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Puking bairds

shaky Jun 04, 2006 08:35 PM

I have a yearling bairds that has been puking all its life. Obviously, something is staying down occasionally, but I routinely wait 2 weeks between feedings, and up it comes again.
This snake is almost patternless, and I really want it to be OK.
Any suggestions?
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Replies (8)

Deptula Jun 04, 2006 09:33 PM

There are many potential causative agents for why a snake might exhibit the symptoms you describe. Parasitic loads of various types can be one possibility.
Simple factors like too large a food item, too many food items, too hot, too cold, too much stress, or a myriad of other "toos". The problem can start
from any seemingly innocuous reason and become habitual based on repetitive feeding attempts. The keeper feeds once, the animal regurgitates and the keeper tries feeding again too soon after. Stomach irritation, beneficial bacterial loss, enzyme shortage, may all be factors at this point and can only be rectified
slowly. The animal needs to be built back up. Pro biotics, enzyme supplements, minimum of 10 days before next feeding attempt at which point one single food item no bigger than the girth of the snake should be fed ( a pink will work). One very simple aid to provide live acidophilus is to dip the food item in plain yogurt leaving the head clean.

If your problem isn't parasitic in nature you have to slowly rebuild your snake. One single small supplemented food item spaced a week or more apart until it regularly holds those down.

I once received a young adult snake from somebody in a group of four that the seller told me could only keep down pinks.
The fact that the other three had no such problems led me to believe that the single snake could be mended and that parasites were probably not a factor. The snake in question seemed to regurgitate every other meal in my first few weeks of isolation and I couldn't figure it out. One day I realized that it was only spitting up when I fed it frozen and keeping down every live meal. Conventional wisdom would suggest that a frozen thawed item would be more easily digested but in her case, it appeared she lacked a digestive enzyme that she was borrowing from live food. She now eats as many live food items as I will give her with zero problems but it was a long way back.

Walt Deptula

shaky Jun 04, 2006 10:34 PM

Thanks, Walt.
As long as I've done this stuff, I find its always good to ask advice.
Its always refreshing to her the basic stuff I have known for years. The slap to one's own forhead and the "How could I have forgotten?"
I've been doing all the right stuff with this little snake, but it only occurred to me now that there may be more to it than I was thinking.
Thanks again
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

Deptula Jun 05, 2006 10:23 AM

You're welcome, shaky.

I hope it works out for you.

Walt

phiber_optikx Jun 05, 2006 11:23 PM

"One very simple aid to provide live acidophilus is to dip the food item in plain yogurt leaving the head clean."

Would you recomend doing this for a w.c. snake to give it a "boost?"
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"
0.0.1 Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

As we say in Missouri, "I ain't goin back to Missouri!"

shaky Jun 06, 2006 07:35 PM

Jimmy,
acidophilus is harmless, so it won't hurt, but it probably won't help a normal snake much, either. It certainly won't eliminate any harmful parasites or bacteria.
-----
...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

MurphysLaw Jun 05, 2006 06:13 PM

I tried everything,smaller items,waiting 3 weeks between feedings,etc,etc,.I was desperate after 3 months and brumated her for a month.She hasnt regurged in 2 years.Just another angle for you.

shaky Jun 06, 2006 07:34 PM

Yep, That's worked for me in the past, but its hard to do that in 100 weather. Hard enough to cool the house to a reasonabe temp.
Funny thing is, it keeps pooping like its been feeding just fine. The thing is prefectly proportioned, too. Not thin at all.
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...and I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

MurphysLaw Jun 06, 2006 10:30 PM

Mine also pooped.I was just at wit ends.If all else fails try checking the temp of the crisper in your fridge.It's worked nicely for me in the past.Good Luck.

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