Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was told below to give my snake pedialyte after a regurg? I've unfortunately had one, I guess that's what happens when you settle for what the pet shop has (too big.) I know to wait a minimum of 10-12 days before feeding her again, but I was just wondering should I mix this pedialyte with water to dilute it? If so how much? Also, should I feed her this through a dropper or just put in her water bowl or what?

Thanks,
Chris
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-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

If your snake is ultra skinny I woud say use a show Deli and soak for about a half hour in just enough pedi/water to cover half the snake. Diluted 50/50 with water. If she is normal and just regurgeing than a little in her water would be enough. The question that I am sure was dicussed below is why is your snake regurgeing. To big of a mouse or something else going on???
Hope I helped.
Thanks Jason

I was pleased to read that your snake had gotten a good meal & hopeful that it was on its way to recovery. What a crappy setback. Well...You have over a week to gather info. Good luck. Duffy

She finally shed about a week ago, so I tried feeding her in her tank and she wouldn't eat. Then I gave her this pup in her tank and she wouldn't eat so i put her in a small sterilite overnight with a blanket over it and she ate. So I think she's a little paranoid about eating in the size tank I have her in. I'm pretty sure she'll make a full recovery... or hope so at least!

Also, the only reason (that I know of) she regurgd was too big of a meal. She's not extremly skinny, but has lost weight since she stopped eating back in november.

This may sound silly, but does the flavor of pedialyte matter? I was thinking maybe one has more sugar or something thats not desirable than the other... It does come in flavors, right? (i'm way too young to have kids of my own... lol I'll learn this with time.)
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-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

what area of the country do you live in? The reason that I ask is that I have felt for quite a while that areas that have higher humidity seem to have a problem with the bairds, trans pecos, rosy boas, and other desert type snakes.

I live in the Washington DC area and we suffer from higher humidity (think about the swamp that this area was built on) and I have lost two trans pecos ratsnakes and one bairds rat snake to regurging.

This is just my opinion from what I have read, so don't know if it is true or not.
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sue

My bairds isnt the one who regurg'd... it was my licorice stick black rat. I ordered 2 tx bairdi's last fall from a guy up in idaho (i think)... one would never eat but this one is very healthy, has never missed a meal (even during shed), and is always active. By the way I live in Panama City, florida.
-----
-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

sorry. I couldn't find your other post, even though it is pretty close to this one.

Interesting that you live in Florida, and have no issues with the regurge from excess humidity that I had experienced.
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sue

You are definitely right in thinking that the humidity contibuted to the demise of your Trans pecos ratsnakes. If you want to try those again, I'd recommend keeping them inside at a cool temp (no higher then 75 degrees and closer to 70 is better), and in extremely well ventilated cages. You still need to heat one side of the cage, of course.
I live in Houston, which is the humidity capitol of the US except for most of Florida. This formula has been successful without fail. In fact, it surprises me that I've had better success with them then even the most prominent breeders in my area!
Come to think of it, it gets pretty damned humid in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama as well. And I remember a week I spent in Northern Virginia a few years ago. I recall thinking that my Houston wardrobe was perfect for that weather. I guess I should retract my statement about Houston's humidity, but I'll definitely challenge anyone to find a more humid spot in the US!
Cheers!

Soaking in pedy is probably a good idea.If you cant get small enough pinkies just use the heads.Getting a couple small meals into your rat can make a big difference.I remember when you had the problem with your bairds.I had an adult shipped last year and had a problem with regurges also.The stress from the shipping threw her all outta whack.I let her brumate and gave her a couple small meals and now she is back on track.
Pinkies are easier to cut when there froze and you can segment a pinky for further feedings if you have to.
Ive heard some people say high humidity has messed there snakes up.I have 3 bairds it doesnt bother.Humidity shouldnt even mess with your rat.Just remember to keep her in a quite place and no vibration or handling.If it's stress related this should help...Paul

Well i soaked her in a 50/50 water/pedialyte mixture last night then put a smaller water bowl (still big enough for her to get into if she wanted) into her cage with a 50/50 water/pedialyte mixture in it. Tonight i'll soak her again. I really don't think i'm going to have a problem getting her to start eating... if she would eat something that huge I dont think she'd have a problem eating something thats a good size for her (at least I'm hoping...)

thanks again,
chris
-----
-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

Hey guys, I am sorry to say this but most of what has been said makes no sense. Some of the advice even sounds a little dangerous for the snake.

First, lets talk about Pedialyte. This is an electrolyte and glucose balanced liquid that is designed for fast absorption by our system. It is useful for persons with a high risk of dehydration, especially children with diarrhea. (For those of you who don’t know, diarrhea results when your large intestine fails to reabsorb liquids.) Pedialyte is taken orally. As far as I know, snakes, like humans, do not absorb sugars or electrolytes thru their skins. Soaking your snake in Pedialyte will only provide bacteria with nourishment. This could lead to artificially high levels of bacteria on the snakes skin and a risk of infection due to the high bacteria counts.

Diluting Pedialyte is not recommended. Doing this destroys the balanced concentrations of the sugars and electrolytes that make the liquid so easy for the body to absorb.

If you are afraid that your snake is dehydrated, give it fluids orally. I don’t think giving the snake Pedialyte will hurt him. If you suspect that your snake is very dehydrated, take it to a vet and have him give your snake sterile fluids under its skin.

I fail to see a connection between a singular instance of regurgitation caused by feeding a healthy snake oversized prey and high risk of dehydration. If the snake has fresh clean spring water to drink at all times, it should be just fine.

Links: http://www.pedialyte.com/faqresources/faq.cfm

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question565.htm

I was wondering just why they were suggesting to dilute the pedialyte and to soak her. I basically figured that by soaking her she'd be somewhat forced to drink some of it. I was also wondering why after 1 regurg, only due to a food item too large, she would be that dehydrated. It commonly happens in nature, especially if they just ate and feel threatened. All they'll do at that point is to go find a stream or something to get water from.

I did rinse her off after I soaked her the one time, I didn't think it would be that great to leave the pedialyte on her body.

We live on the outskirts of town and we are actually on an artesian well, so I just give him water out of the tap. No water softener or anything, it's just pure underground spring water. (to me it's better than bottled water you buy.)
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-Chris

The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

Elaphefan has a great post. Much was said that I had planned on saying while reading through this thread.

Regurgition does alter your snake's electrolyte balance, and he/she will be slightly dehydrated (less than 1%) from it. Since this is an isolated incident from a larger prey item, your snake will be able to compensate fine without help. Offer plenty of water of course.

Sorry I didn't read your post carefully and did not see the post below giving more history. I have always diluted pedilite or gatorade when I used it but with no real reason except that if soaking a animal in a concentrated solution it seemed better. I had always had good luck with this and I am a childless guy so I don't have a reason to use pedilite normally. I did hear my mom tell my sister to dilute the stuff with water for my nephew and that might be where I got it from.LOL Well sorry for not reading your post more carefully.
Thansk Jason

Ive used it to rehydrate dragons and monitors with no ill effects.If his rat isnt dangerously dehydrated I woudlnt use it at all.I just hopped in on the post and thought things were worse than they were...Paul