Snake Regurge, Doesn't Make Sense...

[dusterdust]

I was wondering what happened...New snake...Fed him a pinky, may have disturbed him a little bit...But the next day I woke up and the pinky looked EXACTLY the same...Just a LITTLE bit mangled in the arm...
Did he regurge, or pass it...I've read up on it...hopefully someone can help...

[cornspot]

It wouldn't have passed that soon & certainly wouldn't have looked exactly the same. he probably regurged. Give him a good 10 days before trying again, see if you can get one a little bit smaller & don't bother him--not even a peek for 24 hours then no handling for several more days past that.

Also be sure you have a place where he can get warm enough to digest (mid 80s are usually good for a baby), This time of year most of us have homes that are a little cooler than they were just a few weeks ago. Our summer set-ups may not be adequate for winter time.

[dusterdust]

So he couldn't have passed it intact, I thought that's what I read on here somewhere...Anyway, does the regurge hurt him at all? I mean to see their whole head expand when they are eating...Is it any worse in reverse? He seems a little reclusive today...I was wondering if there are any long term physical side effects to regurging...Or does everyone's snake do it at some point?
Dustin

[cornspot]

[QUOTE= I thought that's what I read on here somewhere[/QUOTE]
If someone more experienced than me said that then it may be possible--it just doesn't seem logical to me; a regurge seems much more likely.

I don't know if it can physically hurt him as in "ouch" but it does take a lot out of the snake and causes the snake to lose a lot of its digestive enzymes as well as contributing to dehydration.

This is why you need to wait to feed him again; if he doesn't have the stomach juices to digest well, he will likely regurge again. The more times he regurges the more likely you are to lose him.

And, no, not every snake regurges at some point. There is usually something wrong, most often it is a husbandry error but snakes can get a stomach bug or an imbalance in their GI tracts. Also, internal parasites can often lead to regurges (or diarrhea or both).

Good luck, keep us posted!

[dusterdust]

So can you explain to me what how stress could have caused it? I mean, a couple hours after the feed a bunch of my buddies came over, and they wanted to see the snake, so I brought them (5) into the room and I picked up his hide so they could see him. Could this have caused a problem.
He seems to be moving as is he's uncoordinated...Do they fully recover after regurges? Will they obtain the same level of digestive juices that they had prior?
Dustin

[BeckyG]

Yes, that could have caused the regurge, especially in a hatchling. Yes, regurges are bad. If a snake gets into a pattern of regurging, it can die from it. Better to leave it be for a while. And, like cornspot said, don't attempt to feed him for 10 days. The digestive enzymes will build back up, but they need time to do so.

[dusterdust]

SO I guess the question, as stupid as it may seem, will there be a difference in the snake. I mean in a year from now, would there be any difference between a snake that had a regurge vs a snake that did not...Size, colour...
Thanks...
Dustin

[cornspot]

if he can keep his next meals down, he will be perfectly fine. If he regurges again, my advice is to contact a herp vet.

For now, leave him alone--no handling, just freshen his water & if needed clean his cage. In 10-14 days offer another meal, as small of one as you can find & I would cut slits into its skin to help it digest even better. Then NO HANDLING OR DISTURBANCE OF ANY KIND for at least 2 days. & actually I would not distub him until her keeps 2 or 3 meals down in a row.

[BeckyG]

SO I guess the question, as stupid as it may seem, will there be a difference in the snake. I mean in a year from now, would there be any difference between a snake that had a regurge vs a snake that did not...Size, colour...
Thanks...
Dustin

A single regurge shouldn't have any long term effects, but if he gets into a pattern of regurging it could affect him. I have one that has regurged 7 times since I got her in April, and she is half the size of most snakes the same age. She is 14 months old and only 19" long. Otherwise she seems healthy, except for the regurging problem, that is.

[dusterdust]

Why would she be smaller? 7 meals doesn't seem like that much!

[cornspot]

7 regurges is alot! And each regurge is a meal with little or no nutrients or calories taken in. that is why the snake would be smaller than one fed on the same schedule that was able to utilize each of those meals.

[BeckyG]

First off, snakes don't eat 5-6 times a day like humans do. She eats once every 6 days. If she misses one meal, it's not like she will eat again in a couple of hours. Seven meals puked means seven weeks with no nutrition taken in. You also have to take into account that for a month I was feeding her a liquid diet, which kept her alive but didn't give her enough nutrients to actually grow. Secondly, the 10 day wait after regurging before feeding means she is only getting about half the food she would have had she not been regurging. Even though not all seven regurges were in a row, the total time must be taken into account. When you add it all up, she went approximately 4 months with no food. Is it any wonder she didn't grow?

She is actually very lucky. Most snakes don't survive more than three regurges. Thanks to Kathy Love and her advice, I still have a snake.

[dusterdust]

I'll keep it in one thread!

My snake (Lex) is hardly moving now...he moves a few times a day between hides, but his colour has begun to fade...He hasn't eaten in seven days now...
He has fresh water and I'm pretty sure everything is set up properly...

[dusterdust]

Does this colour fade and loss of movement have anything to do with the regurge? Or is it because he hasn't eaten?

[Joolz68]

My snake (Lex) is hardly moving now...he moves a few times a day between hides, but his colour has begun to fade...He hasn't eaten in seven days now...Sounds like Lex is about to shed:

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41748

[BeckyG]

Agreed. Look for a shed in about 7-10 days time.

[dusterdust]

Yeah, his eyes have become "cloudy" and his colour is very dull...Doesn't move a lot... Should I continue to abstain from feeding him because of the regurge...Could he of regurged because he knew he was about to shed?
Dustin

[poppycorn]

Yes, regurges can be associated with shedding. I had several hatchlings regurge this season and most of them shed within 8-10 days of the regurge, then went on (after strict adherence to the Regurge Regimen) to recover fully.

I believe that the reason that regurges are so serious is not only because the snake goes without food for an extended period of time, but also that the process of replenishing stomach juices is metabolically expensive to the snake because the snake must utilize destroy muscle mass in order to get the components needed to make the stomach juices. No wonder a second consecutive regurge must be avoided at all costs!

[BeckyG]

Yes, wait until after he has shed to offer food again. Normally, I'd say offer anyway, but since yours has already regurges once, it's better to be on the safe side.

[SnakeAround]

Yes, regurges can be associated with shedding. I had several hatchlings regurge this season and most of them shed within 8-10 days of the regurge, then went on (after strict adherence to the Regurge Regimen) to recover fully.

I believe that the reason that regurges are so serious is not only because the snake goes without food for an extended period of time, but also that the process of replenishing stomach juices is metabolically expensive to the snake because the snake must utilize destroy muscle mass in order to get the components needed to make the stomach juices. No wonder a second consecutive regurge must be avoided at all costs!

Never heared about the loss of muscle mass.... are you a VET or something?

I'm crossing fingers but I have an emoryi on the rebound of 4 regurges... last Wednesday she ate a live pinkie and it looks like it has been digested and passed... first meal she keeps in since 4 months except for 1 small ratpaw.. she has lost weight from just above 600 grams to around 450 becaus eof this... I'm glad she could handle this weight loss and still is on the healthy side of weight, otherwise she would have died I think so be very careful and patient with regurge patients, it pays of I've learned!

[SnakeAround]

Never heared about the loss of muscle mass.... are you a VET or something?


Not at all meant as bad as it looks like after reading again :rolleyes:

[dusterdust]

I can't seem to work the FAQ's so I'll continue my questioning on here...
My corn is never moving...He now looks to have lost some weight, he is no longer "milky" in colour or in eyes, but there is no shed anywhere...
He went from 2 pinkies a week to now being 10 days since his last pinky (7 days since his regurge)... What should I do? Continue to wait for the shed, then feed him right after? I thought he should have shed by now...
Please advise
Dustin!

[BeckyG]

Continue to wait. They usually clear 2-3 days before shedding. I expect you will see a shed soon.