Normal Digestions?

[blinky125]

Hey all,

Newish keeper here. I have a 4 year old I purchased at that age, and an 8 month old that I got from an expo a couple months ago. The 4 year old female I have has not taken a meal since I got her on December 20th. She had apparently eaten the day before I got her, and at the time weighed 1900g according to the individual I got her from and now weighs 1600g but still looks healthy. He was feeding her live small rats.

She has had some form of poop about 4 times since I got her, most recently tonight as I was putting her back into her enclosure. I was just curious what is normal for your snakes as far as digestion goes? Is it normal for them to poop 4 times from one meal?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

[gerguera]

Is this poop brown or white? You may be seeing urates not poop.
You mentioned you were putting her back into her enclosure, were you handling her to clean her tank or just for the joy of holding her?
I have read many more experience keepers suggest not handling a snake beyond cleaning duties until you have them eating regularly and consistently.
You may also want to provide more details regarding her enclosure as far as humidity, and temperatures.
How often have you tried to feed her, what are you trying to feed, live or frozen thawed?
More info may help, also pictures of what you are describing as poop if you have them.

[Hugsplox]

Is this poop brown or white? You may be seeing urates not poop.
You mentioned you were putting her back into her enclosure, were you handling her to clean her tank or just for the joy of holding her?
I have read many more experience keepers suggest not handling a snake beyond cleaning duties until you have them eating regularly and consistently.
You may also want to provide more details regarding her enclosure as far as humidity, and temperatures.
How often have you tried to feed her, what are you trying to feed, live or frozen thawed?
More info may help, also pictures of what you are describing as poop if you have them.

Agreed^^. Typically you don't want to handle a new BP, even one that's older, until they've eaten consecutively 3 times for you. Some more info would help as well, as gerguera said, what kind of set up do you have, what temps are you looking at, humidity, hides, etc etc.

[blinky125]

Unfortunately I did not get pictures of the digestion....but it was a combination of greenish/brownish liquid, some white solids spots and some greenish/brownish semi solids. Past digestions have been similar but I would say less liquidy.

I've not heard about the handling thing, but that might be part of the issue. I typically handle her about once a week, along with the 8 mo male. My 8 mo old has eaten fine since I got it, even once I switched him over to f/t rat pups from f/t hopper mice.

So when I first got my older girl I had her in a 40 gallon tank, temperatures were 85-90 on the warm side, and 73-76 on the cool side. A hide on both sides and a big bowl that she could submerge herself in entirely (and did on occasion). However, I recently switched her over to a plastic tub, similar to the one she was in with her previous owner, temps are similar, humidity is a bit higher because its easier to keep higher in the tub, I would say around 65%.

I'm hoping that the switch back to the tub and maybe feeling a bit more secure will help get her feeding again, but I should probably stop handling her until I get her to take a meal based on what you've told me. I've tried both live and f/t rats, but she has not had an interest in either, and often seems more spooked by the live than anything. (again, this is what he said he was feeding her when I got her, AND i'm getting them from the same place he got them).

[Hugsplox]

I'm hoping that the switch back to the tub and maybe feeling a bit more secure will help get her feeding again, but I should probably stop handling her until I get her to take a meal based on what you've told me. I've tried both live and f/t rats, but she has not had an interest in either, and often seems more spooked by the live than anything. (again, this is what he said he was feeding her when I got her, AND i'm getting them from the same place he got them).

Couple of suggestions, and if you're already doing this just ignore me. I would try to feed in the evening, the later the better. Personally I like to wait until around 9-10pm after all my reptile room lights have been off for a few hours, then I feed. I would also skip a week or two between feedings. So say if you try to feed tomorrow 4/2, and she refuses, wait until 4/9 to try again, if she skips that, wait 2 weeks and try again, and then try every 2 weeks after that.

The hunger always wins out eventually as long as husbandry is correct. Your problem sounds a lot like your snake never had a chance to settle into their new surroundings. If you brought her home in December, and started handling before she was eating for you, there's a good change that that's why she's on a hunger strike. Now that you've moved her back into a tub, once again she has a new enclosure to get use to, so you're essentially starting all over.

[Bogertophis]

Agree with above suggestions- & especially about not handling a new snake of any age* until after they've fed at least 3 times for you at normal intervals (with

the only refusals for being in shed cycle). This is how you gauge their stress level, & eating is FAR more important that getting to know your snakes- they're not

"social" pets, really, & keep in mind that older* snakes may be even MORE stressed by re-homing because they've lived longer in one place- snakes survive by

learning their way around, & they don't understand how & why their entire world as they knew it suddenly disappeared & was replaced by a new one, whether or

not it's "suitable", it just weirds them out. Sorta like if we were suddenly abducted by aliens, eh?