multiple regurges

[Tork]

Hi, Im still new to owning corn snakes but my one snake he is 8 months old, he has regurgitated 3 times now , I have no idea why he regurgitated the first time, his temperatures where consistent in the tank. but I waited a week and fed him half a pinkie and then he regurgitated that, so I waited again and fed him half a pinkie and when he kept that down waited again and got him back on his normal feeding. He has been feeding normally for 3 feedings now and this would have been his fourth but he regurgitated yet again. Now just before he started regurgitating I switched where I was buying pinkies, could it possibly be their mice that are making him sick ? however my other corn snake ( approximately the same age) has had no trouble keeping the mice down and her temps where consistent just as his were.

thank you to anyone who could shed some light on this.

[Dreamsnake]

It can be difficult to diagnose. I must advise that you keep everything that contacts the sick snake from the healthy one. Use separate brushes to clean the water dishes, hides, whatever is in the tank and do not let the feeding tubs contact each other. If you can put the sick snake in another room. I've even changed out the bedding and put my regurgatater (if that is a word) on paper towels to better inspect the poop. I too have a snake that has regurged three times. I think mine can't handle bones. Frankly I'm not expecting her to survive the winter. Sometimes snakes have problems like this, they were never intended to survive the first year.

[Shiari]

If you look up 'regurge protocol' you'll get many threads with great advice.

First: What *are* your temperatures? How are you measuring them? What sort of heat source do you have? How many hides does your snake have, and where are they placed? What part of the house is your snake in? Somewhere high traffic or low?

What you need to do is not offer food for at least ten days, and then offer only a pinky head. You stick to just the head for a few feedings, and then slowly feed larger bits of the pinks over the course of several months. Regurges have the potential to be fatal to your snake.

[Tork]

thanks for the advice, the temps on the cold side vary from 69-71 and the hot side from 81-82 and I use a UTH. I measure the temps by a digital thermometer that has the probe attached under the bedding on top of the glass and I have about 3-4 hides and a piece of driftwood along the back. He is located in my basement which gets very low traffic. But I have another snake same age right beside his tank and Ive yet to have troubles with her which makes me wonder if its him. Thanks again for the advice

[Tork]

Im more worried that it could possibly be the mice, I just dont want to make my other snake regurge as well

[bitsy]

If the other snake is OK and the mice are from the same source, then I doubt it's the mice. I can't think of a repeated regurger yet that's actually been traced to bad mice.

The most frequent cause that I can think of is incorrect temps, followed by moving up a food size too soon (neither of which apply to you, although maybe the warm side floor could go up to 85 as a minor tweak) or handling too soon after feeding (obviously you're experienced and know to leave it a couple of days).

Is the snake new to you or have you had him for all of his 8 months? If he's a relatively new arrival, do you know if he was eating OK before you got him?

This thread gives Kathy Love's Regurge Protocol. It really is worth following to the letter as repeated regurges are potentially fatal:
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28342

[Tork]

Ive had him for 4 of those 8 months, i will try to get the temps up to 85. I always wait 4 days at least before I handle him to much but I think im going to get some locks for the tanks.. I have a feeling it is my sister and her friends who have been taking him out since they do not know when he was being fed.

[bitsy]

That could well be the problem. Is your sister the sort of lass who would take it seriously if you gently warned that handling a snake with a full stomach might ultimately kill it?

He should have settled in properly after 4 months with you, so it can't be "new arrival stress".

[Tork]

sorry for the late replay, works been hectic. I talked to her and she agreed to always ask when she can take them out before she does so, hopefully that will work out and he kept down the pinky head so yay :)

[bitsy]

That all sounds like good news. Fingers crossed that things continue to go well with both sister and snake!