| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| NexivRed |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 14:06:31
Okay so Ophion has regurged her mouse from end of last week. This is the fourth in a row and the second one that looks almost whole.
Background info on Ophion was she was sold to me as a 2010, but only around 30g. They were feeding her one rat pup ever 5-7 days at this point.
I changed to pinkies, then two pinkies, then fluffs and then small mice. She's had numerous sheds with me and has grown a lot in length. She always remained slender however.
She's a bit iffy to feed. She never strikes or shows interest, and prefers it to be left in a small tub and then for that tub to be covered up.
So what's the next stage? She's looking very thin and very lethargic and I'm worried I'm gonna lose her  Should the next stage to be to offer her smaller food? Her temps have been perfect since she took this mouse, and I also covered her RUB up so she had privacy.
Should I perhaps go right back to pinkies with her? She's so thin now I swear they're probably the right size!
I don't know what to do. She was my first corn snake and she's so beautiful and gentle |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Foxtrotsierra |
Posted - 03/04/2013 : 10:31:33
NexivRed my little girl is a lot younger than yours but a known regurger (something I didn't find out until I got her home). I have had a couple of great tips from the vet with regards to her, and I am sure that the better and much more well informed members will tell you if what I am about to say is wrong, but this is what my herp vet told me.
Take Ophion's water dish away for the day, and then pop some reptiboost in the next, so that she will be thirsty and is guaranteed to drink. I am in no position to help with prey sizes, but some reptiboost might help get her gut flora up and running again.
Have you changed your supply for her food? I found that changing my supply for Cathy has stopped the regurges (hopefully for good). She was fed on pinkies from a large pet store chain and I have swapped to a smaller outlet and she really does seem to prefer that.
Will have everything crossed for you both, and please let us know how she gets on  |
| Kellog |
Posted - 03/04/2013 : 03:34:10
It is probably a good idea to move her RUB, to try to avoid any added stress.....I would have thought having a kitten sit on top of your RUB is fairly stressful for a snake who's not feeling great!
With the thermometer probe is it inside the hide, meaning that she lies on it? If so, her body heat will be messing with the reading so it needs to be moved.
I do still wonder about the lack of digestion after such a long time. It will be interesting to see if there is a difference when you move her onto something smaller.
Please let us know how she's doing after the next feed.
Xxx
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| NexivRed |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 23:01:22
Her RUB is in our second bedroom so no traffic. That room does house the cats' water and litter boxes though and I caught my kitten sitting on her RUB. That's why I put a shirt over it for the last feed and something on top that stops her sitting there, but I have an extra heat mat (she shares a large one atm) and thermostat, so I may change her position and put her inside the unit rather than on top of it. That way she has total seclusion whilst we address this issue. |
| Georgina |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 22:52:02
I would leave it 14 days as its been so many. I would cover the rub and give as much peace and quite as possible. Is the rub in a high traffic area? Near a telly? Loud music. Regurges are 8/10 normally because if external issue. I would go to pinkies and keep it at one for atleast 3 weeks I would then go to doubles for 3 and then fluffs for 3 then back onto smalls. |
| NexivRed |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 22:29:02
Probe is taped down between the heat mat and the RUB. I have a digital thermometer that's inside the RUB, fastened down with wire ties and weighted down with the hide. It's right where she lies so records an accurate temp there. I found this the easiest way to do things because the thermostat never heats the mat to what it says it does anyway.
There's a variation of substrate depth inside her hide as well, so she can either sit directly on the RUB floor, or on top of some substrate. She's always stayed in the warm. The mice don't look decayed aferwards by the way. They're still white. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 22:01:16
It's likely she may have pooed, but small and therefore lost in the substrate. It's another reason to move her onto kitchen roll, you'll see exactly what she's doing and be able to get a 'clean' sample.
Don't beat yourself up about not thinking to bring her down a prey size. Took me a couple of regurges before I did....and that was following advice. Kept putting it down to a 'one-off'.
It does seem a bit strange....it's past the 48hrs stage but the regurge is still recognisable as a mouse. I would have expected it to be more digested unless digestion has been slowed, maybe by low temps but you say they're fine. How are you measuring them? Where are the probes for the hermat and thermometer, if you've got one?I know one of Silvi's regurges was after she spent most of her time in the cool hide....so I started taking it out for the first 48hrs, to force her to stay in the warm.
Xxx
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| NexivRed |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 21:47:57
No, no poos. Her last two mice have still looked like mice, y'know? The regurges have happened around 3-4 days after the feed and the temps have never been below 27 or above 30. I wish they stayed bang on 20 though, although I've given her a largeish hide for her size so there's a bit of a gradient inside it. She also has a hide in the cool end, although for the last mouse her RUB was completely covered with a shirt.
Thanks for the regurge link, VERY helpful. I hadn't read that before.
I just wish I'd thought of giving her smaller prey three weeks ago. Feel like I've put her through this unnecessarily. Still a lot to learn about keeping snakes I guess. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 20:33:39
I've been where you are Jennifer, so know how horrible it is....the feeding, then the waiting, then coming down in the morning and finding that pile that you've been dreading and smells so awful .
Definitely leave the 10 days, it's a necessity for Ophion's gut to recover. And definitely drop down a size, it's what I did with Silvi. Landed up having to move her up by grams rather than prey size, but hopefully you won't have to do that. I put Powerade in her water, needed something quick and couldn't get hold of Reptoboost. It works as well.
Am assuming you've read through Regurgitation or regurge .
I also put Silvi on kitchen roll and sent a faecal sample to PALS to check for parasites. They were very helpful, it was easy to do, cheaper and quicker than getting a vet to do it, and set my mind at rest.
Do hope Ophion recovers.
Xxx
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| Razee |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 20:19:44
Has she pooped at all? I'm asking, because I've just had Baz's poop checked for parasites - if your vet can do an " in house " poop analysis, it costs very little ( mine was just under £10 , because they don't have to send it off ) - it's well worth for the peace of mind. You can also take the regurgitated mouse in, and they can get a culture off that, too, though I don't know, how much that would cost. |
| Moppet |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 17:45:49
I would have said time to vet, but if you've only been leaving a week between attempts maybe leaving 10 days or 2 weeks will fix it, especially if you give her a smaller mouse. If one of my snakes regurges I give them at least a size down from the mouse they regurged and only after 10 days from the regurge. Seems to sort them out quite reliably. Good luck. |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 17:04:59
Hopefully a bit longer to recover followed by a smaller meal will sort it out Nexiv, fingers crossed! |
| NexivRed |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 17:03:03
Okay, I'll try Sunday then as that will have been 10 days. Thanks for the advice, always something to learn! :) |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 16:53:21
Nexiv, I didn't say this earlier as I thought you would know, but you need to leave at least 10 days after a regurge to allow the stomach acids to recover - maybe that's the reason for the repeated regurges?
Reptoboost in the water would be a good idea too (didn't think of that earlier either lol!) |
| NexivRed |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 16:28:35
I'm definitely gonna try with smaller prey. I'll put her on kitchen roll. I've been waiting a week between food so I'll offer a fuzzy at the end of this week. I'm just wondering if perhaps one of the smalls I gave her (her first regurge) was perhaps too big and it's been a downward spiral ever since then with her becoming less and less able to digest such large prey.
One more regurge and it'll be off to the vets. I'm lucky in that there's a reptile specialist at my vets round the corner.
In the meantime is there any other way I can give her a bit of nutrition or energy? |
| smart bunny |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 15:53:28
Oh no, so sorry to hear she is having trouble. I don't have anything to suggest I'm afraid other than agree about dropping back to to fuzzies. Just wanted to wish you all the best, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her. I think vets is probably what I would do if a fuzzie is not successful next feed as regurges are in a lot of ways more worrying than refusals, as at least you still have the assist option with refusals. I hope she is OK Nexiv xxx |
| herriotfan |
Posted - 02/04/2013 : 15:28:55
Has she lost weight? Has she pooed since her last proper feed? If not I'd try to get a poo sample and have it checked for parasites.
You could try her with pinkies again but they hold little nutritional value, fuzzy/fluffs would be better if she could cope.
You'll need to leave her for around 10 days for her gut to get back to it's normal balances before you can feed her again.
I would be keeping her on kitchen roll while she's got a digestive issue.
It means you can check the paper every day for any signs of discharge from either end.
Also you could leave her in her home when you feed her so she doesn't need to be handled at all.
All that said, if she belonged to me I would take her to the nearest reptile vet.
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