CanadianSnakeEH
New member
I have a almost 2 year old snake and I feed her Fuzzy mice every week or so. After I feed her the mouse a couple days later she regurgitates it. Please help.
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Snake regurgitates meal
- Thread starter CanadianSnakeEH
- Start date
Karl_Mcknight
Common Sense Holder
Top causes of Regurgitation in snakes:
1). Food item is too big for snake to handle (The food item should be no more than 1-1/2 times the diameter of the snake, or between 10% and 13% of the snake's weight)
2). Improper handling after feeding (You should not handle your snake after it eats for about 2 days - wait for it to poop before handling)
3). Improper cage temperatures - (A Corn snake should have 82F to 88F degrees on one side of the tank and about 73 to 77 degrees on the other side. If the temps are too cool, a snake can not digest its food and will sometimes throw it back up)
4). Disease, Parasites or Intestinal Blockage (If your temps are right, and your handling is right, and the food item is the right size, then a trip to the vet is in order.)
1). Food item is too big for snake to handle (The food item should be no more than 1-1/2 times the diameter of the snake, or between 10% and 13% of the snake's weight)
2). Improper handling after feeding (You should not handle your snake after it eats for about 2 days - wait for it to poop before handling)
3). Improper cage temperatures - (A Corn snake should have 82F to 88F degrees on one side of the tank and about 73 to 77 degrees on the other side. If the temps are too cool, a snake can not digest its food and will sometimes throw it back up)
4). Disease, Parasites or Intestinal Blockage (If your temps are right, and your handling is right, and the food item is the right size, then a trip to the vet is in order.)
CanadianSnakeEH
New member
Thanks
Thanks Ill go through those and see what happens
Thanks Ill go through those and see what happens
axis1
Fuhgeddaboudit!!!!
Hi. Sorry your snake seems to be under the weather.
Maybe it's me, but aside from the comprehensive feedback from Karl which most probably gives you the reason or reasons for the regurge, your post is a little short on details and it makes me wonder: if your snake is 2 years old, shouldn't it be eating prey slightly larger than a fuzzy every week or so?
Just curious (I have a 9 month-old that's been on Hoppers for almost 2 months).
Some more details might help.
Maybe it's me, but aside from the comprehensive feedback from Karl which most probably gives you the reason or reasons for the regurge, your post is a little short on details and it makes me wonder: if your snake is 2 years old, shouldn't it be eating prey slightly larger than a fuzzy every week or so?
Just curious (I have a 9 month-old that's been on Hoppers for almost 2 months).
Some more details might help.
jagodzinski
New member
Also, after a regruge you want to follow some type of protocol to prevent it from happening again. I can't link you to it right now (Im on my phone) but if you go into the health subforum, there is a sticky with what to do after a regurge.
CanadianSnakeEH
New member
Okay sorry I took long to respond I was traveling, I keep her cage temperature at 80-85 degrees,she last shed about 2 months ago,I don't handle her often, I try to feed her once a week, she's a little over 2 ft, I feed her frozen thawed mice that weigh 5 g each, and she is kept in a 20 gallon tank with Zoo Med's Aspen Snake Bedding. I don't know her weight.
jagodzinski
New member
Okay, so when was the last time you fed her? Did she regurge then? Where is this temperature you are measuring? Is it on the floor of the warm side? Is it made using an under tank heater or lights? If you are using lights, I would strongly recommend you switch over to an undertank heater. However, with that, you also need to get a thermostat to make sure it doesn't get too hot. THIS one is used by a lot of people (including myself) and works great and is pretty cheap. With the UTH, you want to create a heat gradient where one side of the tank is "warm" (83-86) and the other side is cool (~70). This is measured on the floor. This belly heat is super important for digestion.
Since she has regurged multiple times - you need to be very careful moving forward - regurges are very, very stressful on snakes, so you need to prevent them moving forward. To do that, first you want to make sure your temps are okay, next read THIS (scroll down to where it says, "Kathy Love FAQ's").
Also, can you possibly weigh your snake for us? That can help us tell you what the right size of food is once she is better. You can use a kitchen scale even (that's what I use)
Best of luck and I hope we can get your little snake on the mend soon.
Since she has regurged multiple times - you need to be very careful moving forward - regurges are very, very stressful on snakes, so you need to prevent them moving forward. To do that, first you want to make sure your temps are okay, next read THIS (scroll down to where it says, "Kathy Love FAQ's").
Also, can you possibly weigh your snake for us? That can help us tell you what the right size of food is once she is better. You can use a kitchen scale even (that's what I use)
Best of luck and I hope we can get your little snake on the mend soon.
CanadianSnakeEH
New member
I fed her just yesterday but she didn't regurgitate it yet so I'm watching if she does and I'm making sure her temperature stays good. I use overhead lamps and I'm measuring the floor with one of those thermostats that is like the one you provided in the link. I will get a heat mat if you say it is better and put it in. I checked out Kathy Love FAQ's and Ill follow those steps. I will weigh her for you and get back as soon as I can.
jagodzinski
New member
Yes - an undertank heater (UTH) is important because it provides belly heat. And that is the only heat that really matters for digestion. Lamps are not really necessary.
Best of luck!
Best of luck!