Boo - my first regurge!

My new little butter regurged about 7 days ago !! I couldn't figure why - her temps have been fine.. I have only had her a short while - she handled her first meal just fine.. Then I fed her 5 days later and 4 days after that - I discovered the regurge.. The day before the regurge I had taken her out for literally 30 seconds to show my nephews and brother in law.. I figured maybe it was that?

However - I had a pic of her eating and after I showed it around a bit - it has been decided that the pinkie was too big.. I have finally managed to get hold of some pinks that are smaller - perfect size for her I think..

BUT - I think I have discovered the real reason behind this regurge - this morning I found that little Popcorn had shed during the night!! A nice complete shed too.. I didn't even know she was in the blue!! She did look a bit dull but I havent had her for very long so I didnt really know any better.. When my amel and normal are going to shed - you can definitely see!!

I have decided to limit handling to feeding and cleaning of the viv.. She is a tiny girl - at only 8 grams.. I want to get some meat on her before I handle her more I think.. I can't even see her pretty post shed colours - I have a log in her viv - and she curls up inside of it.. I dont want to stress her by trying to get her out..

Anyway - I have read advice on handling regurges on this site as well as reading Don Soderberg's book so I know what to do.. Since it has been 7 days - she'll be fed on tues or wed.. Lets hope it was just the shed!!

I am terribly attached to this girl!!

Good luck.

It sounds like you have thought a lot about this.

I had a girl that went through a few regurges before I got her straightened out. I also decided to really limit handling to only when absolutely needed.

Thanks!

I have thought alot about it - its just so new to me because with my other 2 - I have never had a regurge or anything.. I have had Mia now for almost 6 months and she has just been great..

This new girl is challenging me !

Since she is only 8g, you might want to do what I've been doing with my guy that regurged. First meal, pinky head, then maybe half a pink, and then when you get back to whole pinks, cut them in half or thirds for many meals. The snake won't care. You may have to rinse her off before putting her away- it gets a little messy. Jasper's had over ten meals since his regurge, but I still cut his pinks in half- I think I will for quite a while- I'm not taking any chances with him.

Thank you Nanci.. I will try anything just to get some weight on her - and get her out of her 'fragile' stage!!

The regurge was very unexpected and quite a shock - seeing as this is my 5th hatchling!

Never mind though - its a good learning curve and hope to become a better owner from it..

If she is going to be one who regurges during shed - I sure hope I can tell in the future when she is in the blue!

I never figured out what made Jasper do it- possibly too big a jump in meal size. I _thought_ he was blue, but then he wasn't. I feel a lot better when they get up to about 12g. My biggest baby right now actually is Jasper- he's up to 17! Calli is 8, up from 6.

Well - my hope is that it was just because of the shed. I can't wait to see the 12/15g mark with her.. Mia is now 56g as of yesterday and Levi hit 28g and they are just super little guys..

I'm sure I'll get Popcorn there too though - just a little glitch I hope.. I am trying to stay positive because I know how serious regurges can be if they happen more than once or twice in such small ones,,

Are you sure it was a regurge, 4 days after feeding? If so, then I'd say it was most likely too large a meal, or not enough heat for digestion. I have seen some poops that at first glance kind of look like possible regurges, until I look a little closer. Just something to think about.

I was also wondering if it was just a poop - till I saw legs attached!!

I've narrowed it down to too large a pink or the shed.. Got smaller pinks so we will see!

PS - the pink wasnt huge or anything but it was prob that little bit too big.. I just couldnt get any smaller ones.. But I have found some now..

Heres her eating.. You can see the size of the pink

That size looks just fine for her.

I actually never knew that a shed could cause a regurge? :shrugs:

I know this is WAY gross, but I have a sure-fire way to tell if something is a poo or regurge. Smell it. Yup, you read that correctly. Take a big whiff. If it smells like poo, it is. If it smells unbelievably, indescribably FOUL... you're dealing with a regurge.

Some hatchlings also seem more prone to 'gurge on a 5 day feeding schedule, I'd stick to 7 days in this case, personally, starting with Nanci's suggestions of 1/2 pinks for the next few meals too. Good luck and hopefully the road to recovery will be smooth. (And to check for 'gurge without disturbing the snake, welcome to the compulsive viv-sniffing club!)

I don't know if I'll ever be able to stop sniffing Jasper's viv...Boy, but when he regurged, I sure didn't have to stick my nose in there, it was like someone had hidden a dead body in my room while I was at work.

Well, Little Joe 'gurged again, starved, gse, day-old pink stayed in, 7 day interval, 2-day pink..........I sniff the rack every day!

Ewww.. Lol

I can definitely say this was a regurge. It didnt clear the room but when I opened the viv to see what the heck was lying on the astro - I smelt something very unlike a poop!!! It was baaad..

Diamondlil - I think I will feed her only every 7 days - seeing as she regurged after 4 days already - maybe she needs the extra time..

I also never knew a shed could cause a regurge but I heard it somewhere and then looked it up in Don Sooderberg's book and he says it too.. Hmmm