Why you don't handle after feeding

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Mouse is affectionately referred to as my "developmentally disordered" snake (except with a less PC term) around the house, and I frequently have to lead her to her water dish or she won't drink. Today I made her drink and she sucked up water for a minute straight. Then I realized I hadn't handled her other than to feed and water in a while and took her downstairs for some tv. I settled in and picked her up, and she looked right at me and... DRIP DRIP DRIP... spat all the water up all over my pajamas and hair. Oh well, least it wasn't a pinky!

 

[Nroc]

Are you supposed to follow regurge protocol for water?

 

[ComoxCorn]

I would think if your snake regurged all that water, a good deal of stomach flora came out with it, or at least weakened its gut flora. I'd follow regurge protocol after something like that, although I've never had that happen in my collection.
Just a note, the fact that you don't see your snake drink does not mean that it isn't drinking. I've got a few snakes I've had for quite a while now that I have never seen take a drink.

 

[abell82]

Are you suuurrrreee it came from her mouth?:grin01:

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Are you suuurrrreee it came from her mouth?:grin01:

Yup, in fact she "regurged" out the other end a few minutes later

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

I would think if your snake regurged all that water, a good deal of stomach flora came out with it, or at least weakened its gut flora. I'd follow regurge protocol after something like that, although I've never had that happen in my collection.
Just a note, the fact that you don't see your snake drink does not mean that it isn't drinking. I've got a few snakes I've had for quite a while now that I have never seen take a drink.

This one will show signs of dehydration if I don't show her her water for a few days, so I don't think she is.

 

[Aislin]

My snow is the same way...I swear he never drinks unless I stick his face into the water. Then he drinks for a good minute. I do it every few days just to make sure he is getting fluids. I figure if he is getting H2O when I'm not looking he simply won't drink.

 

[wade]

Are you guys for real? I have hundreds of snakes and have been keeping snakes since Christ was a corporal. I have rarely seen a snake drink and have never had to "force one to". I think you are out of your tree.

 

[ZoologyGirl]

I think I have to agree with Wade on this one :laugh: Although I've seen my golddust stripe drink many times, and just caught my hypo lav drinking for the first time today...I've never never ever seen my hypo motley, butter stripe, nor my black milksnakes drink. They are secretive.

I have to wonder, what are the 'signs of dehydration' you see?

 

[stephen]

Hmmm

I never had a healthy snake regurge no matter how stressed it got after feeding..............:shrugs:

 

[ComoxCorn]

I never had a healthy snake regurge no matter how stressed it got after feeding..............:shrugs:

I'm thinking healthy is the key word in that statement. This snake won't drink on its own, shows signs of dehydration after a few days without water, and regurges after a drink.

 

[LBoz]

I mean this with all due respect, but that sounds incredibly insane to me. I've had a snake go missing for MUCH longer than a few days that showed absolutely no signs of dehydration. The whole "forcing him to drink" sounds...well...."developmentally disordered."

 

[wade]

I didn't think of that Lori, I just recaught a snake that had been missing for 3 months. There is nowhere in my house for a snake to get a drink of water. It is not unusual for snakes to go extended periods without a drink.

I think forced drinking sounds a lot like drowning. Regurge after having your head held under the water sounds like something you should expect.

 

[snakewispera snr]

I've seen lots of my snakes drink, it's not a common occurrence, but I have caught them drinking...
As for helping them drink etc etc...... It must be a joke.....
You nearly got me going there... LOL

 

[BloodyBaroness]

I've seen 2 of my three snakes drink. Even the littlest and most fearful one I wager drinks at night while all the lights are off.

What signs of dehydration are you seeing?

This sounds a little nuts, forcing a snake to drink until it regurges water when you hold it.

I agree with Mike, this has to be a joke.

 

[Stormy]

This seems a bit odd. And I am new to snakes but even to me it seems...off. I am curious on what the exact signs of dehydration are. And also curious on what signs you saw. I've had finicky eater reptiles before so I know it is easy to worry but you need to remember there might be something else going on behind why the animal wont drink. And like the others said, snakes are sneaky creatures, you aren't always going to see them drinking.

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

When her skin is hanging off of her and she looks about 3g smaller than normal. And I don't "hold her head under water", I move her over to her water and then she drinks.

 

[UniqueSnakes]

Are you guys for real? I have hundreds of snakes and have been keeping snakes since Christ was a corporal. I have rarely seen a snake drink and have never had to "force one to". I think you are out of your tree.

I have to agree with you on this one...are you for real!!!!

 

[Stormy]

I'd get a scale so you can tell if she is actually loosing weight and not just looks like it.

 

[LBoz]

Lexie, you might want to consider a trip to the vet, even for a fecal exam or something. That just does not sound right, and certainly not normal. Three days without water should not produce what you're describing. It's good that you brought it up so you can hear what the more experienced folks have to say, but my fear would be that sooner rather than later, that snake is going to succumb to something. Good luck.