Threw Up?

[vwranger02]

I've had my Ball Python for about 6 months now and he has been a very good

eater thus far, with no major probelms to date. However, last night I heard

him making a gagging sound in the snake for a few seconds. When i turned on

the lights he was fine but there was now something that looked like what his

poop usually looks like. The strange part is that the snake hadnt eaten for

about 12 days so I didnt think he would have anything left to

regurgitate/poop. Does anyone know what the choking sound was, and

how long after a feeding a ball may wait before it processes its food?

Thankyou

[SatanicIntention]

What does his feces usually look like? Loose and watery or firm(cat feces consistency)? If he was going to the bathroom, he may have passed gas(yes, snakes can fart). If his feces are consistently loose and watery, it may be a sign of parasites, which can be easily diagnosed and treated at the vet.

Have you had him vet checked and a stool sample checked for parasites? Just making sure. Also, what is his enclosure like, temps, humidity, and how are you measuring these(thermometer-digital or not)?

Hope that helps a bit.

[vwranger02]

His stool is generally solid, in no way loose or liquidy, and I havent noticed any external evidence of mites thus far (i previously had a snake who did have mites so i have a pretty good idea of the signs im looking for). The cages temp ranges from 88 on the high end to 80 on the low end with a humidty generally between 55 and 60. Also today i offered him a mouse and he readily took it right away if that indicates anything

[SatanicIntention]

That's wonderful that you can identify mites and other external parasites. I was wondering though, have you taken in a fecal sample to the vet to let them check it for internal parasites. These parasites are not visible to the naked eye, and require extreme magnification with a microscope to identify. The fecal float may cost from $10-$20, and if the snakes does have parasites, the meds are usually only about $6-$10. If you haven't already gotten the snake checked, it would be a worthwhile thing to do to ensure the health of him.

Temps on the cool side sound ok, but the warm side needs to be in the range of 94-95 degrees for the snake to properly digest. Are you measuring these temps with a digital thermometer or the analog dial-type ones that are notoriously inaccurate? The dial types can be off 10 or more degrees and the snake could be freezing or burning. A good digital unit by the name of Acu-Rite can be found at WalMart in the outdoor thermometer section(by the light bulbs, switches, behind the household paint section)for $15. It will measure the temps on the warm and cool sides as well as the humidity. It is a necessary tool when keeping these snakes(and any cold-blooded animal).

If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask.