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Registered User
Problems With Regurgitation?
I've been looking at Hognose at a local store. They have a male and a female that apparently have some issues eating larger sized prey. The manager of the reptile dept. said that they feed them pinkies every other day instead of a fuzzy or hopper once a week, because they've both had a few instances for throwing up after eating the larger meal. Does anyone else have issues like this. I don't want to have to feed every other day. I always give my animals 48 hours to be by themselves after meals, that would mean I'd never get to handle it. The guy was also telling me that it's the fur that's causing the irritation since in the wild they normally eat amphibians. What do y'all think?
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Registered User
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
Sounds like a typical salesman to me. If it's at a pet store i wonder how long they have to digest before they are handled. If they're young and he's feeding them hoppers they may need more time to digest, if it's older and still not digesting hoppers could be a sign of a larger problem (infection, blockage, stress, temps, etc.)
I've only had one issue with a sick snake and then once with high temps. I'd be very cautious of that store.
Of all the tyrannies a tyranny executed for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. for it may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busibodies. For a robber baron's cruelty may cease; his cupidity may at some poitn be sadiated. But those who torment us for out own good do so without ceasing because they do so with the approval of their conscience. ~C.S. Lewis
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Registered User
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
I'm not sure I agree with you. If he was just being a 'typical salesman', why would he go to the trouble and tell me about the feeding problems they have. Both snakes are young, maybe a foot long. This store has a pretty good reputation around here, and I don't think they're just trying to make a buck. Obviously, I don't want to buy a snake that's going to have problems, I was just trying to find out if other people have had problems with Hoggies eating mice that are more of an appropriate size so the animal only eats about once a week.
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Registered User
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
Well, depending on the state, most have to give money back for an animal that has medical problems or dies shortly after purchase. It depends on the state so i could be wrong. Telling you of the issue could be because they don't want you to realize the problem within that certain time frame for return.
But, if the place has a good reputation than i would not worry as much. If it was a petsmart or petco i'd worry alot but if you trust them then by all means.
Personally, i have not had regurgitation issues except for sickness and once with heat issues. It's uncommon for a healthy snake to regurgitate anything appropriately sized, but not unheard of. The hair should not cause a problem for the snake because their 'mucussy' erm... snotty stuff and stomach acid USUALLY, but not always, would make their fur lay flat and smooth, not like an alfalpha do which would irritate.
Seeing as though i do not have first hand experience with an issue like unusual regurgitation, i'm not possitive. It seems to me like there would be an underlying issue that would cause regurgitation, but i'm no expert just a hobbyist
Feeding every other day seems very excessive for a long term thing.
Of all the tyrannies a tyranny executed for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. for it may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busibodies. For a robber baron's cruelty may cease; his cupidity may at some poitn be sadiated. But those who torment us for out own good do so without ceasing because they do so with the approval of their conscience. ~C.S. Lewis
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Registered User
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
I have three Hoggies and my oldest one eat's fuzzy with no problem. It may be that they handled shortly after feeding. Or if the temp's are to low can be a cause for regurgitation. The food size might be to big.
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BPnet Veteran
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
Originally Posted by Hardwikk
If they're a foot long they won't be able to eat anything with fur because the mouse would be too big. They still eat hairless mice at that age.
I have to disagree with that. I have a 12" 31 gram hog and she eats 2 mouse fuzzies every week for the past month and a half(that is how long I have had her) with no problems with regurgitation. I gauge the size of the food item by the girth of the snake (in most snakes, some thin snakes like carpets have no problem with something much bigger). So the girth of my 12 incher is a fuzzy.
Joseph
Hyper Reptilia
"Where our reptiles come first"
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Registered User
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
Originally Posted by Hyper Joe
I have to disagree with that. I have a 12" 31 gram hog and she eats 2 mouse fuzzies every week for the past month and a half(that is how long I have had her) with no problems with regurgitation. I gauge the size of the food item by the girth of the snake (in most snakes, some thin snakes like carpets have no problem with something much bigger). So the girth of my 12 incher is a fuzzy.
My Hogger is 1' long and he's only big enough for the largest pinkies, and his girth is average (I've checked). Maybe he could take a fuzzy-can someone post a photo for size comparision?
-Ryan Hardwikk (aka Member #6667)
My snakes:
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa ~Nephthys~ (aka "Linky")
In a better place: 1.0 Pastel Western Hognose ~Charon~ 10/3/07-4/24/09
If you need/want to know anything about Hognose snakes, just ask me.
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BPnet Veteran
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
I think this is quickly getting off topic. I'm gonna try to step in and get back on topic.
There is no reason to feed a snake every 2 days. Their bodies work much differently than ours and they don't use enough energy to need food that often. I doubt the store is giving them time after a regurge to build stomach acid back up (shortest time recommended is 2 weeks before next meal) This will cause more regurge. Regurgitation is a habit for snakes so I'd pass on these guys. Being a pet store, I'm sure that they let people hold them the day of being fed, or the day after. Western hognose do eat frogs and lizards in the wild, but once started on mice they don't have a problem with them. Their venom is so weak it wouldn't kill a full size mouse before it was able to inflict damage upon the snake.
I have to go back to "typical salesman." Why wouldn't this guy pass his problems onto you instead of seeing these things regurge all the time and die on him? Reputable or not, a breeder online with a wide range of customers is your best option IMO. You could also go to a show, you'd probably find it cheaper there anyways, or a different color/better color.
Chondro-holic
Originally Posted by DutchHerp
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BPnet Veteran
Re: Problems With Regurgitation?
Originally Posted by Hardwikk
My Hogger is 1' long and he's only big enough for the largest pinkies, and his girth is average (I've checked). Maybe he could take a fuzzy-can someone post a photo for size comparision?
Next time my hog eats a fuzzy(in a few days) I will send you or link you a pic.
I will also try to show it with a ruler next to it for size comparison.
I am pretty sure your hog can eat a fuzzy mouse. Mine can eat 2! I am about to start feeding her hoppers instead of 2 fuzzies. After she eat she shows a slight difference in girth at the "lump". Which is just noticeable.
**Sorry fo getting off subject.. **
Last edited by Hyper Joe; 01-31-2009 at 06:39 AM.
Reason: added comments
Joseph
Hyper Reptilia
"Where our reptiles come first"
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