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Digestion question?

Sarah1228

Sarah1228

New member
I know most snakes digest within 48 hrs. Have some snakes taken longer then that? What's the longest period you should wait to where its still considered safe to see a lump? And past what time would it be considered a feeding issue if the lump is still there? What would you expect to happen after that then?
 
2 days would be pretty fast, depending on the size of the food item. Is it a baby or adult? What did it eat and how big in relation to the snake?
 
I was just asking as a general question. I'm trying to learn as much as possible. What if it was a juvenile? Or Adult and it ate prey that's a size up from its normal food?
 
Most of my snakes digest between 3 and 4 days. I keep there warm side hides between 83-84Deg and they spend just about the whole time inside that hide. I give an extra 2 days past that 4th before I feed again just to be sure. I weigh in all my snakes before and after feeding and record that, On the next feeding I can see if my snakes are putting on weight and at what rate.
I weigh my mice and can adjust how much my snakes take in. This is a lot of work, I do however feel its important to take the extra steps to insure the healthy growth of my pets. This method isn't the only way and its not foolproof. I will say this tho I have never had health issues with my snakes and there vet visits prove they are rite where they should be for size, age and weight. This is what works for me it may not be for everyone vet visits are not cheap but they are a must to make sure you have healthy long living pets.

Joe
 
epicdoom said:
Most of my snakes digest between 3 and 4 days. I keep there warm side hides between 83-84Deg and they spend just about the whole time inside that hide. I give an extra 2 days past that 4th before I feed again just to be sure. I weigh in all my snakes before and after feeding and record that, On the next feeding I can see if my snakes are putting on weight and at what rate.
I weigh my mice and can adjust how much my snakes take in. This is a lot of work, I do however feel its important to take the extra steps to insure the healthy growth of my pets. This method isn't the only way and its not foolproof. I will say this tho I have never had health issues with my snakes and there vet visits prove they are rite where they should be for size, age and weight. This is what works for me it may not be for everyone vet visits are not cheap but they are a must to make sure you have healthy long living pets.

Joe
Click to expand...

Wow, that is a lot of work but your right. You want to insure the proper care for your snakes.

I've noticed with mine, they always digest (or I never see the lump) within the 48 hrs. And two things, the warmer the temp (like 88 over 85) the faster they digest. And obviously if I move up a prey size it takes an extra day longer to digest.

I just wanted to know what would be considered out of the norm if you still see a food lump (after what # day would be considered room to worry), and would they regurgitate if its been in their stomach too long?
 
I like the temp I run because I have never had a regurg at those temps I'm also considering that super fast digestion possibly lets nutrients pass. IDK. I try to consider how it would be naturally for the snake in the wild. I have had a few low and high temp regurg's. was with Rat snakes and 1 Python knowing there high and low temp I chose to use the middle of the road approach my thought is if I'm 1 deg higher or lower its still in an acceptable range. After 2 days the lump in my snakes is gone but there is still something in the stomach you can see this by candle lighting any light color snakes such as snows and blizzards. After 4 days I see nothing there anymore. and they are usually active outside the hides looking or hunting I give another 2 days when I see this and then feed them. I have no answers to how long before they regurg my guess is that would depend on other factors as well such as stress. I had a ball python regurgitate because another python rite next to him kept tearing up his viv I had to fix it back up every couple of hours I think the jossling around in the next viv stressed him out he had just eaten 9 hours before it all started I ended up moving him to another location. I wish I knew what his malfunction was he would flip his water bowl and hide push substrate into one end of the viv knock over climbing branches. I ended up renaming him hellion this went on for 3 days. I took him to the vet and he was unable to determine any problems. Was insane he wasn't biting or anything just tearing stuff up.
 
I have one snake that is very active after she digests and is out and about. The other, well he very rarely comes out of his hide unless to drink or poop! Lol their warm side temps always are between 85-88, all though during digestion times I like to keep it around 88 because I feel they digest better when the temp is higher. I've never had a regurge or issue like that (keep my fingers crossed), but I would still like to be prepared for a health issue like that.
 
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