Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok well I hgave a columboin red tail boa....She is 2ft. and almost 3/4inch girth. I gave her a small mouse and she regurgiated it a few hours later...Now i did pick her up after feedingonly to see how big the lump was...but only for a second....then she went back in her cage and wedjed tightly around a rock think thats why she did it? Or is the prey item too big? Should I just stick to hoppers until she gets around 30" Also shpould i feed her again tomorow?
thansk
Mike

I am not a vet, but here you go.....

First, don't feed this snake tomorrow. Wait atleast 3 weeks to feed again. What kind of cage do you have it in? What are your temps on the hot side of the cage, and the cold side? What humidity do you have? I feel the biggest reason for gurging is probably improper husbandry.

I would soak the snake in a pedialite/water solution. The biggest thing you will be fighting over the next few weeks is keeping the animal hydrated. I would also mix a product called nutribac into the water (nutribac.com). It is good bacteria that aids the digestive system.

3 weeks later I would try a rat pink. If your husbandry is 100% you should not have this happen again. Feed every 2 weeks for atleast 2 months, and countinue with the smaller pray for awhile.

There is also a chance your animal has parasites, I would take the animal to the vet to get his/her opinion along with a fecal wash.

Hope this helps

I agree with the previous post. Along with the ambient hot and cool side temperatures also check your "hot spot" temperature. It’s useful to keep a temp. gun when keeping reptiles. Also, sounds like your boa may be new to your collection. It is always better to start with less handling and increase it as time goes on, same with the size of the prey. Whenever I pick up a new baby boa, I like to start it off on smaller sized prey and increase the prey size as I start feeling more confident about the boa and see a few good digestions. I usually don’t handle my boas for at least 2 days after feeding. I know many people have different methods that work for them but I’ve never had regurgitation problems and this system has worked great for me. I hope this helps.

I am not a vet. While I am not disagreeing with the last two post, as they are correct, there is another possibility. I have a 6’ wc redtail that will regurge if handled enough to stress her; even days after feeding. This is usually the result of her coming in contact with her own fecal matter and needing to be cleaned. My husbandry is consistent and I do not have problems with other animals. This happened twice before I figured it out (yeah I know, slow learner). Handle the animal a lot less, especially after feeding; up to one week after feeding. I am firmly convinced my animal regurges as a result of stress and nothing else. Handle your boa much less.

Feeding your animal smaller prey may prevent a regurge as the item will be digested faster and there will be nothing to regurge, but the stress that caused the regurge will still be there. Work on the problem as well as solving the symptom.

Leave the animal alone for two weeks, then try feeding an undersized prey item and leave the animal alone for another week. I know how stressed this can make you feel; everything is going to work out. Keep us posted.

Good luck,
Al

A single regurge is nothing to be overly concerned with. The most healthy snakes will regurge from time to time.

Many factors can trigger it as well. Number one rule is never handle the animal during or after feeding. Snakes can be stressed out very easily. Even though you only handled her for a second that very well could have been enough stress to cause the regurge.

Hot and cold spots in the cage are also a contributing factor. Always make sure your habitat's temperature is even. No overly hot or cold areas etc.

I would not be worried at this point though. You should try to feed here again in about a week to 2 weeks. During this time you can still handle her.

I always feed my snakes in a seperate container (except my large boa) I do have to move them from the feeding container back to their own cage. This is done carefully with good support and minimal contact. I know this is not "handling" Just thought I'd add my $.02

I then leave them alone for at least a few days to a week. I do check my cages every day for messes and will move them to clean if I have to but only as little as necessary.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12.100 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

My post is just stating the fact that it "could be" the handling. I have seen many snakes re-gurge after being moved or handled right after eating.

I'm not saying that is the issue with this particular problem though. It could be a factor though. He still needs to add it to the "check list" to narrow down the problem before he goes and spends money on a Vet that probably doesn't know anything about snakes.

Re-gurge check list:
1. Stress factor
2. Heat
3. Lack of heat
4. Too large prey item
5. Parasites

All things to consider IMO.

Agreed, just pointing out some "handling" may be necessary after feeding and as long as done with care should not be a factor. Of course ther is always an exception and if that's the case, then feeding in a seperate container would not be good for that animal.
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife
0.2 kids
4.12.100 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
1.1 Ball python
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

And something you need to be cautious of. Also, you need a temp gradient is very important in maintaining reptiles. One gurge can easily kill a snake.......

Explain how one gurge can kill a snake?

I have never seen any snake die after or due to a one time re-gurge. Unless we are talking about a severly sick imported animal.

Regurges can cause a boa to get severly dehydrated and in a young boa can kill it in a short period of time after just one regurge. It happened to me a few years back, I posted here and was told it was no big deal and to feed in a week or 2 the boa never got to the first week, after having her body examined by a vet he determined that dehydration killed my boa as it appeared healthy and had no parasites. So yes 1 regurge can kill a boa.
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True Redtails

Unique situation. I have dealt with hundreds of boas over the years and can't recall that ever happening to a captive born animal. Granted any animal that regurged would be isolated and kept under a close watch, but I've never had one die of dehydration due to the regurge.

Did the animal not take in water after the incident? Or show signs of a drastic decline in health?

Regurgitation can lead to severe dehydration (as they loose the majority of their digestive fluids). This can cause vital organs to fail. Also, you sometimes notice bad bacteria levels go up drastically after regurge.......