Eats and regurgitates= problem.

[MattK]

Background: I have several ball pythons in a rack, of various ages, that I have had for some time and all eat well. I also have a variety of other snakes and reptiles that all feed properly, and have kept reptiles for 20+ years.

Problem: I recently purchased a ball python that was supposed to be "09", but on arrival the python is small enough that I have to wonder if its this years early hatch maybe- much smaller that a couple other '09 hatch bp's I have. It shed shortly after I received it a few weeks ago, and I have since tried to feed it twice, where it snapped up a warm f/t mouse fuzzy (slightly smaller prey item than I might offer ordinarily) and swallowed it down quickly. The prey was ingested 12-18 hours and then regurgitated both times. Caging, temps, hides, humidity, etc., all could not be better- dark and cozy. I have dealt with reluctant eaters in the past that eventually came around and thrived, but this one agressively snaps up food and then regurgitates- twice in as many weeks.

Anyone have some thoughts or input as to how to get (her) to keep her food down?

[Kaorte]

Are you absolutely positive it was regurgitated? Could it have been spat out shortly after eating?

How long did you wait before offering food after the first regurgitation?

[Skiploder]

Background: I have several ball pythons in a rack, of various ages, that I have had for some time and all eat well. I also have a variety of other snakes and reptiles that all feed properly, and have kept reptiles for 20+ years.

Problem: I recently purchased a ball python that was supposed to be "09", but on arrival the python is small enough that I have to wonder if its this years early hatch maybe- much smaller that a couple other '09 hatch bp's I have. It shed shortly after I received it a few weeks ago, and I have since tried to feed it twice, where it snapped up a warm f/t mouse fuzzy (slightly smaller prey item than I might offer ordinarily) and swallowed it down quickly. The prey was ingested 12-18 hours and then regurgitated both times. Caging, temps, hides, humidity, etc., all could not be better- dark and cozy. I have dealt with reluctant eaters in the past that eventually came around and thrived, but this one agressively snaps up food and then regurgitates- twice in as many weeks.

Anyone have some thoughts or input as to how to get (her) to keep her food down?

Given that your husbandry is correct I would guess one of two things - (1) that the animal could have some sort of internal defect or disease or (2) you need to drop the prey size down again.

If he's keeping the food down 12 to 18 hours, I would wait two weeks before feeding him again. After two weeks, feed him a prey item slightly down on the size chart and sprinkle it with a dose of Benebac.

The problem with vomiting is that once they do it, if you feed them too soon afterwards they will often vomit again, but for a different reason.

For example, you feed him, he vomits and then a week goes by and you feed him again. He vomits a second time due to a lack of recovery time necessary to get his digestive system back in order.

Eliminate this as a possibility and wait a full two weeks. Then offer the smaller item and add some Benebac to help replenish his flora. During the recovery period you can also add Benebac to his water to speed up the process.

If he continues to vomit after 12 to 18 hours, I would suspect an internal abnormality first and a pathogen second.

Questions:

Is he thermo-regulating properly after eating? Is he hydrating himself?

Lastly how well do you trust the person you received the animal from? Is there any chance it was kept under conditions that could have led to a bacterial or internal parasite problem?

[MattK]

Thanks Skiploder. @ Kaorte- Positive it was regurgitation. I work from home, rarely leaving here, so I can observe my countless minions multiple times a day if I choose. Nothing in there but water dish and hide-out, and more than 12 hours but not more than 18 hours later the barfed up prey item appeared.

@ Skiploder- I wondered about feeding a prey item even smaller still, so I will try that in about 10 more days. ...will get some Benebac in the meantime. It appears to thermoregulate well, hydrating -it appears not to be dehydrated (at least overly so) but have not seen it drinking in front of me- but that is the case with most of my animals as they never are allowed to get really thirsty first... so...???

As for the person I bought the animal from- not someone I bought from before, and seems to not be someone who normally has bp's to sell either. I have no idea what conditions it was kept under, but if the shipping/packing was any indication the seller was an inexperienced snake keeper so its anyones guess. It is slightly possible it could have internal injuries still from being shipped poorly, but now I am just reaching for explanations more than what I know for certain.

?? ? ? ? ??

[WingedWolfPsion]

My absolute first guess would be parasites--it always is when there's an intestinal upset of any kind.
I cannot imagine an '09 so small that it barfs up a f/t mouse fuzzy because it's too big. I think some of the other people here missed what it was you feeding the snake.

Mouse fuzzies are what I offer to my runt hatchlings for their first couple of meals.

I would say something is very wrong with the snake. Its size suggests something has been wrong for quite a while. I would be very strict with quarantine on this one.

[MattK]

Hmmm. Typically, when I first get any type of reptile, I initially underfeed it a little for the first couple or few meals to see how it reacts to food items/ does/ behaves / etc., so in this case if I had another the same size I would have fed it a medium hopper or so, but since she is new I went with the fuzzy per above reasoning.

Definately no mites or anything external that remotely suggests an issue, though it could stand to gain a little weight in my opinion for its size. Do you contend that it could be something contagious? I at first assumed it to be poor care on the part of the poerson that sold it to me- I've heard of people feeding small bp's once a month or so something small, and I have always fed snakes weekly barring any brumation, breeding, or other off-feed behaviours.

? ? ? ?
Thanks for any input !

[Crazy4Herps]

Vet time! Get a fecal float done.

I'm guessing that, due to some form of husbandry issue with the previous owner, whether it be too cool basking temps or some more complicated health problem, the snake initially regurged while at its previous home. Then, as others have said, the digestive distress causes him to have trouble keeping food down, even when husbandry is corrected. I normally give adult snakes 1 to 2 months without food to let their digestive systems recover, but it sounds like even one month might be pushing it for your little guy.

[Coils]

Given that your husbandry is correct I would guess one of two things - (1) that the animal could have some sort of internal defect or disease or (2) you need to drop the prey size down again.

If he's keeping the food down 12 to 18 hours, I would wait two weeks before feeding him again. After two weeks, feed him a prey item slightly down on the size chart and sprinkle it with a dose of Benebac.

The problem with vomiting is that once they do it, if you feed them too soon afterwards they will often vomit again, but for a different reason.

For example, you feed him, he vomits and then a week goes by and you feed him again. He vomits a second time due to a lack of recovery time necessary to get his digestive system back in order.

Eliminate this as a possibility and wait a full two weeks. Then offer the smaller item and add some Benebac to help replenish his flora. During the recovery period you can also add Benebac to his water to speed up the process.

If he continues to vomit after 12 to 18 hours, I would suspect an internal abnormality first and a pathogen second.

Questions:

Is he thermo-regulating properly after eating? Is he hydrating himself?

Lastly how well do you trust the person you received the animal from? Is there any chance it was kept under conditions that could have led to a bacterial or internal parasite problem?

Good advice, good advice. I'm curious though! What is Benebac, I've never heard of it before though I haven't been on here in probably a whole year now! Is it something new, what's it's purpose, and where is it obtained? If it's something to have handy I'd be very interested to know!

[Skiploder]

Good advice, good advice. I'm curious though! What is Benebac, I've never heard of it before though I haven't been on here in probably a whole year now! Is it something new, what's it's purpose, and where is it obtained? If it's something to have handy I'd be very interested to know!

It's a probiotic for reptiles and birds - you can get it at Petco. It replenishes the good bacteria in the digestive system.

Alternatively, you can also purchase Reptibac - which I have yet to find at chain stores. You can get it at the Bean Farm I believe.

[WingedWolfPsion]

And yes, it COULD be something contagious--there are some nasties that will cause regurgitation.
Always best to be on the safe side.