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Regurging bloodred update.

HerpZillA Dec 27, 2007 11:25 PM

For those that do not know, I have a 1 year old? Female bloodred that has regurged since I bought her a few months ago.

So, I waited a month or so, AGAIN,, in that time 2 small doses of flagyl. Then last week, I had a pinky head, rolled in nutribac. I was enough careful to leave the top of the head with no nutribac. I also brained it.

She smelled and smelled. But would not eat it.
Decision time. Some, and many may disagree with this, but I felt she needed to get something in her and fast. As a kid, I recall a person force-feeding tiny snakes he just bought pinky tails and other parts. He said if you wait to long, (these were wholesale snake back in the 70's and usually very thin) the stomach just atrophies. He now runs a Herp facility of a Zoo. (Good Source to me)

So I rolled the head good in nutribac. Placed it in her mouth trying to hook some teeth. She almost took it, but worked it out. Although she seemed to take in all the nutribac. (maybe good). I rerolled the head in nutribac. I did not do a full force, but got it in far enough where I thought she would take it. And she did. Phew. Pulled water, back in cage and I had also added a hide a month ago.

Hard to tell as she is on 2" of aspen. But I see nothing that looks like a regurge. I debated changing her cage a few months back to paper towels, but I felt leaving it was less stress. She likes to hide in the aspen.

Sunday I'll try a live pinky with it's butt with some nutribac on it.

Today I put a water dish in with a tiny bit of water. Will add some tomorrow. I did not want her to over water herself to fast.

Wish me luck. So far so good. OH also today she seem to have a nice feeding responce when I opened the cage.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

Replies (13)

cianke Dec 28, 2007 03:34 AM

I hope this all works out ok for you.
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My inside problems only effect the outside world....And I am ok with that.

cianke Dec 28, 2007 10:00 AM

I would like to know how it does work out.
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My inside problems only effect the outside world....And I am ok with that.

Beaker30 Dec 28, 2007 08:45 AM

I would be sure to wait 7-10 days until the next feeding attempt. Then I would stick with the pinky head, dont go full size till she has taken and kept down three feedings of heads. After she has taken three feedings of heads at least 7 days apart each, I would move up to beheaded pinks and do three feedings of those. Then move to full pinks. The big thing with regurgers is to go slowly. They lose digestive capabilities with each regurg and you have to "re-train" their digestion very slowly allowing time for things to build back up to normal levels.
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Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

HerpZillA Dec 28, 2007 11:05 AM

Sunday will be 9 days. But the thing is she's near 30". A head is not much for her and she is not willing to take a head with nutribac on it. I could try do see if she will just take a head?

We have a lot of mice breeding, I can actually get a pinky less than 12 hours old. Thats pretty small. The head was from a pink maybe 3-4 days old. Guessing I'd say the head was maybe 60% the size of a fresh pinky.

Gee now more options to think of lol.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

adamjeffery Dec 28, 2007 11:45 AM

hey tom its good to hear from ya buddy.
my question with this situation is what has caused a snake that is 30"s long to start regurging? im hoping that the flagyl and nutribac has taken care of it. it could be parasites, but is this animal one in the store or is it at home with you? i was thinking maybe something in the store was stressing it out or it could smell something that was causing the regurge (chemicals,flea spray) i probally missed a few posts on this but have been trying to keep up with your posts. hope all goes good for you.
adam
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HerpZillA Dec 28, 2007 11:56 AM

She was never at the store. A new purchase from a show $175.

Now I'm honest. My cage temps were high as my biostat was set to high for some reason? 2 other snakes burped too. But recovered fine.

This girls first burp was wet, which I did not think to much about. But I should have connected it. Pulling water dishs at teh shop is a common practice. So was it the heat? over load on water after an meal? or she had issues?

She was not very heavy, but ok. She had a great feeding responce. But just did not keep anything down. So thats why I'm trying so much.

Last post that said try another head has me thinking, maybe get more nutribac inside the pinky or head instead of on it and maybe she will take it on her own? I also have no idea if she eats dead.

I'll keep ya updated, and thanks for the kind words.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

kathylove Dec 28, 2007 11:58 AM

without resolution, I would suggest switching to a combo of Nutri Bac and a liquid diet.

For a 2' - 2 1/2' corn, I would suggest a couple (or maybe 3) heavy doses of NB and water via syringe (every 3 days), then 4 - 5 ccs of liquified ferret food every 4 days (starting in about 9 days, after the NB doses). If that is held down, go to the same regimen with up to 10 ccs of ferret food (depending on how thick the snake is - use your own judgment). Try that for a few weeks before considering solid food. (Disclaimer - this is not veterinary advice; just what I would do if it was my own animal)

Good luck!

HerpZillA Dec 28, 2007 12:11 PM

Thanks Kathy more ideas lmao.

Just kidding of course. Grumpo, I mean JohnO H. and I talked about that. I need the feeding tubes. But since she kept a head down, or I'm 99% sure,(as its a little hard in an aspen cage) I figured she kept that down, just keep on that path of small items.

HHmmmm I have a bro in law that works at a hospitol. Maybe he can snag me some cath tubing.

Also John uses meat baby food with calcium added. But I have ferret food too. HHMmmm more decisions lol

Actually as I type this out, I may take her off her aspen, and go to paper towels and giver her a few days to adjust. That way I can be 100% sure what she keeps down.

Thanks Kathy
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

kathylove Dec 28, 2007 12:46 PM

easier to tube than with a baby. You can actually just use a syringe from the pharmacy - one that is designed for dosing children, and has a tapered end. Just hold the snake upright while feeding, and for a minute or two after feeding / dosing. Just be sure the end of the syringe or tube is further into the throat than the breathing tube you will see on the bottom of the mouth. Feed / dose slowly enough that the liquid does not back up, causing possible aspiration into the tube. That is unlikely to happen, but be careful anyway.

Regardless of whether you wish to feed solid food, you should consider dosing the NB via syringe (mixed with water). You can get a much bigger dose into the snake, and give it on an empty stomach. I don't know for positive that it works better that way, but it seems logical that it can coat the stomach and work better if it has some time without food present, so that is how I give it to snakes that have regurged. I always give 2 or 3 strong doses of NB and water during the fasting time after regurges.

HerpZillA Dec 28, 2007 01:03 PM

Interesting. I was thinking of giving NB with no food, but was not sure if the bacteria would last for a meal. In my mind it would, after all it is suppose to be there all the time. But I'm not a biologist, I just try to use some logic.

I think I'll make a run for a syringe.

Side note, pharmacies are cautious about needles. I love to see their reactions when I get one for a non normal use. I use to use a needle for fishing to add air to a worm. Unless you fish you probably would not get it, and they look at you like your crazy.

That's always fun for me. I'm easily entertained.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

kathylove Dec 28, 2007 01:20 PM

The ones made for giving oral medicine to children have a somewhat long, tapering end, and won't take a needle.

If you had a feeding tube, then you would get the syringe that takes a needle, and substitute the feeding tube. Get at least a 10cc syringe if you can. But you might have to settle for a 5cc.

HerpZillA Dec 28, 2007 01:29 PM

Sorry to confuse the issue. Yea I'm up on syringes. I've used then over the years for many things. Also I did not think the ones with the long tube would get the food deep enough. But after thinking of it, if a snake can get water down, a thicker liquid would get worked down too.

Thanks again.
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Thanks for reading.
Big Tom

www.HerpZillA.com
www.HerpHelp.com

kathylove Dec 28, 2007 01:45 PM

get the liquid down. You can "chase it" with water if the liquid food is too thick and doesn't seem to be going down well enough.

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