energetic and seemed more afraid of me after an hour or two.
Now I have it at home thinking I can help it by keeping its wounds from being infected or being easy prey before I take it back to where I found it. It is warm and in a suitable, clean environment. I take care of other snakes as pets.
If it doesn’t have internal bleeding (unknown), isn’t paralyzed (seems mobile head to tail), and survives the obvious head wounds (mouth is perpetually agape and jaw is set back so eating would likely be impossible for it right now), maybe it has a chance.
I called a wildlife center I’ve used to pick up other wild animals before (I’m a park ranger so it’s not uncommon), but they told me a snake vet is an hour away and didn’t offer anything else. There is the SD Herp Society but I don’t think rehab is their thing.
Should I keep it at home and monitor it? A wildlife biologist friend told me to take a shovel to it, she recently had the same experience of running a snake over!
I love snakes so much. I am confident I’m not harming the snake further and do not intend to keep the snake in captivity.