Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my first corn 6 weeks ago and i researched everything possible before i bought it. The problem was that it always regurged its pinkie on the second day after feeding. I tried feeding every 4-5 days and then tried leeving it for a week, i tried adjusting the temperature between 70-75 on the cool side and 80-85 on the warm side, it had hiding places on both sides and paper towels on the bottom and i also tried pinkies from a different source, but nothing i tried made any difference. I made an appointment with a vet but unfortunately the snake had died on the day of the appointment. I took it back to where i purchased it and they replaced it without any problems (which made me worried). Now the new snake has regurged its first feed also on the second day, i am unsure if i am doing anything wrong or if the pet shop sold me a sick snake.

Sorry to have rambled on but any help would be greatly appreciated.

First of all, if the snake regurged don't feed it in another 4-5 days. You need to wait at least a week to let the digestive juices get back in shape. Then feed a smaller meal and/or a pinky with the head cut off to help ease it back.
Possible reasons for trouble:
1. Sick snake (as you suggested). In general pet stores are NOT the best places to get a snake. Usually a lousy combo of quality and value.
2. Are you trying to handle your new pet(were you handling the other one? It is tempting to want to handle a first snake. It needs to settle in and get a few feedings under its belt. Also, do not handle for at least 3-4 days after feeding for a new, possibly jittery snake. Right now I would say do not handle at all until it has kept several meals down.
3. Are the meals the right size? If regurge is a problem, go with smaller prey. If the snake is so tiny that even the smallest pink is hard to get down or leaves a really big lump, at least cut the head off. You will want to decapitate the next few pinks you feed him anyway, since that helps get some of the nutrition right into your snake.

Good luck. Next time buy from a good breeder, either from ks or at a reptile show.

What have I missed, guys??? Duffy

Thanx for the info Duffy.

In reply, The old snake was never handeled after feeding and it was left for over a week before it was first handled. The second snake has been placed in a quiet room and has not been handeled yet, i may leave it for a couple of weeks before handling and as you suggested cut the heads of pinkies and hope for the best.

Lins

It is possible that the corns at the pet store are sick. I would be suspicious if your second snake came out of the same group/caging. Before blaming them, eliminate all the possible causes that you control. Temps- 80-83 on the warm side, 10 degrees less on the cool side. Water available all the time? If not, don't put a water bowl in the same day you feed. I put water bowls in for three days, pull them, clean, and replace after a few more days. I do not feed on the day I provide water. Is the food item the right size? If your not sure, smaller is better. Wait 7-10 days after a regurge. Did you sterilize the cage and waterbowl after the first snake died?
You may want to get some nutribac, works great!
If you lose this one, email me and we can go over some of this offline.
Good Luck
John Q

Some info is the same as the other posts, some different - hope it helps.

Good luck!

The most important thing when a snake regurges is the temperature. It is possible that your cage is too large and the snake doesn't even know where the warmth is. It is also possible that it finds the warm spot and hides under that container, but then it gets too hot and he moves to the other hide spot which is too cold. So give him only one hide spot which is on the border of the heat pad. Or put him in a smaller cage to be sure he will get warmth. Where is he hiding usually? Also don't worry about what the other guy said about the water in and out. Just make sure there is always water available in the cool end. As long as he eats it and then has warmth, he will be fine. Let me know how it turns out.
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1.2 Corns
1.1 Graybanded
2.1 Banana Cal Kings
0.3 Solomon Island Ground Boas

Thanks to all for your info.

The snake is in a small tank which the pet shop sold me, they said it was a starter tank and should last for about a year before i would have to change it. I cleaned the tank with steralizing fluid both when i first got it and before i put the new one in. I have placed two hide spots one at each end and it has fresh water all the time.

It does however always seem to sit on the cool side more than the warm, i tried switching it to the warm side when it was still in its hide but it just went back over after a while. Can a snake be too hot even when the temperature is between 80-85 on the warm side?.

Anyway i have fed it today, a pinkie minus its head and i will place its hide spot in the middle and see if these changes will make a difference. Thanx Lins

Sounds good and please let me know if he keeps his meal down.
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1.2 Corns (2 striped and 1 okeetee)
1.1 Graybanded
2.1 Banana Cal Kings
0.3 Solomon Island Ground Boas