Feeling pretty horrible

[11malibu]

I have my baby corn that isn't eating, and the carpet python I got about a week and a half ago just regurgitated her two day old meal of a medium rat. I've never had a snake regurg. Feeling pretty I don't even know right now.

[11malibu]

I don't know if I should just continue to feed her chicks, which is what her previous owner fed her, or maybe try a smaller rat. Reason I don't want to feed chicks is because I don't have anyone to get them from and she eats 3 in one feeding. I would rather not have to feed her three anything in a row.

[insomniac101]

Does she have belly heat to aid digestion? Are you handling her after she eats? Was the rodent too big for her? There are a lot of causes for regurgitating. Make sure she has fresh water, and don't offer anything for at least a week. You can try a smaller rat, or even a jumbo mouse. If she is a healthy weight, a couple of light meals won't hurt her. Depending on her level of hydration, she may benefit from an hour-or-so soak.

Kathy

[11malibu]

She always has fresh water, warm side is 81 and cool side is 73. She has a hide on both sides, her hot spot is about 91. I never handle after feeding, I don't handle before feeding either. As far as size of prey, it shouldn't be to big, but her previous owner was feeding her small chicks, they would feed her three a week. I am thinking she just isn't used to prey that size. Her body size compared to the prey would indicate she could take it no problem. She is a little under weight, she is still 1160 grams. I am not offering food till 19th.

[11malibu]

I just have to make the decision to try and find someone that sells chicks or continue to try and make the switch to rodents. Does anyone think there is a big nutrition difference between the two.

[insomniac101]

I've never fed chicks to my carpets. I've heard that some keepers will feed them as treats, or to entice a stubborn feeder. I'm wondering if calcium content would be lower with birds, as their bones are different than those of mammals. I would try to get her switched to rodents. Sounds like your husbandry is good, so hopefully it was just a one-time thing.

Kathy

[11malibu]

Hopefully, I am gunna try a small rat for the next feeding and see how that goes. Then go from there, if she keeps that down I will feed her smalle a couple times and then try a medium again one day after she gets used to the smalls. What size do you feed yours? She is 1160 grams and about 5.5 feet long.

[insomniac101]

All of my carpets are adults, and eat medium-to-large f/t rats.

I do have a couple that would absolutely starve themselves to death before eating a rat. They are smaller, and I feed those a couple of jumbo mice.

Kathy

[11malibu]

I grabbed some small rats for when feeding time comes.