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Troubleshooting a Regurgitation

Mogey

Mogey

city livin'-nature lovin'
So I came home this evening to find Red had regurgitated the two small pinks I fed him Friday. I've done more than a fair amount of research to know the common causes of regurgitation, and to have avoided them. Because Red is just over two months old, I limit myself to handling Red only two days out of the week, both being appx. 72 hours after feeding.

I was wondering if maybe I'm feeding him too much at each feeding? When I purchased him I asked just about every question one could ask of the breeder- except the amount he was getting at each meal. I knew the hatchlings born at his time were being fed twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays. I stayed with a similar schedule, Tuesday and Friday (keeping the 2 and 3 day period between feedings). I started by just giving him one small sized pink each day, but he seemed to be devouring it and searching for more, and the lump wasn't exactly obvious. I started giving him two small sized pinks per serving, is this too much maybe? Is that what could've caused the regurgitation?
 
Mogey said:
So I came home this evening to find Red had regurgitated the two small pinks I fed him Friday. I've done more than a fair amount of research to know the common causes of regurgitation, and to have avoided them. Because Red is just over two months old, I limit myself to handling Red only two days out of the week, both being appx. 72 hours after feeding.

I was wondering if maybe I'm feeding him too much at each feeding? When I purchased him I asked just about every question one could ask of the breeder- except the amount he was getting at each meal. I knew the hatchlings born at his time were being fed twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays. I stayed with a similar schedule, Tuesday and Friday (keeping the 2 and 3 day period between feedings). I started by just giving him one small sized pink each day, but he seemed to be devouring it and searching for more, and the lump wasn't exactly obvious. I started giving him two small sized pinks per serving, is this too much maybe? Is that what could've caused the regurgitation?
Click to expand...

Many times corns will look for food after eating, that doesn't mean we should feed them more. It's the ideology "I found one, there might be more". How much does he weigh? It is possible you fed him too much. Did you handle after feeding? What are the temps? I usually feed corns that are on pinkies every 5 days (twice a week is every 3.5 days). Remember to follow the regurge protocol http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28342

Hope this helps, I'm sure someone more experienced will chime in.
 
RoseRed said:
Many times corns will look for food after eating, that doesn't mean we should feed them more. It's the ideology "I found one, there might be more". How much does he weigh? It is possible you fed him too much. Did you handle after feeding? What are the temps? I usually feed corns that are on pinkies every 5 days (twice a week is every 3.5 days). Remember to follow the regurge protocol http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28342

Hope this helps, I'm sure someone more experienced will chime in.
Click to expand...

Scratch out the handling part.
 
It could either be the prey size was too large, which is hard to tell without knowing how much your snake weighs, or it could be that he is going blue and you can't quite tell yet.
 
Going blue could possibly be it, Nanci. After I discovered the regurgitated pinks he burrowed for an entire day. The next day he stayed between the top of the foam backround and the screen- he squeezes himself in there during the day sometimes. But he's been there all night, and all of today as well. I can see his eyes aren't milky and his skin isn't looking any different, but it could be very early in the process? He hasn't shed since his first shedding, and he's nearing 3 months so he's due.

As far as weight, I don't have an up to date weight for him. But one small pink didn't leave a noticeable lump.

And if it aids in finding a problem, the pinks were heavily digested. He kept them down for a couple days (I fed them to him Friday, and discovered them Monday). I had fed him 2 pinks at mealtime the two previous feedings, but between the first two was a 4 day wait period. Between the regurgitated feeding and the previous, it was 3 days later. I think maybe I should do 2 pinks every other feeding and alternate between 1 and 2, perhaps?

I'm just trying to be as overly descriptive as possible in the hopes a more experienced handler eyes something tell-tale.
 
UPDATE: Came home to a fresh shed today. Thanks for the advice in the midst of my over worry!
 
I'm not a fan of double food items. I would try a large pink, even a small hopper before feeding two pinks. Try slitting the pink's back with a razor, it speeds up the time stomach acid can work its way in. jmfo :)
 
So now cut him back to one small pink, slit, with Nutribac on it, and just increase the size very gradually. I don't like double pinks much, either. I'd rather just keep increasing the size of a single pink. I wouldn't handle for a couple meals, either, just to let him save his calories for growing.

And I would definitely avoid feeding him when he is blue, in the future. You will know because he will cease to be active, and if you weigh him before every meal, you will see a much bigger than normal weight gain when he is blue, because he hasn't pooped. Say 2-3 grams for a baby.
 
Alright, I see now I was overfeeding him with the double pinks. I'm definitely going to go back to a single pink per feeding, slit and Nutribac'd.

The shed went well. One large piece that was more than 2/3 the entire shed, a clean head with both eye scales intact, and the tail loosely following.
 
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