I fear my snake isn't going to make it

We got our son a 2 month old Corn on Nov 29th. The store fed him that day, and everything was GREAT. The following Sunday, we fed him, and he regurged. We waited a week and fed again...another regurge.

So I put him on the zombie head dining plan. He had a pinkie head without regurge, so the next week, we gave another pinkie head. He kept that down as well. Yesterday, we moved him up to one of the decapatated pinkie bodies. He ate that without much fuss, but the next morning, he regurged it as well.

This time however, it was regurgitated within 16 hours. He normally takes 2-3 days to regurge. Does this imply anything?

He is going back on heads, but I get the feeling like we are prolonging the inevitable. This snake isn't going to make it is he? Assuming we have the fortitude to keep this up, how many heads in a row should I go for this time?

Repticon Charlotte is next weekend, and I plan on making lots of breeder contacts as I dont think our snake is going to make it. I am sorry that I have lost a lot of faith...but this is how I feel.

Nothing has changed in his environment from the time that he kept down the two pinkie heads. My UTH is between 84-89 degrees depending on the inside house temps, and this setting seemed to help him keep the heads down.

Can i keep him on heads long term? Is this viable?

Keeping him on heads is not viable, but necessary to work through this issue. Instead of waiting a week between feedings, stretch it out to ten days. Just one pinkie head and do this for a month. No handling during this time.

Then move him up to half a pinkie with many slits cut into it. Do this for another month. It's a very slow process, but necessary to do. I would also visit Kathy Loves site and read up and order nutribac.

HERE is the link!

This may help you out a lot. There is also a lot of useful information on that site on what to do.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Wayne

EDIT: Your temps sound good. It should be around 85F on the warm side and 75F on the cool side. Those are nominal temps. As long as you keep it between 70-90F you should be fine.

I went through this with my first corn so don't be discouraged. A hatchling can go forever without a meal, but stretching to 10 days is a good idea and keeping it to heads for mybe 2 months every 7-10 days. Believe me they can survivie on this mine is living proof and he now eats weanlings and is well over 100 grams.

The snake didn't make it. He even ate a pinkie head Sunday, and was found dead Tuesday.

I am going to try one more baby snake, and if this one doesn't work for me, I will go with one that's about a year old.

The vivarium and accessories are scrubbed clean, and I have a larger heat pad. I should have it all up and going tonight once the silicone that holds my temp probe cures...and by the middle of the week, the new heat pad should be set just right.

Again to recap...the glass temps should stay near 85 degrees at all times right? How high above the temp probe should the aspen reach? I estimate that my probe with silicone clump is less than a half inch high. Would 1-1.5 inches of aspen be good, or should I go for less? I figure, there is a point where too much bedding would make the 85 degrees glass useless to the snake as not much heat will make it up through the substrate.

Any normal healthy snake will burrow to self-regulate so as long as your glass temps are within range 1/2 inch or 1 inch substrate should be ok.

Sorry to hear about your littleone. Hope the next one goes better. Crossing my fingers for you, for sure. I'm glad the experiance didnt put you off of snakes.

I'm so sorry. I know how attached you can be to a little scrap that you've had to fight for as you did.

I do hope that your new arrival will settle in for you. A one year old sounds like a great idea - that way you'll be over the unpredictable hatchling stage. Pics will be good!

I'm so sorry you lost your little one. You did all the right things and sounds like you will be well prepared for your next corn.

I'm sorry for your loss. If it makes you feel any better, it seems you did everything right... the snake probably was born with problems, and that's a risk you take when buying hatchlings. Even the breeder can't always tell when one has internal issues. I hope that you have much, much more time with your next one.