I recently acquired a leucistic black ratsnake from a fellow hobbyist(a BP breeder who was gifted this snake, but since he doesn't deal with colubrids, he offered him to me), and I'm concerned because the snake has regurgitated the last three food items it's eaten. He's very timid, and goes into a defensive S-coil if there is any movement nearby. He's maybe 16" and thinner at his widest point than my pinkie finger, and when I got him, he was supposedly a GREAT feeder and taking fuzzie mice.
Once I had him settled in his new tank I fed a smallish fuzzie, which he kept down without any problems. The second feeding (6 days later, after several bowel movements) was a slightly larger fuzzie, which he regurgitated two days later. It was basically a fur tube with very little flesh remaining, and no discernable organs left inside.
I thought it may have been related to the climate inside the tank, since it was particularly cold that week here in Utah, and the cool side of the tank was at room temperature, about 70 degrees. So I increased the heating, and got the cooler side of the tank up to 74-76 during the day, with the basking spot at about 84. It's a 29g high tank, with hides on the hot and cool sides of the tank, a sturdy branch (which he often climbs on) and a covered water dish, for soaking.
I waited ten days (I had not handled him at all during this time, except to remove him briefly while I changed the soiled paper towels) and fed a small fuzzie, which he regurgitated the following day. The fuzzie was showing obvious signs of digestion, but was not as far gone as the first one.
I waited 7 days, and yesterday offered a 2-day-old pinkie, which was regurgitated this afternoon, digested down to a sack of goop which ruptured when touched.
I'm concerned, because he's not a sturdy snake yet, and I don't know how long I can expect him to hold out on only partial meals.
What do you guys recommend I do next? I have over ten years experience with corns, but my snakes have all been voracious feeders that grew like weeds, so dealing with a potentially sick snake is out of my territory...
