What is this; tis the season for regurge!?

[ZoologyMajor]

Ok this isn't funny. I just went to do the water change and scan for poop job and it appears my snow regurged last night. If I didn't know better I would think everyone else is spreading the regurge bug over the internet.

Janine - I saw that post on Kathy Loves regurge FAQ from the other thread. I printed it out and am following it to the letter. Thanks for posting it.

Kathy Love - Thanks for making this regurge fact sheet. Knowing what to do helps to hold the panic back.

*crosses fingers* Hopefully everyone's corns will be back to normal before to long.

[Gralena]

Are you sure it's not just some "Washington Redskins" stuff making him sick? Hee Hee....just kidding....I hope both of our little guys get better soon! (Monty is our 1st snake so I am in "mommy panic" right now too!)

[diamondlil]

Oh Kim, so sorry to hear that. Hope all goes well. (Kathy's brilliant!)

[MerlinsPop]

Kim - Ifeel for you. My Vern had a regurge in early Nov (so did she start this round, or finish the last). After waiting the 10 loooooong days, she refused. Again and again (with 4-5 days between offerings). Finally she started eating again in early Dec.

Your snow looked to be in great health before this, so I'm sure she'll get through this episode fine. What feeding schedule did you have her on? I had Vern on 4 day intervals at the time of her regurge, and all was fine for several feedings, then not. I've backed everyone off to 5 days (well...Vern had to work back UP to 5 days. Did 7, then 6, then 5) and will keep them there.

Hang in there!

[ZoologyMajor]

No, no skins banners around lol. I have only been a corn mommy for a few weeks so believe me I am stressed. I am trying to save the panic encase he regurges a 2nd time. The hard part is going to be not holding him. He is my little buddy. He is so mellow if I didn't know better I would swear he was a ball python.

[ZoologyMajor]

I have him on 5-6 day schedule. When I fed him yesterday though it had only been 4 days as I wanted to make sure his food was good and settled in before I left for the holidays. Maybe it was to soon. I picked him up to give him a once over and he isn't acting stressed or anything, just his normal mellow self. I am hoping for the best.

[Susielea]

Oh no, not you as well! Do you think we've all got some internet virus that's affecting our snakes?...lol

Seriously though, thanks for the kind comments on my regurge thread. As you've probably read on there my two regurgers are doing quite well so far.

I hope your little Snow follows in their footsteps if they continue to do well and I'm sure if you follow Kathy's advice on regurges, then you will have the same success.

Don't forget to keep us updated on his progress!

Good luck and best wishes,

[Nanci]

Hey, I was thinking about this when I was feeding the babies last night. Are you guys with the regurges slitting your pinks?? I almost forgot to do one last night, and that gave me a heart attack! I take a small scissors and snip four or five little crosswise snips the length of the pink's back. Makes it _way_ easier to digest. It might make the difference for your snake between being able to digest, or having to puke it back up.

[luvmycorn]

hope your snake is ok.

[Susielea]

Yes Nanci, I've been slitting backs, from pinky size up to fuzzy size for quite a while, since I read on this site (probably posted by you actually) that it helps digestion with young or poorly snakes.

At the moment my two are only getting pink heads for a few feeds, but when they are back to whole small pinks I will be slitting the backs again, which will hopefully minimise the chances of another regurge.

Thanks for the advice though, hopefully it will help other people having similar problems.

[Corny Noob]

LEAVE THE REDSKINS OUT OF THIS! *shakes fist*

That being said, you know it's something we all have to deal with at one point or another, otherwise there wouldn't be so much first hand info on it. Just relax, try not to stress too much and I'm sure things will be fine soon enough.

[highcolorcorns]

I was wondering the same about regurge season..like someone said, it's not funny, just strange.. I know this is a corn snake site, but we just finally got a pair of milks back eating...knock on wood... after over a month of them refusing and regurging and doing everything right, they are finally back eating small whole pinks every 4-5 day. It's tough!!! After a month of doing your best, we just about gave up on the little pair, but they are doing great and growing!!! Thanks to all the VERY knowledgeable (sp) people...ok I'll brag a bit, Don Soderburg has helped alot!! If he reads this..thanks for answering every email ALL night and every phone call!!!!!!

[Tula_Montage]

First of all sorry to hear about the regurge, I hope the wee snakie recoveres soon enough :)

Second, it makes sense (in a stange way) that snakes are regurging at this time of year - its getting sooo cold outside. The indoor temperatures will be dropping too, and the snakes are probably more affected by it than we think... just a thought.

[Jessicat]

Pew, regurges are no fun. Make sure you really take a step back and analyze everything about the situation. Let it be a learning opportunity. I've had 3 or 4 regurges over the years and I used every one of them to better my husbandry or learn something about a snake.

[wax32]

It also makes sense that you read more about regurges this time of year, as lots of new (and not so new) snake owners bought new hatchlings this past hatchling season.

[diamondlil]

Just a thought, rather than it being directly linked to cooler temperatures outside, could it be due to those of us in cooler areas running central heating? I set my heating thermostat to 20, so it runs at a fairly low heat, but it makes the dog shed (grrr for the extra hoovering)and get itchy, so maybe it could add to stress on the snakes?:shrugs:

[Weebonilass]

Hey, I was thinking about this when I was feeding the babies last night. Are you guys with the regurges slitting your pinks?? I almost forgot to do one last night, and that gave me a heart attack! I take a small scissors and snip four or five little crosswise snips the length of the pink's back. Makes it _way_ easier to digest. It might make the difference for your snake between being able to digest, or having to puke it back up.


The slitting the backs is something I do now, but I wouldn't lay the blame there for the regruges. I've only had one regruge in six years and only started slitting backs about a year ago and if I'm really short on time, I may or may not slit the backs. While it's been proven by a member to help with speeding the growth of some snakes, I don't believe there is any proof that it will stop regruges.

[Jessicat]

I've had a regurge on a slit back food item before. Sliting the backs releases more nutrients and makes the snakes digest their food item faster, so you might not see as many late regurges.

[suecornish]

My boa, Ashookie, regurged the beginning of December; both of the rat pinkies, a day apart. I figured she was being stressed out by being in the same tank as Skog so into a new tank she went and I feed her the 23rd. She almost snatched the tongs out of my hands. So far, everything is okay.

[ZoologyMajor]

I hate the waiting... i really really hate it. I still have a few days to go before his first attempt since the regurge. He seems so thin now. Maybe it is just that my other one put on a good amount after her last meal. She was 98g and now she weighs 118g. Is that normal? I have had her only a few weeks. She actually has a nice healthy feel to her now.

[Susielea]

If I remember correctly, I think a corn can convert 1/3 of they prey item into body mass. So for every 3g pinky they can gain 1g and for a 30g adult mouse they can gain 10g. Someone correct me if I'm wrong....lol

Kim....my little butter motley started to look like a shoelace before his first feed after regurge, he was tiny to start with, but he's had three tiny feeds now and is looking a tad better and is a lot more active, so please try not to worry too much....I am so rooting for you!

[MerlinsPop]

I hate the waiting... i really really hate it. I still have a few days to go before his first attempt since the regurge. He seems so thin now. Maybe it is just that my other one put on a good amount after her last meal. She was 98g and now she weighs 118g. Is that normal? I have had her only a few weeks. She actually has a nice healthy feel to her now.
I know the waiting is the worst! Hang in there!

Um... dumb question... but did the new one have a poop before you weighed her?

[ZoologyMajor]

Bruce - Yep she had a nice big healthy poop before I weighed her. I will weigh her again after her next poop.

Update - Ok I fed my little guy his pinky head tonight. I hope he keeps it down. He was hungry that's for sure. He was going for it before I got him in the box all the way. Poor guy I know he wanted a bigger meal which won't happen for a few weeks. If snakes have the ability to look sad mine was giving me the sad look tonight when I put him up. Zombie loves being out and being held and doesn't understand I can't do that now. So.. he spends the next 45 min wandering around his enclosure trying to get out. :( Oh well as long as he can keep it down. On to another week of waiting.

[ZoologyMajor]

Update - First meal since regurge has been digested and come out the other end. :)

[Susielea]

:dancer: whoohoo! It's great to see POO! :dancer:

Seriously though, Congrats you're doing great!

My bailey has had 4 successful feeds and Crystal has had 3 now so I am :dancer:

Keep up the good work!

Best wishes,

[suecornish]

I think snake parents are the only parents in the world happy to see poop.

:laugh01:

[MerlinsPop]

Congrats, Kim! Hoping it was just 'one of those things' and will become a distant memory.

[ZoologyMajor]

I think snake parents are the only parents in the world happy to see poop.

:laugh01:

Nope my brother and sis-in-law are happy about poops too. A few weeks ago my little niece was having constipation issues. Not good for a baby less than a month old. All better now though.

Yeah I think my little guy will be ok. He has got fighting spirit. He has recently taken to searching for ways to get out every night. He has never tried to get out before. I think he is instinctively searching for food. I know he wasn't happy with just that pinky head. Oh well, he only gets another head for his next meal too.

[Susielea]

My butter "Bailey" had pink heads for his first 4 meals following regurge and last night got a pinky butt. He's already passed a decent toilet, so I think the butt must be easier to digest. That or his digestive system is nearly back to normal.

Good luck and keep up the good work, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[ZoologyMajor]

Update - My little snow is now back up to par with no further problems. He just finished his 5th meal since the regurge. Gotta love corns with spirit and the will to live. :) So finally case closed.

[Nanci]

Excellent news! My regurger, Jasper, has had three progressively larger pink halves. No problems so far! I am treating him super conservatively.

[snakeeeguyy]

hmmm... is it just babies who have such trouble with regurging?, seems most of the regurgers here are hatchlings, poor lil guys :[.... my guy is 6months old, soon to be 7months, and he loves to eat, if heat is your guys problem, could i suggest putting a cut up old shirt in your tank? i know im new and stuff... to snakes and this forum, but i put an old t-shirt in bert's tank and his over all mood is better, and he eats ALOT faster, loves the shirt, he burrows right into it ... ignores all the stuff i bought him for hides, lol. just passing whats worked for me ;].

[Susielea]

Hi Kim, I'm so pleased to hear your little snow is doing well for you and I hope he recovers fully!

Sadly I lost my little Butter Motley this afternoon, he just didn't have the strength to fight I don't think.

Best wishes to you,

[ghosthousecorns]

That shirt thing is weird... how exactly is that going to help with regurges? I have had the majority of the regurges in my collection occur when switching a snake from pinkies to fuzzies, or from fuzzies to hoppers, in short from smaller to larger food item. I now usually go from 1 pinky to 2 pinkies for several feedings before going up to fuzzies, it has worked well for me.

[snakeeeguyy]

well, the shirt preserves heat and hes always bundled up in there now, usually most of the time, its on the warm side, and theres 2 other hide spots there he could go into, so like, if digestion is the problem, thatd be good for them after a feed, it helps my guy out ;]

[ZoologyMajor]

I am really really sorry for your loss Susielea. *Hugs*

Believe me proper heat and hides isn't the problem. All of my snakes temperatures are monitored daily. And they all have hides on both the cool and warm sides.

[suecornish]

I am thinking with my problem regurg-er, Ashookie, it's days between feeding. She does fine when it's 10-14 days between meals but anything under 7-8 days and up it comes.