Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So basically I have had my king for about 2 months now and the only real problem I had is she is aggressive(like some neonate kings can be)and so trying to feed her without stressing her out has been a task. She also has only eaten maybe 3 or 4 times for me, but until now she still remained at a good weight. Now she is just starting to look slightly skinny. She still has alot of energy and her tongue is flicking contastly but she is refusing food and just tonight she reguritated water while striking the pinkie defensivly(the pinkie was small enough to be eaten easily) I'm not sure if this is from stress or something else that may have caused her to vomit water.

If anyone has any insight that would possibly be helpful I would greatly appreciate it.

It sounds like she may be too cold. She probably didn't regurgitate, it was probably mucus.

Yeah I thought that at first but it was water, she made sort of a squirting noise as she was strking and water came dripping out of her mouth, but it wasn't thick or slowly dripping like saliva would it dripped like a faucet that is slightly turned on so water droplets drip out.

sorry about the punctuation..or lack thereof

Now, let me ask you, how exactly are you going about feeding the snake? Are you leaving the food in the cage and leaving the snake alone to eat or are you holding the food in front of the snake?
Please give as many details as possible....
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Genesis 1:1

A lot os snakes go off food this time of year.

You snake is trying to hibernate and shut down. It does not matter how warm it is inside. The snakes knows whats going on outside. Let the snake do whats natural instead of assuming there is an alternate problem.

Unless you want the snake to starve to death shut off the temps and place in an area that is dark and around 45-60F. It will eat this spring.

I use heat tapes on my snakes and they prefer to sit on the cool end and brumate. Forcing the snake to stay warm (not giving them a choice of cold) will eat up the reserves quicker than the time it takes for spring to arrive.

I have tried both placing the food in front of it, and leaving it alone with the food.

I would have no problem letting her shut down for the winter however I am afraid she really does not have the weight on her to make it through the winter.

What temps are you keeping the snake at currently?
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Genesis 1:1

Raising the temps on the snake will just burn up more reserves. The snake is going to do what it wants and you can not "make it" do anything. Trying to heat the snake and tricking it rarely works. Give it a chance to cool , even for a short time. This is sometimes all the stimulus the snake needs to get its appetite back.

I would advise cooling until the end of Feb and then heat up and feed.

even with her being slightly skinny you think this would be my best option? I was going to let her have a few days of no stress(only opening the cage to replace water daily) and then attmept one more feed. If she takes it I'll give her two weeks to clear her system then hibernate her from january to march. If she dosen't take her food I guess I'll risk her not making it through hibernation due to her being on the slim side.

also a big part of this thread was asking if anyone had ever had their snake regurgitate water possibly from stress. So any input on this would be helpful

Posted by: thejosephcobra at Wed Dec 20 15:53:17 2006 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

also a big part of this thread was asking if anyone had ever had their snake regurgitate water possibly from stress. So any input on this would be helpful

The snake probably just drank. I have seen this dozens of time. If a snake is disturbed or moves after drinking it will regurge the water.

Its a common occurance and thats probably why no one answered.

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>>If anyone has any insight that would possibly be helpful I would greatly appreciate it.

If it's not a brumation thing. It is possible that the snake could just be a picky eater. I have one that it seems like (almost like clockwork) every two weeks changes up her feeding habits. First it was F/T pinkies left at the entrance of the hide....very normal huh. Well after two weeks she refused to take anymore F/T pinkies in that manner. Eventually got her to take mouse tails for about 2 weeks. Then she decided she wanted F/T pinkies left on the opposite side of the cage from her hide and allowed to rot for 24 hours before she would eat it (then would make a big mess dragging the pinky around after the stomach burst leaving a bloody mess everywhere). after two weeks, wanted hopper rat tails but insisted on being held in the hand so that she could strike and grab the tail. after two weeks wanted to be left in the cage and then attack the rat tail. Then it was back to F/T pinkies but wanted to be held in hand before she would strike and grab. Then it was F/T handed to her in the cage. Then it was F/T left on the bottom of the cage. Now we are at F/T dangled wildly so she can freak out and snap and grab it and then spend the next 20 seconds flipping herself around the cage which results in her also slamming the pinky all over the place. Once she calms down then she eats it. A 2nd pinky can be left laying in the cage and she'll take it normally without so much as batting an eye..it's the first one she has to freak out over.
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PHWyvern

I might have a snake like yours--at first she took a nice f/t fuzzie, then wouldn't look at another food item for almost 2 weeks. Then she took a live pinkie, but wouldn't look at it until it was very still (not dead, but getting there). Then she wanted it in her hide. Then she wanted it by the water dish. She's not growing as fast as I'd like, but she doesn't seem to be starving, and does EAT, just when SHE'S ready, and no sooner.

My other snakes, if you mouth the word mouse, they come. I generally feed live. The snakes seem to take them faster when they are live. I'd like to switch over to f/t, but either I'm not thawing to the proper temps, or they aren't interested because the mouse isn't "moving". I'd like to have someone show me how to overcome this.

For instance, I dangled a live hopper in front of my Dumeril Boa, and by the time I let it drop on the substrate, she was on it like ugly on ape. One snap, and the mouse was gone, lost in a tangle of snake body. THAT'S how I like my snakes to eat. I'll wait a few days and offer a f/t fuzzie (a bigger one) the same way and see if it's taken in the same way. Her favorite hide, under a small box with a hole in it, and she sits mostly inside, but when hungry, will lay in wait at the entrance, half submerged in the substrate, waiting for a food drop.