Too big meal help.

They use the warm belly heat to digest!

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Originally Posted by boasandballs

You DO NOT want to turn the temps up. I know everyone says to do that but think about it for a min. When the temps are up the food item spoils faster (epands) than they can digest it. This is when they regurge. Temps down a few degrees will keep it in his stomach.

Now before everyone gets wound up, think about a dead rat you didn't feed. It blows up right? Well it does that in the snake. The slower it "blows up" the more time it will have to digest it. If it "blows up" in their stomachs more than they can handle they regurge.

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You're getting a little bit confused here.
First, I've never had a rat 'blow up' before. And when snakes regurgitate, it's not 'blown up' it's actually rather solid and in one piece.

You don't want to turn the temps up, and you don't want to turn them down. The rotting process is part of the digestion, it is a good thing, not a bad thing. In order for the animal to sustain it's digestion and get enough energy to synthesize the food, it needs that crucial belly heat.

The food is currently being subjected to large amounts of acid. The snake's body will work on producing more acids and absorbing the nutrients. The food is not rotting, anymore than the food in YOUR stomach rots. There are beneficial bacteria at work helping to break it down, but that isn't quite the same thing.

A hot spot of 90 to 95 will allow him to digest his food without issue. It is unecessary to go higher than that, and you definitely don't want to go lower. The snake's metabolic rate will increase when the temperature is higher--this speeds digestion. But it will be forced to move if the temperature is too high for its comfort. My guess is, if you put it at 95, he will sit smack dab on the heat and not move.

If temps are too cool, digestion is slowed, and that's when there is a chance that the food may rot before it can be broken down properly in the stomach.

It's unlikely that he'll regurge as long as it's warm and he's left alone. They're designed to be able to handle anything they can manage to swallow. It's rare that a snake has to regurge a huge prey item for any reason other than it was disturbed and wants to flee--then it gets rid of the big meal to lighten itself up to move faster.

ur ball will be fine, if it swallowed it then its not to big IMO

he'll be fine! If he regurges well then try again next week. My lesser had been on rat pups and she looked like she could be bumped up. So I gave her a small (but big for a small) f/k rat and it was a slow going but she took it like a champ. She is full enough she is just stretched out in the tub and cant coil up.

Point is, you have ate until you get nausious before right? You either puked or you layed down and took a nap. But youre still alive and kicking right? He's just full as heck. Handling is a no go but you had him out of his enclosure to feed so now that he's back just wait for the biggest turd of his short life!!

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Originally Posted by blackcrystal22

You're getting a little bit confused here.
First, I've never had a rat 'blow up' before. And when snakes regurgitate, it's not 'blown up' it's actually rather solid and in one piece.

You don't want to turn the temps up, and you don't want to turn them down. The rotting process is part of the digestion, it is a good thing, not a bad thing. In order for the animal to sustain it's digestion and get enough energy to synthesize the food, it needs that crucial belly heat.

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Your misunderstanding me. What I meant was they out gas, or expand in their stomachs. Anyway if you ever had emerald tree boas you would understand what I'm saying. What I was trying to say is more heat is not the answer, they regurgitate because it is to much for them to handle. Normal temps with access to the cool side is best.

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Originally Posted by boasandballs

Your misunderstanding me. What I meant was they out gas, or expand in their stomachs. Anyway if you ever had emerald tree boas you would understand what I'm saying. What I was trying to say is more heat is not the answer, they regurgitate because it is to much for them to handle. Normal temps with access to the cool side is best.

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I envy yall emerald tree boa guys.. :)

I cannot wait till i have a snake where i have to know some science to keep ;)

IDK if ball pythons are cutting it out :rolleyes:


I want to learn lol

anywho your snake is fine and will be fine just let it chill for a while and expect a mess :O