I got my snake last thursday. They told me that she usually eats 2 pinkies every thursday, but did not eat that morning. I got her to eat one pinkie that night and she did fine with it. I gave her one sunday night and it went down just fine. This morning I found it in her cage. Is she possibly going into shed? From what I have read on here it is possiblem but her coloring/eyes doesnt look any different.
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Shedding/regurgitation question
- Thread starter cobra314
- Start date
Sometimes corns will regurge if they are fed during the shed cycle. But there are lots of possible reasons for them to regurge. Some of the others are being feed too large of a prey item, being fed again too soon, being handled or otherwise stressed while they are still digesting, or having temps that aren't warm enough to digest properly.
It is highly recommended when you get a new snake that you give it a week or so to settle in to its new home before you attempt to feed it. This is related to the fact that stress can cause a regurge, and it can also cause them to just refuse to eat.
The fact that you fed your snake while it was still settling in, and/or the fact that you gave it 2 meals too close together (I never feed more often than every 5 days) may have led to the regurge, or it may be related to the shed cycle, or it may be that the snake wasn't healthy when you got it. We'll probably never know.
Now that she has regurged, you need to follow the regurge protocol to get her healthy again. Regurges can be very dangerous to snakes, and it is very important that she does not regurge again.
- The first step is to make sure you have a proper enclosure with the appropriate temps and plenty of hiding places, since improper temps or stress can lead to the regurge.
- Wait at least 10 days before you try to feed her again to give her digestive system a chance to return to normal. During this time leave her alone as much as possible. Don't handle her unless it is necessary for tank maintenance. Don't hover over her enclosure looking at her, etc. I know it is hard when you have a new pet, but it is important.
- When you do feed her again, offer her a smaller than usual meal. Since she regurged after a meal of only one pinkie (although one could argue it was 2 pinkies just spread out a little more than usual...better to go smaller and be safe), I suggest you offer only a pinkie head. If you cut off the head while it is still frozen, it won't be messy. If you are feeding live, buy one a day in advance, and put it in your freezer. It is considered humane to freeze them when they are that little.
- Consider ordering NutriBac, which is a probiotic and can help their gut flora return to normal. I consider it optional if a snake has had only one regurge, but a necessity if a snake has 2 regurges.
- Assuming the pinkie head stays down, continue feeding small feedings that are at least 5 days apart, and gradually increase the size of the feedings until she is back up to her proper sized meal.
- If at any time during the regurge protocol something comes up to make you need to change the feeding schedule, such as going out of town for the weekend when she's due to be fed on Saturday, choose to delay and slow things down instead of feeding early. Similarly, if she goes into shed, wait until after she has shed to feed her (you should probably do this as a general rule anyway). Missing a meal or 2 sounds horrible to humans, but it really isn't a big deal to a healthy snake, and having another regurge would be far worse for her.
Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask more questions!
It is highly recommended when you get a new snake that you give it a week or so to settle in to its new home before you attempt to feed it. This is related to the fact that stress can cause a regurge, and it can also cause them to just refuse to eat.
The fact that you fed your snake while it was still settling in, and/or the fact that you gave it 2 meals too close together (I never feed more often than every 5 days) may have led to the regurge, or it may be related to the shed cycle, or it may be that the snake wasn't healthy when you got it. We'll probably never know.
Now that she has regurged, you need to follow the regurge protocol to get her healthy again. Regurges can be very dangerous to snakes, and it is very important that she does not regurge again.
- The first step is to make sure you have a proper enclosure with the appropriate temps and plenty of hiding places, since improper temps or stress can lead to the regurge.
- Wait at least 10 days before you try to feed her again to give her digestive system a chance to return to normal. During this time leave her alone as much as possible. Don't handle her unless it is necessary for tank maintenance. Don't hover over her enclosure looking at her, etc. I know it is hard when you have a new pet, but it is important.
- When you do feed her again, offer her a smaller than usual meal. Since she regurged after a meal of only one pinkie (although one could argue it was 2 pinkies just spread out a little more than usual...better to go smaller and be safe), I suggest you offer only a pinkie head. If you cut off the head while it is still frozen, it won't be messy. If you are feeding live, buy one a day in advance, and put it in your freezer. It is considered humane to freeze them when they are that little.
- Consider ordering NutriBac, which is a probiotic and can help their gut flora return to normal. I consider it optional if a snake has had only one regurge, but a necessity if a snake has 2 regurges.
- Assuming the pinkie head stays down, continue feeding small feedings that are at least 5 days apart, and gradually increase the size of the feedings until she is back up to her proper sized meal.
- If at any time during the regurge protocol something comes up to make you need to change the feeding schedule, such as going out of town for the weekend when she's due to be fed on Saturday, choose to delay and slow things down instead of feeding early. Similarly, if she goes into shed, wait until after she has shed to feed her (you should probably do this as a general rule anyway). Missing a meal or 2 sounds horrible to humans, but it really isn't a big deal to a healthy snake, and having another regurge would be far worse for her.
Good luck, and don't hesitate to ask more questions!
Nanci
Alien Lover
So now she needs to not eat for 8-10 days. Order Nutribac from Kathy Love and put that on all her meals for the next several months. Her next meal should be half a pink, followed by 2/3, followed by one, followed by one and 1/3, followed by two.
Do you have a weight on her? I'm not even sure she is big enough for double pinks.
Do you have a weight on her? I'm not even sure she is big enough for double pinks.
I don't have a weight on her but I do know that she was over 3 months old and 20 inches when I got her. She had been at the store since January. She was eating 2 pinkies every thursday and did not eat the morning that I got her. When she ate the first one on Thursday it was fine and she pooped on Sunday. When I found the second pinkie this morning it did not look like she had digested it at all. It may have also been because of her tank location. My kids were playing near her vivarium yesterday and that may have distressed her. I will put all of the recommended information that you guys have given me into action and am planning to relocate her tank within the next day or so.
Thanks for all of the information!
smigon
Old enough to know better
Definitely get a scale. A digital one that weighs in 1/10 grams is ideal, you can weigh your snake and its food to see if you are on the right size meal.
This is the one I use and it is great. I weigh all my snakes before they eat and keep a record of all weights, sheds, when they go into blue, what size meal they ate, and any other incident that I might want to note on.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJFJDGS/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is the one I use and it is great. I weigh all my snakes before they eat and keep a record of all weights, sheds, when they go into blue, what size meal they ate, and any other incident that I might want to note on.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FJFJDGS/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Often, after a regurge, the problem isn't getting them to swallow the mouse, it is getting it to stay down and get properly digested.
If your snake does ok with this meal, remember its digestive system is not fully recovered yet, and go slowly. I would feed small meals for the next few feedings.
If your snake does ok with this meal, remember its digestive system is not fully recovered yet, and go slowly. I would feed small meals for the next few feedings.
She is driving me crazy. She looks healthy, drinks regularly, but still has not shed, is not blue, and will not eat regularly. I will be glad when I get to where I know all of this stuff. As far as I can tell from all of the reading that I have done and people that I have talked to I am doing everything right.
Nythain
New member
It's been a few weeks between your previous post and this one. What do you mean by "will not eat regularly"? Has she regurged again after that first time? Is she just not interested in food? Is she not eating both pinkies?
As far as shedding goes, this will continuously drive you crazy if you continuously try to anticipate or schedule it. Snakes shed when they need to. Not when you want them to or not on the third day of the second week of every month or any set "schedule". Shedding needs are based on growth rates, which are variable from snake to snake and even an individual snake will grow at different rates throughout it's life. So don't stress the lack of a shed yet. Eventually you will pick up the pre-shed signs and behavior of your snake so you'll more easily know when it's about to happen. But even then, you'd be hard pressed to fit it into any specific schedule.
She has not eaten in 2 weeks. All she does when I go to feed her is smell the pinkie and then she goes away from it. After that she just tries to find a way out of the feeding container. From the feeding chart that they gave me she had eaten every week from Jan 16th to the end of Feb. On the morning of March 6th before I got her she had started having feeding issues. It is frustrating.
Nythain
New member
Trust me, I understand the frustration. Have you tried the various methods of enticement? Slit or brained the pinky? Made sure the pinky was warmer than room temperature? Done the zombie pinky dance? A last resort would be trying to "scent" the pinky with something more enticing like rat or chick.
Also, how often are you re-trying? Attempting too many times too soon *can* (definitely not always) lead to refusal behavior being learned. As long as she's active, drinking, and not losing weight there's probably no reason for concern. Many different snakes of all species will notoriously go "off feed" for a plethora of reasons. And a snake missing a meal (even though they are 'far apart' by out standards) is till just missing a meal. Like you skipping breakfast or lunch. Not the end of the world.
Given that she has regurged less than a month ago though, you really need to be approaching all of this with care and caution. Still not sure if she kept down the feeding attempt after the regurge or not. But even if she did, you have to take it slow and easy for them to completely recover.
Also, how often are you re-trying? Attempting too many times too soon *can* (definitely not always) lead to refusal behavior being learned. As long as she's active, drinking, and not losing weight there's probably no reason for concern. Many different snakes of all species will notoriously go "off feed" for a plethora of reasons. And a snake missing a meal (even though they are 'far apart' by out standards) is till just missing a meal. Like you skipping breakfast or lunch. Not the end of the world.
Given that she has regurged less than a month ago though, you really need to be approaching all of this with care and caution. Still not sure if she kept down the feeding attempt after the regurge or not. But even if she did, you have to take it slow and easy for them to completely recover.
I'd recommend double checking your temps. Also make sure she has hides available to her. Don't handle her more than the minimum required for tank maintenance until she is eating & keeping it down regularly. If she seems stressed (and refusing to eat pretty much counts as seeming stressed), consider cluttering up her enclosure with something like artificial foliage or even just crumbled newspaper or paper towels. Shy snakes (and most babies are shy) really seem to appreciate being able to feel halfway hidden even when they aren't in their hide.
If you've done all that, here are some more things to try:
If you are moving her into a separate enclosure for feeding, consider leaving her in her regular enclosure. Sometimes the stress of being handled or the strange location can make them not eat, but they'll be fine in their regular enclosure where they feel safe. If you are worried about substrate ingestion, you can try putting the food on a paper towel or something similar, but be aware she may grab it and drag it to where she wants to eat, so sometimes that doesn't work. Don't panic about it. I'm not aware of any evidence that the occasional ingestion of a few pieces of substrate cause any harm.
Make sure the pinky is REALLY hot, like you can drop it in boiling water for a few seconds, let it drip/cool for just a couple seconds, and then offer it to her.
If you do feed her in a separate container, make it something small and escape proof, and leave her in it and put the entire thing inside a paper bag over night.
If you are trying feeding her in her enclosure, put the pinky in her favorite hide, and leave it over night.
Also, unless the pet store has a great reputation and specializes in reptiles, you can't really trust what they told you, and even then you can't be sure. Sad, but pet stores are notoriously bad sources of information.
And finally, I know it is frustrating, but at least she hasn't regurged again! That's really good! It is not a big deal for a snake to miss a few meals, but even a single regurge is a fairly serious thing. So you are moving in the right direction!
If you've done all that, here are some more things to try:
If you are moving her into a separate enclosure for feeding, consider leaving her in her regular enclosure. Sometimes the stress of being handled or the strange location can make them not eat, but they'll be fine in their regular enclosure where they feel safe. If you are worried about substrate ingestion, you can try putting the food on a paper towel or something similar, but be aware she may grab it and drag it to where she wants to eat, so sometimes that doesn't work. Don't panic about it. I'm not aware of any evidence that the occasional ingestion of a few pieces of substrate cause any harm.
Make sure the pinky is REALLY hot, like you can drop it in boiling water for a few seconds, let it drip/cool for just a couple seconds, and then offer it to her.
If you do feed her in a separate container, make it something small and escape proof, and leave her in it and put the entire thing inside a paper bag over night.
If you are trying feeding her in her enclosure, put the pinky in her favorite hide, and leave it over night.
Also, unless the pet store has a great reputation and specializes in reptiles, you can't really trust what they told you, and even then you can't be sure. Sad, but pet stores are notoriously bad sources of information.
And finally, I know it is frustrating, but at least she hasn't regurged again! That's really good! It is not a big deal for a snake to miss a few meals, but even a single regurge is a fairly serious thing. So you are moving in the right direction!
I'm about ready to give up. This has been a month of nothing but frustration! She has not eaten since Mar 17 and shows no interest at all in eating when I offer it to her. She is not getting ready to shed. I took her to the vet yesterday and she is not impacted. They want a stool sample but since she hasn't eaten in 3 weeks there is nothing to poop out. I've read everything, talked to everyone….it's just not working.
MysticExotics
(formerly NWHeather)
Be patient. She needs to recover from the regurge.
She will be ok with a few missed meals.
You don't want to stress her out by trying too often to feed her.
She will be ok with a few missed meals.
You don't want to stress her out by trying too often to feed her.
I'm sorry you are feeling so frustrated. Try to apply a large dose of patience to the situation. I know she seems tiny and delicate at 18 grams, and for such a tiny & delicate thing to miss a few meals sounds just horrible. But snakes are designed to go long periods without eating, so these few meals she has missed aren't hurting her.
It is important to eliminate any sources of stress in her life that you can, as stressed snakes will often refuse to eat. Make sure her temps are right, she feels secure in her enclosure (at least 2 of the appropriate sized hides, and plenty of artificial foliage or something else to clutter up her tank so she can feel halfway hidden even when not in a hide), and leave her alone as much as possible. Don't handle her, and wait at least 5 days between feeding attempts.
It is important to eliminate any sources of stress in her life that you can, as stressed snakes will often refuse to eat. Make sure her temps are right, she feels secure in her enclosure (at least 2 of the appropriate sized hides, and plenty of artificial foliage or something else to clutter up her tank so she can feel halfway hidden even when not in a hide), and leave her alone as much as possible. Don't handle her, and wait at least 5 days between feeding attempts.
Murphysmummy
New member
Don't panic my baby Murphy went missing for over three weeks so didn't eat of drink his now packing on weight and just gone blue so all my worrying was over nothing! Zeus on the other hand my eleven month old is a picky feeder but we have mastered it now we get his mouse ready it goes in the tub he goes in next lid goes on the whole thing goes back in the Viv door gets locked and we walk away, sometimes it's ten minutes sometimes an hour later but he does eat it eventually! But in the time he is safe and stress free because in his mind his in his Viv! I did always worry when we first got him as he wouldn't eat but time and a lot of patience is all you need after a month he was eating them gave us a beautiful complete shed 
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Nythain
New member
^This. Save yourself and the snake a lot of unnecessary stress and just leave her be for a while. As long as the vet didn't say anything about her being grossly underweight or dehydrated then just let her recover on her own. Don't keep trying to feed her, the stress of it is just going to make her refuse more. And in very rare cases, an aversion to f/t feeding can actually end up being learned by the snake.