Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This guy kind of looks like he may turn out like the one Randy posted earlier, but who knows with this species.

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Matt Kauffman

Coloring in nicely.

Real clean, I personally like the hard black saddles up front. Looks like nice size for an '08 too.

Yeah, he's pushing four feet. Sadley I lost the female to regurge syndrome, a very humbling experience. So I'm on the lookout for a nice female.
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Matt Kauffman

One pinkie a week for the first 3 months seems to fair well. Peach fuzz thereafter for the next 3 months. If a regurge, I do not feed again for 5-8 weeks.

What is your feeding plan for hatchlings?

That sounds like a good plan. She is the only snake that I've lost since I got back into the hobby in late 07. A lesson definetely learned. I have had other snakes of different species have an occasional regurge and I give them at least two weeks, then offer a very small meal. This method seems to do the trick, but I haven't had one regurge in quite some time(knock on wood). Thanks for the advice.
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Matt Kauffman

Rich...that is something that is really dear to my heart..particularly with pituophis...regurgitating. I really don't have to much concerns when one of other snakes throw-up except when it is a "pituophis" and for some reasons most of the time it just gets worse. Do you really wait that long, 5 to 8 weeks before feeding again? I've normally only waited a week or two..maybe that is why I haven't had much luck after they have regurgitated. Just wondering what most people do.

Dan

I've only been keeping pits for a couple of years and have only had a couple of regurges (a cape and lineaticollis). I had success so far waiting just a week or two & luckily none of the "regurgers" have regurged since. I'd be interested in hearing how some of the more experienced with these guys have dealt with it as well.

Yes, I know it may seem long for some but that's how I handled it in the past. I originally had the problem with some cape gophers in the early 90's. Some did not fair that well, if they regurged, over the long term. Though I never waited more than one or two weeks before I attempted to feed them again.

Late 90's into early 2000 I kept a large group of western hognose. Every now and again one would regurge. After a regurge
some went off feed for 2-4 months. When they fed again, they were OK. The individuals that regurged and then aggressively fed soon after, one to two weeks when offered food never did make it. Not one. They would typically regurge again, and go straight down hill from there.

At the time, I had some young bullsnakes. This particular group had problems. If any showed even the slightest bulge after feeding it would come right back up with-in 4 days. Difference with the bulls though was they all would want food, anytime offered. Sometimes the day after a regurge. Some I fed smaller size, extremely small sized actually, feed in relative to the larger size feed you would normally assume easily consumed by such an individual. Did not matter. They would easily regurge even the small size feed when offered one to two weeks later. Three times was not a charm for these guys. Once after any regurged 3 times it was down hill from there no matter what I tried.

The hognose that went off feed after a regurge for quite sometime, appeared to always do well with the time off. After noticing this, any time anything regurged there after, I would not even attempt to feed again for 5 weeks. If their weight looked ok I would go longer. It worked for me.

Of all the different kinds of snakes that I keep...most are not of concern when they regurg...but as soon as it's a pituophis I freak out....something about them when they throw-up...it seems like 2/3 of them just go down hill from there...but other then that they are really tuff snakes with very little problems. Does anyone have any ideas why this seems to be so devastating to pituophis? From the posts, it appears to be common to most pit keepers.

Dan

Seems to be showing lots of colour already. Can never have too many pics of these guys.

That is a great looking animal, Matt. Good luck with him and I hope you find him a lady friend
Cheers,
--Brian
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--Brian Scott

Thanks. I've deffinitly got the pit fever. You've got some nice la pines going on in the posts below.
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Matt Kauffman