Dexter Regurgitated Rats Twice This Month

[Kara]

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. A good snake breeder friend of mine here in Pittsburgh also advised me to not feed him for at least 4 weeks, too. So, i'm definitely going to wait at least that long. He also suggested that I replace his water with purple Pedialyte for a few weeks to help him get his flora built back up. Do you guys think that would be alright?

The ambient temperature in my snake room is 75 degrees 24/7 and at the moment the ambient humidity in the room is 52%, but it has been more like 56% for the past week. They all have large water dishes in their tubs as well. All of my Bloods and Short Tails hot spots are reading 85 degrees and 75 degrees on the cool side. If I turn my thermostat up even just one more degree for these guys, most of them head straight to the cool side and plunge into their water dishes. They seem to get all fired up and bitey, too! lol

4 weeks minimum and a small meal would be a good starting off point. You can use Pedialyte to help re-hydrate the snake, but keep in mind that it only offers electrolyte support. While this is beneficial in helping the snake return to sufficient hydration post-regurge, it doesn't directly impact the rebuilding of positive gut flora in the same manner that probiotics (i.e. Nutribac) do. Both are helpful, but only one provides support where it is needed most. If you do offer Pedialyte, keep an eye on Dexter's overall condition to ensure he isn't becoming dehydrated by avoiding drinking it. These snakes can be *exceedingly* picky and stubborn about their water sources, so it's just something else to watch for in the process.

The purpose of waiting so long to feed again after a regurgitation event is to allow the snake to recover that gut flora, and avoid the eventual "point of no return" if the snake continues to regurgitate. Using probiotics is an additional layer of support in this regard - yes, the snake will likely recover without them given enough time, but if the animal regurgitates again, you're back at square one on a much shorter clock. When you do feed again, give him a week off from handling. While 24-48 hours is usually fine, in a case like Dexter's it is helpful to minimize stress as much as possible. Small meals, minimal handling, 2 weeks between feedings until he has kept at least 4-6 meals down with no issue, and then a return to normal feeding schedule should be okay (knock on wood).

It sounds like you have an established thermal gradient, although ambient is a bit cooler than what may be optimal on a long-term basis. Bloods & STPs are definitely quirky when it comes to temperature - striking that balance between warm enough & too warm in a situation like this can be tricky. I'm sure you've already double-checked everything with a temp gun, but if not it wouldn't hurt to do so in an effort to rule out reasons why he regurgitated in the first place.

Again, best of luck in returning him to health. Regurgitations are sucky things, and it is always heartbreaking when a beloved animal isn't at 100%. Fingers crossed!