Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Our recently caught Fox Snake has eaten 4 times in as many weeks... each time, he's regurgitated part of his meal (it was suspect until last night when my son watched it occur)... it appears to be the intestines and a small glob of white liquid (I assume that's liquified bone). I'm feeding him f/t mice from RodenPro, in fact, the same batch I feed my Jungle Carpet Python (he's never regurgitated). And, he also defecates.

He appears to be in good health, no visible difficulties, just shed, drinks, eats, active, etc. Is this something that Rat Snakes do that I've not experienced?

Thanks for your help!

Todd

No , that is not a normal occurance in rat snakes. I would consider looking at this issue a bit closer and maybe involving a vet to get some tests run.

As a "recently caught" snake, I would say that it is probably stressed out. My first suggestion would be to release it as close as possible to where you caught it. If you insist on keeping it, follow the procedure for regurge: Wait 10 days, no handling, try again with a smaller prey item. Don't handle or otherwise stress the snake out any further until it has several feedings with no regurge. As suggested, if the problem persists, a visit to the vet may also be in order.

With the inexpensive availability of such a wide variety of North American Ratsnakes, it is my very personal opinion that keeping wild ones makes very little sense for most people. I would let the snake go. I would hate to see you make that decision later when the animal is too weakened to survive. Duffy

Thanks for the responses. I'm actually in the process of purchasing a Leucistic Rat from South Moutain Reptiles... maybe our wild caught friend should be in the wild. I won't be "that guy" who jeapordizes the health of an animal for selfish purposes.

Todd

Once a wild caught snake has been in the captive environment with any possibilities of having had contact with other snakes or their germs (cross contamination from handling, feeding,and etc...) there is a possibility of introducing lethal diseases into the environment which are not indigenous to the other organisms niche's (which inhabit the said environment), frog declines for all we know could be caused from such adverse practices of herptile keepers, also eating lab mice, for instance is not the same as wild caught prey. Food imprinting could occur in a short period of time and the snake could literally starve to death. This snake sounds like it has intestinal parasites and needs to be screened by a qualified reptile vet and treated accordingly. DO NOT let it go unchecked and untreated, treat it and KEEP IT and in the future do not take any more snakes from the wild, especially if you are going to in turn liberate them back into the environment at a later time, causing who knows what.
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Frank Roberts
R&R Herpetological Frank Roberts & John Rodriguez

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Roberts'Realm of Reptile Research

Todd:
With respect to fox snakes regurgitating in the summer, if the room temperature is at or above 80F I have noted a tendency in my fox snakes to regurgitate. This is extremely bad for them. I therefore do not attempt feeding until the temperature is safely below 80F. After regurgitating four times you would not want tofeed him for a while anyway. If the temperature in the room is below 80F then you may have some other health problem occuring.

Good luck
John

I was not aware of this snakes captive requirements regarding lower than normal temperatures, improper temps in either extreme from the snakes requirements will also cause regurgs
Thanks for pointing this out, learned something new today about Fox snakes
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Frank Roberts
R&R Herpetological Frank Roberts & John Rodriguez

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Roberts'Realm of Reptile Research

To this line of thought and the other, I appreciate the responses.

The temperature is something I was just reading about, however, the suggestion was the temp was too low, opposite to John's post. However, seeing as John has some experience with this particular snake, I will leave the undertank heater off to lower the temp within the tank, then wait to feed him again in a week after the temp has been consistently below that 80 degree mark. Then I'll go from there.

Again, thanks. I really wish I would have "discovered" these forums years ago when I got my first snake!

Todd

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Frank Roberts
R&R Herpetological Frank Roberts & John Rodriguez

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Roberts'Realm of Reptile Research

I have to second what John said.
My easterns and westerns are bottomless pits eating mostly small to half grown rats, not mice, and looking for more almost immediately.
This is true AS LONG AS THE CAGE TEMPS ARE IN THE MID 70S!!!. I cycle a basking light so it is on only 2 hours in the A.M.

When it gets hot and summer progresses, I reduce feeding to small "maintenance meals", or they just stop feeding through August.
Fall of the year they pick up again and drain my rat resources.

Foxes IMHO are really great animals for people who want to keep a snake in the human living area and prefer their house cool.
They even thrive in Florida if you keep them in the house with the airconditioning on and lower, not as well in an 82 degree snake room.
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Regards, Bill McGighan

Excellent... I have a tank in my basement that used to house my friend's Iguana and I always had a hard time keeping it "hot enough"... this should be perfect.

Thanks!