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My year old corn snake partially regurgitated and pooped on same day

V

Victoria93

New member
Just wondering if I could get some advice. My corn snake was fed on Wednesday as usual and today he's pooped as normal, but also partially regurgitated his mouse. Only a tiny bit of the mouse, but definitely some of it. He's been on this size of mouse for 3 months with no issues. His temperatures and humidity are all within range and are well maintained (28-30c warm side, 21-23c cool side, 60-70% humidity, 1 hide on each side). I never handle him after he's fed until he's pooped and I know the meal is digested. Basically, no variable has changed and this is the first time he's regurgitated.

I do know that the tank was clear after I cleaned the poop. When I went downstairs to make my dinner later on, my sister dropped something quite heavy in the room next door while I was downstairs and it made quite a bang. I noticed the partial regurgitation when I came back up. Is it possible that the bang caused a fright and that this caused the issue? And has some of the mouse digested fine as evidenced by the fresh and healthy poop? I know not to feed him for at least two weeks now, let his tummy settle and heal, and not to handle him but how can I stop this happening again? Like I say, it's never happened before and I'm worried it'll happen again. He's just over a year old, and I've had him for 8 months so I'm very much still a new snake mummy.
 
I believe your plan of action is spot on. Give him a couple of weeks to recoup and then start slow.

What size snake are we working with here? What size mouse do you feed him?
 
He just turned a year old a couple of months ago so still small. Roughly 20inches in length, 3/4 inch in width. Every time I’ve weighed him recently the readings have been wildly different, and upon testing with other items, the scales were completely bust. We actually have a new set on the way and I was gonna weigh him when they got here but now I don’t want to move him for a little bit.

I moved him up to fuzzies about three months ago, and feed him one every Wednesday. Was about to move him up to two fuzzies but I’m gonna drop him back down to pinky for the next feeding attempt.

Should also mention that his last shed was between the 10th and 12th July and has been shedding about once a month, so he’s due to start that cycle again very soon, if he hasn’t already. He has been hiding more the past couple of days which is normal for him when he starts his shed. Could that have had been a factor?
 
He's shedding perfectly, which means he's growing. Wait two weeks then give him a pinkie. If you want to be a little more sure, then one more week with a pinkie and if that works then try going back to a fuzzy. If that works out then you are good. I don't usually feed my snakes while they are in the blue, which means they are about to shed, but do feed them as soon as they do then put them right back on their schedule.

I was asking about size because age may have a little bit to do with the actual size of the snake. Some people feed on a heavy schedule and their snakes grow fast or some feed on a slow and it takes time. As long as your snake is shedding once a month then no worries then. You're doing great!

A bit of advice, when you get back to feeding your snake normally, the feeder should be about the size of 1&1/2 the with of his midsection of your snake. So you may think it's a little big but don't worry, his mouth can stretch.

BTW, Welcome to the forum! Does your snake have a name and do you know if it's a male or female? What colors is she?
 
Thank you! Honestly feeling much calmer now. I was so freaked out before, thought something was horribly wrong.

And thank you! I’m glad I joined, I think these forums will be very helpful. I was told he was male but of course it’s very hard to tell at this age. His names Bilbo (I’m kind of a Tolkien nerd), and he’s an amel morph ��
 
Can't say for sure exactly what could have caused it, but being in early blue or possibly the loud noise could have been factors. Definitely give him the two weeks of no food, and then a much smaller meal, even like half a pinkie if you want to be extra safe. I would also recommend picking up a product called nutribac to sprinkle on the next few meals to help replenish that beneficial gut bacteria. Do several very small meals, then slowly move him back up to the correct size. He shouldn't ever need double fuzzies though. Once he's big enough, he can move to hoppers. Once your scale arrives, weighing him periodically will help pinpoint the best feeder size for him.
 
In my experience:

1) pinkies are more digestible vs furred mice.
2) smaller, more frequent meals are more digestible vs larger, more infrequent meals.
3) temperate colubrids that have been brumated are less likely to have problems vs those that are treated as if they are tropical pythons/boas. Brumating reboots the digestive system, the metabolism, the sexual cycle, etc.

So, when you do resume feeding:
1) offer 1 pinky mouse
2) instead of waiting a week to 10 days offer him another pinky every 3 to 4 days
3) starting on the Autumnal Equinox 9/21/23:
a) gradually begin decreasing his temperature, ~1 degree per week; eventually no hot-spot
b) reduce his feeding to 1 pinky per week, then to 1 per 10 days, then to 1 per 2 weeks.

Unless he is a locality Corn from Florida he probably has a significant amount of South Carolina lineage in him, and therefore should be in full brumation November thru February.

You will find some hobbyists, and lots of breeders, who will either tell you that brumation is not necessary or is not required for 4 months. To them I say this: Raise two siblings of "northern", i.e. Okeetee-latitude Corns, brumating one for 4 months and not brumating the other at all. See for yourself the results.

Up until ~50 years ago every Corn on the planet underwent brumation or, in the case of South Florida, at least a cool down, each and every Winter. Regurgitation wasn't a problem. Keep that in mind.
 
Asmodeus* said:
In my experience:

1) pinkies are more digestible vs furred mice.
2) smaller, more frequent meals are more digestible vs larger, more infrequent meals.
3) temperate colubrids that have been brumated are less likely to have problems vs those that are treated as if they are tropical pythons/boas. Brumating reboots the digestive system, the metabolism, the sexual cycle, etc.

So, when you do resume feeding:
1) offer 1 pinky mouse
2) instead of waiting a week to 10 days offer him another pinky every 3 to 4 days
3) starting on the Autumnal Equinox 9/21/23:
a) gradually begin decreasing his temperature, ~1 degree per week; eventually no hot-spot
b) reduce his feeding to 1 pinky per week, then to 1 per 10 days, then to 1 per 2 weeks.

Unless he is a locality Corn from Florida he probably has a significant amount of South Carolina lineage in him, and therefore should be in full brumation November thru February.

You will find some hobbyists, and lots of breeders, who will either tell you that brumation is not necessary or is not required for 4 months. To them I say this: Raise two siblings of "northern", i.e. Okeetee-latitude Corns, brumating one for 4 months and not brumating the other at all. See for yourself the results.

Up until ~50 years ago every Corn on the planet underwent brumation or, in the case of South Florida, at least a cool down, each and every Winter. Regurgitation wasn't a problem. Keep that in mind.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure the OP was talking about brumation. Sorry Mate.
 
I'm not your mate.

Victoria wrote about regurgitation. Unbrumated corns are more likely to have digestive problems, including regurgitation.
 
I'm not your mate.

Victoria wrote about regurgitation. Unbrumated corns are more likely to have digestive problems, including regurgitation.
 
Asmodeus* said:
I'm not your mate.

Victoria wrote about regurgitation. Unbrumated corns are more likely to have digestive problems, including regurgitation.
Click to expand...

There are many reasons why a Corn may regurgitate. If the OP was trying to brumate at this time of the year, then I can see why they were unsuccessful. I doubt that was even a factor. The OP also mentioned that they were misting and had normal temps. Again, it's doubtful they were brumating. If I had to guess, I would think it was feeding during the blue, but that is just my opinion.

BTW, my calling you Mate was in no way intended to offend. My apologies if I did.
 
It's important to keep a close eye on your corn snake after a partial regurgitation and pooping on the same day. Partial regurgitation can be a sign of a digestive issue, potentially caused by improper temperature or stress during feeding. Ensure your snake's enclosure is at the right temperature and humidity levels, and consider feeding smaller prey items or adjusting your feeding schedule if necessary. Monitor your snake for any signs of distress, such as lethargy, abnormal behavior, or repeated regurgitation. If you're concerned or if the problem persists, it's a good idea to consult with a reptile veterinarian who can provide professional advice and ensure your snake's health and well-being. Regular maintenance of your snake's habitat and a consistent feeding routine are key to preventing such issues in the future.:sidestep:
 
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