Regurgitation or Poop?

Charming. :) Snakes often regurge if they feel stressed soon after they eat. Did you handle your snake within 48 hours after you fed him? That often causes a regurge.. always leave your snake alone for two days after a feeding.

No, he has not been to the vet yet, but I have an appointment scheduled for when I get back in town, which I planned to do as a wellness exam anyway.


So, don't attempt to feed him again for another few weeks? Is that what I'm understanding?

Robin

Nope, he was not handled 3 days before and this is the second day after feeding and he has not been handled yet.

He hung out in his warm side hide after feeding and today was his first time out.


Robin

Out of the hide, that is, not out of his enclosure.

Robin

The reason why you postpone feeding after a regurge is that 1: the snake is probably stressed from it and wants a break, and 2: regurges often irritate the throat and mouth of a snake. Snake stomach acid is very strong, so just like when we vomit, it can burn the tender skin of the mouth.

Shelby,


So how long exactly do you wait before you re-offer food?

Robin

And should I just hold off on handling him any more until after his next feed - and the requisite 48 hours after (which would be in about 2 weeks, because I am flying out of town this Saturday, returning the following Saturday).

Thanks for all your feedback!

Robin

The other major reason to hold off on feeding is to allow the re-establishment of beneficial bacteria that aids in digestion (we have it too). The snake horked (technical term) a lot of it up and needs time for the colony to stabalize and flourish.

If you feed again too soon, the snake will regurge again because it will not be able to digest the mouse. It will rot rather than digest. And that is where serious sickness comes in.

Ken

So, can someone tell me how long to wait after the regurg to feed again? I'm glad I asked, because I didn't even thinnk about letting enzymes re-build. That's where you guys are so invaluable to me!


Robin

I usually wait 2-3 weeks before offering food after a regurg .... Vomiting stresses and potentially damages the muscles of the esophagus and stomach and you really need to let them heal.

I would take the snake to the vet asap .... temps and parasites are two of the most common causes of a regurg and if your say your temps are good, you should rule out parasites. If you don't have a stool sample for your vet to float, see if they'll do a cloacal swab ... if the parasites are bad enough to cause a regurg, they should be able to find them with the swab.

Good luck!

-adam