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why do snakes regurgitate?

B

BOO!

New member
My daughter is quick to tell anyone who will listen (and everyone else, too) all the 'rules' of snake husbandry....including the 'no handling for at least 48 hours after feeding to avoid a regurgitation'.
Then she asks me, "why do snakes regurgitate?" I had a few theories, but no factual answer for her.
I understand that they consume a gianormous amount of food at one sitting, and that could make anything feel ill, but yacking up their food seems to be a real issue with snakes. Is it just one of the drawbacks of gorging?
 
I guess it's pretty much down to evolution and the survival instinct.

Snakes regurgitate when stressed out and their insinct kicks in. Digestion takes energy but surviving is even more critical and requires all the energy you can use.

Think of humans for example. When we are afraid, we puke. If you run for an hour after a meal, you will feel sick as well. I guess the body makes sure it can use all available energy to surviving and not just eating when you can always eat later.

Snakes don't know what's going on if picked up by us, they never will. I guess they prefer to skip their hard caught food to make sure they live to get another one!
 
One main reason is because of eating such large meals, it really puts them out for a few days. Now when something comes along that threatens them, if they feel they need to they will regurge in order to increase their chances of survival by escaping; which is the big reason why not to handle them for a day or two after eating.

Another reason is because its too hot or cold. Since theyre cold blooded they depend on their enviroment to keep them running. If it gets too cold their body systems slow down, basicly slowing digestion which makes time for the food to actually rot and decay inside of them so it comes out. If they are too warm sometimes they will do the same.

If they eat something too big, they will regurge it too; as with for health reasons and digestion problems.

So its usually not that they eat so much to where they get sick, its because they eat so much they cant do much for a few days so if they get threatened or stressed theres a chance it could come up.
 
Thank you both! I knew the temps had much to do with a healthy digestive process, couldn't explain why...now I can (food can actually rot in their gut...that's really disgusting)! The 'drop and run' response was one thing I'd considered, but wasn't sure why.
 
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