First experience with regurging, need advice

[Iguanagirl8662]

One of my Amel hatchlings from June regurged, so I waited 7 days then fed him again he ate no problem, but regurged again. I'm not sure what the problem is he has been a great feeder and never refuses, any ideas why he would regurge? How long should I wait to fed him again, I was going to wait 7 days but should I wait 10? Is it a good idea to give him a smaller pinkie next time?

[Jenstar]

I just had the same problem recently. I checked his heat to make sure it was at the right temp. then, I waited 10 days and then fed a smaller pinkie... He ate fine and didn't regurge that time.

I also bought some NutriBac from Kathy Love's site, It is suppost to help there stomachs heal faster after a regurge... I've been putting it on his pinkies and praying he won't regurge again... I'm sure you can find more info on it if you search this forum.

Good luck and I hope everything goes good.

[Iguanagirl8662]

I just had the same problem recently. I checked his heat to make sure it was at the right temp. then, I waited 10 days and then fed a smaller pinkie... He ate fine and didn't regurge that time.

I also bought some NutriBac from Kathy Love's site, It is suppost to help there stomachs heal faster after a regurge... I've been putting it on his pinkies and praying he won't regurge again... I'm sure you can find more info on it if you search this forum.

Good luck and I hope everything goes good.

Thanks, hope your's continues to eat well.

[Nanci]

I think you need to get Nutribac from Kathy Love. I'd wait ten days, then feed him a pink, cut in half lengthwise then thawed, powdered with Nutribac. Then the other half in five days, then a pink cut in thirds feed all three pieces for a couple times, then a pink cut in half, feed both halves, then gradually increase the size, always cut in two pieces, always dunked in Nutribac, at least till you get to fuzzies, then I would slit like crazy. I keep a snake that has regurged on Nutribac for a year.

A second regurge is pretty serious.

[caz223]

A second regurge is pretty serious.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes the first puke is VERY hard to recover from.

[Jenstar]

I think you need to get Nutribac from Kathy Love. I'd wait ten days, then feed him a pink, cut in half lengthwise then thawed, powdered with Nutribac. Then the other half in five days, then a pink cut in thirds feed all three pieces for a couple times, then a pink cut in half, feed both halves, then gradually increase the size, always cut in two pieces, always dunked in Nutribac, at least till you get to fuzzies, then I would slit like crazy. I keep a snake that has regurged on Nutribac for a year.

A second regurge is pretty serious.

How do you apply your NutriBac? It is so fine. I usually put a little on a plate and roll the pinkie in it... Is that OK?

[Nanci]

I either put it on a paper towel and roll the mouse in it, or just tap some out of the container onto the mouse. You have to be very careful not to get inside the container wet.

It's messy to eat, and usually the snake has to be rinsed off under the faucet with room temp water before being put back. (This hasn't ever caused a problem for me- the quick rinse of the snake). Last night Noah got so sticky he was almost glued to his feeding container! No one has ever refused a Nutribac-coated mouse for me.

[Jenstar]

Ok... So, I take it they can't overdose on it? I was just worried I would put too much on the pinkie since there really aren't any directions on the Nutribac bottle...

[kathylove]

it is a probiotic, just like humans get when they eat yogurt with active cultures. So you can't really "overdose" (of course, even water can be toxic if you take in TOO much!). It is just a fine powder that contains 6 microbes that SHOULD already be in reptile guts. But sometimes the "good guys" get outnumbered by the "bad guys" in people or other animals because of illness, stress, toxins, medications, or any number of problems. All NB does is put large numbers of the good microbes back in to try to out compete the "bad" microbes. All animals have pathogenic microbes in their bodies, but in healthy animals, they are far outweighed by the beneficial ones.

After a 7-10 day fast after the first (or any) regurge, it is really important to feed a tiny little meal, no more than half the size of the one that caused the regurge. You wouldn't give Thanksgiving dinner to somebody just getting over the flu, lol!

You can use the NB in (injected) or on the pinks if the snake is not doing too badly. But after 2 regurges (and certainly after 3 or more), I would consider mixing as much of the powder as you can get into 1 - 2cc of water (for a baby corn) and using an eyedropper or feeding tube to put it right down his throat. Hold the snake upright (head up, tail down) for a minute or so to let it go downhill to his stomach, before replacing in cage. Repeat every 3 or 4 days for a couple of more times, and only then give a tiny meal. Then do the tubing again a couple of times and another tiny meal. If no more regurges, you might be able to give tiny meals rolled in NB for a month or so. Each snake is different, so there is no way to say EXACTLY what will work. But be VERY conservative about getting it back on a "normal" diet. You might think he is cured after a few meals without a regurge, but if you go back to the usual diet too quickly, you will get a stinky surprise, and then have to start the regurge protocol all over again.

If you didn't already do so, be sure to read the regurge protocol in the FAQ section.

Good luck!

[Iguanagirl8662]

it is a probiotic, just like humans get when they eat yogurt with active cultures. So you can't really "overdose" (of course, even water can be toxic if you take in TOO much!). It is just a fine powder that contains 6 microbes that SHOULD already be in reptile guts. But sometimes the "good guys" get outnumbered by the "bad guys" in people or other animals because of illness, stress, toxins, medications, or any number of problems. All NB does is put large numbers of the good microbes back in to try to out compete the "bad" microbes. All animals have pathogenic microbes in their bodies, but in healthy animals, they are far outweighed by the beneficial ones.

After a 7-10 day fast after the first (or any) regurge, it is really important to feed a tiny little meal, no more than half the size of the one that caused the regurge. You wouldn't give Thanksgiving dinner to somebody just getting over the flu, lol!

You can use the NB in (injected) or on the pinks if the snake is not doing too badly. But after 2 regurges (and certainly after 3 or more), I would consider mixing as much of the powder as you can get into 1 - 2cc of water (for a baby corn) and using an eyedropper or feeding tube to put it right down his throat. Hold the snake upright (head up, tail down) for a minute or so to let it go downhill to his stomach, before replacing in cage. Repeat every 3 or 4 days for a couple of more times, and only then give a tiny meal. Then do the tubing again a couple of times and another tiny meal. If no more regurges, you might be able to give tiny meals rolled in NB for a month or so. Each snake is different, so there is no way to say EXACTLY what will work. But be VERY conservative about getting it back on a "normal" diet. You might think he is cured after a few meals without a regurge, but if you go back to the usual diet too quickly, you will get a stinky surprise, and then have to start the regurge protocol all over again.

If you didn't already do so, be sure to read the regurge protocol in the FAQ section.

Good luck!


Thanks for the info Kathy. Can you use NutriBac on other reptiles other then snakes?

[kathylove]

The first tests the company used were on iguanas. They had Salmonella at the beginning of the test, and after repeated use of NB, the tests showed less and less Salmonella. Eventually, they could not find any Salmonella (although from what I understand, that does not mean it is absolutely, completely gone - could come back later).

I have heard of people using it for beardies, tortoises, and other herps. I have not heard of anyone using it on amphibians - don't know if it would help them or not.

The good thing is that, at worst, it does nothing at all. It doesn't hurt anything, or have any bad side effects. So if your herp is not suffering from an overgrowth of some microbe that can be controlled through competition with beneficial microbes, then the NB will have no effect at all, good or bad. But under the "right" conditions (in which beneficial microbes help), it can look like a miracle. I have brought snakes back from the brink, when I was ready to euthanize them. It was amazing! And then other times, nothing at all happened and it just didn't help. Without exhaustive lab work done, there is no way to know what to expect. But I would say it has helped my problem regurgers about 75% or more of the time.

[Iguanagirl8662]

The first tests the company used were on iguanas. They had Salmonella at the beginning of the test, and after repeated use of NB, the tests showed less and less Salmonella. Eventually, they could not find any Salmonella (although from what I understand, that does not mean it is absolutely, completely gone - could come back later).

I have heard of people using it for beardies, tortoises, and other herps. I have not heard of anyone using it on amphibians - don't know if it would help them or not.

The good thing is that, at worst, it does nothing at all. It doesn't hurt anything, or have any bad side effects. So if your herp is not suffering from an overgrowth of some microbe that can be controlled through competition with beneficial microbes, then the NB will have no effect at all, good or bad. But under the "right" conditions (in which beneficial microbes help), it can look like a miracle. I have brought snakes back from the brink, when I was ready to euthanize them. It was amazing! And then other times, nothing at all happened and it just didn't help. Without exhaustive lab work done, there is no way to know what to expect. But I would say it has helped my problem regurgers about 75% or more of the time.


Thanks I will be ordering some soon.

[Iguanagirl8662]

Good news! My baby ate Friday and has not regurged. I slit the pinkie open alot to help him digest it and it seemed to help. Now as long as he doesn't regurge again then he'll be good.

[kathylove]

Great! Just keep doing what you did (as long as no more regurges) and DON'T increase the size of the pink until after at least 6 or more good feedings. And then only increase size by a tiny bit. It is really easy to slip back into regurging again after it happened once or twice already.