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  1. #1
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    Snake not hungry or rejecting rat?

    My poor snake threw up on Sunday. We tried to feed her on schedule Wednesday but she didn't eat so we figured it was because she was sick and froze it again. However, the past couple of days she has been acting like she may be hungry - hanging out between her hides, looking at us when we enter the room. I gave her the rat again this morning but after sniffing it she turned her head and went to the other side of her tank.

    Is she not hungry or just not pleased with the rat?

    We've only had her a month so I am still nervous about making sure we are keeping her happy.

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran Tonald Drump's Avatar
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    Re: Snake not hungry or rejecting rat?

    First off, I assume your snake regurged on Sunday, then you tried feeding it the following Wednesday, then you tried again the next Wednesday. It's actually pretty normal for a snake to not eat for several weeks (usually 2-3 weeks) after regurgitating, but if he's still not interested in the rat after a month and you notice him starting to lose weight, feeding live should at least be considered.

    To answer your question, he's likely still stressed from the regurge and just doesn't feel like eating. It's also possible that he isn't pleased with the rat like you suspected. Make sure you have thawed it properly and that there aren't any ice chunks or frozen parts on the rat. Also, warming it up to body temperature (aboyt 100°F) with a blowdryer or just on the heat source of your snake's enclosure will help a lot with his interest. Then again, you should take my advice with a pinch of salt as I've never fed f/t, I prefer live

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  4. #3
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    Ok, a few things to consider:

    First, it's very important to determine WHY the snake regurgitated. It is either husbandry, stress or internal illness.

    Was it husbandry related? Are your temps right? If your snake was too cold it couldn't digest properly and regurgitated.

    Was it stress related? Did you handle the snake too soon after eating? Did something in the room spook the snake? Snakes will regurgitate their meals if they are scared. They will basically shed any excess weight to make escaping easier for them.

    Lastly, if husbandry and stress aren't the issue it may be best to make a vet appointment.

    Also, VERY IMPORTANT: you should wait AT LEAST 2 weeks to offer food again after a regurge as well as offer smaller prey for at least the first meal. Regurgitating takes a toll on the snake's insides. So basically you need to let the digestive system heal or you can make the issues worse.
    Last edited by Craiga 01453; 01-13-2018 at 09:55 AM.

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  6. #4
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    Re: Snake not hungry or rejecting rat?

    We have two theories about why she regurged.

    Mine is that it's because I handled her too soon before her shed (which makes me feel like the worst snake mommy ever).

    The man we bought her from says it may be because she was cold, since she she shouldn't have had anything solid to regurge so close to her feeding date. We did have an unusually cold week, but we added a heating pad over her tank and she spent a lot of time on her cool side.

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    Re: Snake not hungry or rejecting rat?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lirenn View Post
    We have two theories about why she regurged.

    Mine is that it's because I handled her too soon before her shed (which makes me feel like the worst snake mommy ever).

    The man we bought her from says it may be because she was cold, since she she shouldn't have had anything solid to regurge so close to her feeding date. We did have an unusually cold week, but we added a heating pad over her tank and she spent a lot of time on her cool side.
    Handling prior to shed would have nothing to do with regurge. It would only be handling to soon after the snake ate and the prey wasn't fully digested enough.

    What are your temps and how are you heating? How are you measuring the temps?

    Actually, what is your setup like? The more you tell us the more we can help you and your snake.
    Last edited by Craiga 01453; 01-13-2018 at 01:03 PM.

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  9. #6
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    We have her in a 30-gallon tank with coconut fiber substrate and a hide on each end. For heating we have a heat lamp and heating pad under the tank. The cool side is usually 75°F and I measure it with a digital thermometer/hygrometer with probes you can stick to the wall. The hot sise upwards of 88°F and just has a digital thermometer leaned up against her hide.

    I did read on a couple of websites that handling just before a shed can stress them out, and stress can cause regurge. But that was just a quick googling. It was a week and a half after her last feeding. I don't think she's sick because she's actually been more active than I've seen her in the month since we got her.

  10. #7
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    Ah, it was a week and a half after eating?? That's not a regurge then, that's actually the snake throwing up. I may have misunderstood. I would make a vet appointments then. The entire prey item would be completely digested at that point, so stress or husbandry can essentially be ruled out.

    As for handling prior to shed, yes it's stressful to the snake due to their compromised vision at that stage.
    Unfortunately, I highly doubt that had anything to do with your snake throwing up in this case though.
    Last edited by Craiga 01453; 01-13-2018 at 02:03 PM.

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  12. #8
    BPnet Senior Member Sunnieskys's Avatar
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    Also on a side note. Take anything sticky out of the tank. Nothing sticky ever goes in the tank. Is your uth on a thermostat?
    ~Sunny~
    Booplesnoop
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    0:1 Pastel Het Red Day Chocolate
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    *~* Nothing sticky (tape, stick on gauges, Velcro) goes into your enclosure! Again...NOTHING sticky goes into your enclosure....EVER! *~*

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  14. #9
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    The probes are on suction cups, but thanks for the heads up!

    We don't have anything set up on thermostat yet.

  15. #10
    BPnet Senior Member Sunnieskys's Avatar
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    Please unplug your uth unless it is regulated. Lots of horror stories.
    ~Sunny~
    Booplesnoop
    Coilsome, Odyn, & Eeden AKA theLittleOne

    0:1 Pastel Het Red Day Chocolate
    1:0 Normal
    0:0:1 Pueblan milk snake

    *~* Nothing sticky (tape, stick on gauges, Velcro) goes into your enclosure! Again...NOTHING sticky goes into your enclosure....EVER! *~*

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