Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Before you say call the vet or take her to the vet, I did and I will tomorrow. Not EVERYONE works with reptiles. Oi!

I fed Kaali today, a small rat and then cleaned her cage and put in fresh bedding. At about 6, I saw her drinking from her dish and I told my mom. I've NEVER seen her drink before and I thought it was cool.

Enter two hours later. I go upstairs and get her out of her cage and take her downstairs to let the dog in. I notice the dog has water drops on her head and I see water running down my arm. At first, I think Kaali is peeing on me but then I realize that snakes DON'T pee. I see that she has water coming out of her mouth and nose when I point her towards the ground. There are several BIG spots on the cement from the amount of water she consumed. Bubbles appear at the corner of her mouth and I forget about the dog and get a towel.

I hold her head gently and tip her head down. More water. I panic, show my mom and step dad and then put her back in the cage. I call the emergency vets and they're no use since they don't deal with reptiles so I call a well known and reputable pet store and the person says that Kaali might have a respiratory infection. I call my personal vet and page the on-call doc, she doesn't deal with reptiles and only offers that there is something wrong with Kaali. She tells me that theior reptile vet will be in tomorrow and to make an appointment at 730 when the clinic opens...

Does anyone know what exactly is wrong with Kaali?

you held it after you fed it. Next time, give it 4-5 days before you handle it again, you'll never have this issue arise again.
jb
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Jonathan Brady
"Sarcasm is angers ugly cousin" -Dr. Buddy Rydell (Jack Nicholson) in "Anger Management".

I wouldn't panic too much. I've had this happen before too. She probably just had some water in her mouth and throat from drinking. I respiratory infection would be bubbles from the nostrils caused by mucus, not water. It wouldn't just drip out. I bet if you take her out again and try the same thing, she will be just fine. Keep us updated.

Matt Crabe

Okay, Matt I did what you said and you were right, no more water. Is this a 'normal' thing for her to do after a big meal? This was her first rat ever and she's used to 4-5 adult mice. She seems to be 'fine' except for a sudden fixation on white things...could she be hungry too?

I know I sound like a newbie but I've had her for more than a year and the more 'serious' problem I've had was a broken tooth which was fairly insignificant.

John, she didn't regurge. I've handled her MANY times after feeding and I've never encountered this problem before. Kaali is the one snake who I don't have to worry about with regurging.

Well, with this being her first large meal as opposed to multiple smaller meals, it is possible that she could regurge this meal. Also, as for being fixated on white things, she is probably just still in feeding mode, it will pass.

FYI - The meal size should just barely leave a lump in your snake's belly. If there is no lump after feeding, the meal was too small. If the lump is still there after 48 hrs., the meal was too big. Also, to touch on your post from a day or two ago, I feed my snakes based on their individual metabolisms. Most of my snakes eat every weak and deficate every week or two. However, some take longer than others. I have one snake who only deficates once a month or so. He is perfectly healthy and kept just as my others are, but just seems to have a slower metabolism. So I feed him every couple of weeks or so.

Hope this helps,
Matt Crabe

Eat a full meal and then run/jog/do jumping jacks, tell me how you feel? The snake will go through the same thing that is why they need to settle down and be left alone for a few days, show it at least that much respect. They regurge there's problems,just cause you havn't had the problem after eating doesn't mean it won't happen, your just lucky and it gets me mad to hear this, this is the common sense of boa or any snake care.
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My roomates are 1BP,1BCI 4 corns,Rotti,3cats and snake food AKA the food chain. See my kids at: http://community.webshots.com/user/diggy415

You may be getting away with it now as a yaerling,but wait till shes 3 or 4 years old an about 6 ft or so an I dare you to reach in their an grab her right after eating a jumbo rat,I GUARENTEE YOU GET THE SURPRISE OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL[HYPOBOA]

Toyoyama,every snake book suggest not to handle your snake for at least 24 hours after feeding.I go for at least 2 to 3 days.Please,listen to the advice that is given to you.If you LOVE your, animal and I'm sure you do.Please get a boa book,and read it!

I have several boa books. I don't usually handle her after a feed unless it's to put her back in her cage from the feed tank.

I love how NO ONE gave me a definate answer with the exception of Matt and all they did was tell me about stuff I already know. She didn't regurge nor did she attempt to do it. I wanted to know why she has water literally pouring out of her mouth and nose. Again, I thank Matt for being useful and easing my panic.

I didn't take her to the vet after I called and explained what happened and the blurb of info Matt gave me. The vet said it was probably due to drinking too much after a big meal and it was her body's way of getting rid of it.

I own several ETB's and they are much harder to deal with than a Columbian and I've never had a regurge problem with them either, thankfully. I know what to do and what not to do and I admit that taking her out after such a big meal was probably dumb but I'm glad I did. What if she had drowned from water getting into her lungs? If I had listened to EVERYTHING I read in boa books, Kaali'd be dead right now.

She did regurgitate.......WATER!!! Haven't you ever puked with nothing in your stomach but liquid (beer)....sprays all out of your mouth and nose, doesn't it? Accept the fact that there are people on this forum with more experience than you. If you're not willing to take their good advice, don't post here.

If she had regurged, the rat would have come up as well. Now who's the idiot?

Oh, that's right....duh....what was I thinking? I forgot that it's impossible for a snake to regurgitate only partially. It makes much more sense that tipping her forward just caused the water to start pouring out of her mouth and nose. I know that when I lay down after a long drink all the liquid just comes right back out. Are you sure you were holding a snake and not a water hose? How 'bout using some common sense buddy?