Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have never had a snake regurgitate its meal (that I know of). How can you tell if its regurgitation or regular digestion by looking at it? Unfortunately I was unable to witness the snake offering me with the "gift" but it did appear to be fresh. It ate about 6 days ago but looked different from its normal digested rat (lots of hair and fairly wet but smaller than the last waste). It's last meal appeared to be digested fine. What are some of the characteristics of a regurgitated rat as opposed to a normally digested rat? thx

Does it smell like poop? Or does it smell like something died - decomposition?
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

oddly enough, there is no odor... and upon closer inspection it appears to be only fur, no flesh (no signs of a foot, tail or anything else resemblimg flesh or bone).

Every regurgitation I have ever had, it was the worst smell imaginable...way more repulsive than any decomp I had ever smelled...I literally had to run out of the room when I opened the cage...

If there's no strong odor, I don't know what to tell you...I know some poo can look auful strange...

Perhaps it's a regurg, but the rodent didn't have the time to develop that auful stench...
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Heather Martin
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Yeah, if not smelly then not something I'd worry about.

Of course, note it down as something odd and go on from there.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Thx

I had a super salmon about five years ago that regurged something very similar to what you are describing. He did it two times in about two and a half months if I remember correctly. Basically a big compacted fur ball. I know it was a regurge because I watched it happen. I think I may have deleted the photos of the event because I can't find them.

When I posted this on the forum I didn't get a solution. I called a couple more experienced people and they said they did not know what it was and had not experienced the same thing. I also spoke with my reptile vet to no avail.

I fed smaller meals less frequently for a few feedings and it never happened again. I have also changed my food source since then. Other than the gurges he was in great shape.

The good news is my boa went on to sire a perfect litter of eighteen babies. In hind site I believe it was an irritation from the hair, too large of a meal, or a combination of the two. I have become MUCH more conservative in how I feed my boas over the years and I was told I was a conservative feeder back then. So I just don't know???

I wish I had more info for you.

Good luck!

Steve - sdi

Regurges usually happen on the 3rd or 4th day after feeding.

Do you think it may have been caused by stress or lack of heat?

It's a hairball. Hair is cellulose and is indigestible. All regurges smell really awful, it's not a regurge. Just like cats and Siberian Huskies who eat fur by licking themselves, boas can get furballs from eating rats. Hair or fur that stays in the digestive tract. I have seen it once in a while, but never twice in a short time. I think a vet can extrapolate from other species what might get rid of it, like some sort of ingestible oil. Might try also hairless rats until you see diarrhea. If there's not enough fur it will cause diarrhea, too much and furballs.
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Caden Chapman
slithering.serpents@gmail.com
http://slitheringserpents.com