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I need some expert opinion before I go see a vet.

MilesHerp

MilesHerp

New member
Here it is. My new cornsnake diablo was given his first fuzzy a week ago. When I can back on monday he looked fine expect there was an unusually large block of feces or possibly barf (I think it was too big to be just a regular poop). It was stinky so I took it out and through it away. Then I checked the heat pad. It was not attached to the bottom of the tank although it was still providing heat. I put my hand where the heat should come up and it was warm but not too hot. When I called up my breeder he said that if the snake was trying to digest without good heat it could get suck and I need to go to the vet. The snake is acting fine and there is a possibility that the pile was just a regular bit of feces. Today I will soak the snake in water but do you guys think I need to go to the vet and if this is a problem what should I do to help the snake before we get medical help? Thanks and I appreciate all help.
 
your hand is Not a good thing to measure temps with. Our body temp is too high and what feels warm to us is quite often HOT to a snake. You need to get a temp probe and measure the heat that way.

as for being a regurg or poop..... there is a Definate differance in smell.

You dont say much about your set up but from what you have said, I would definately recheck your husbandry. Vet check cant hurt but with the unknown temp.... that can cause all kinds of problems.
 
Agreed. A Corn's ideal maximum temp is below human core body temp. As a very rough guide, you need the mat to feel cool or lukewarm to you. If it ever feels hot, then it's dangerous for the snake.

You do need to get a good thermometer (not one of the cardboard strip or dial types) and double-check your temps at floor level, immediately above the mat. Temps that are too high can also cause regurges. If the mat gets over 88 degrees then you need a way to control it like a thermostat, dimmer or rheostats. Most makes/models of mat get well over 110 degrees as they're designed to service a range of reptiles, some of which need higher temps.

The vet's first question is likely to be about temps at the cool and warm ends, so be prepared and have the info with you if you decide to go.

I wouldn't bother with soaking - I don't understand what that would achieve at this point in time, other than adding stress to a snake that sounds very much like he has regurged. Search this site for Kathy Love's Regurge Protocol - your little guy needs to be handled with kid gloves for the next few feeds and the Protocol will tell you exactly what to do and when.
 
Guys! I have a thermometer, I am not that bad of a reptile owner. It was a cable one and I put the measuring beacon where the heat pad was. Should have said that sorry.
 
MilesHerp said:
Guys! I have a thermometer, I am not that bad of a reptile owner. It was a cable one and I put the measuring beacon where the heat pad was. Should have said that sorry.
Click to expand...

Thats good. :) What was the temperature on the hot side and cold side? Have you seen a normal Poo from your snake, to compair that to this lump that you've found? Is this your first snake?
Good luck, Please keep us posted!
 
Yes, the lump is much bigger than the regular feces so I do believe it was regurgitated. The hot spot gets into the upper 80's and is in only one half of the log/hide.
 
From everything I've read, you need two hides, one on the warm side and one on the cool side. If the snake wants to hide, but can't escape the heat from the pad, couldn't that cause problems?

I'm pretty new at this, but I would follow the standard regurge protocol and monitor the snake very closely.
 
Thanks! The log is huge, half is on the cool side and half in the warm. The snake can easily thermo-regulate with it.
 
Snakes don't like huge hides very much. They like things like a piece of corkbark that they just lay under, with no space at all.
 
I would say a vet visit is not necessary. Sometimes a snake with just regurg without any real reason. Sometimes they are just scared. A shadowing or lighting scared him. To much traffic where he is at is another reason to scare him to regurg.

I suspect though that maybe the meal was just a little to big. I have one baby now that should be eating fuzzys by his size. But regurg everyone of them. He just cant handle the bigger food item yet. So I moved him back to small pinkies and he is fine. You should try and get day old (reds) pinkies for him.
 
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