urgent snake question

M_MULLINS

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
10
Ok so I've had my red tail boa for about six months and had no problems...... until now. The last two weeks I switched him from live to frozen thawed mice. He eats them but the next day I go in to check on him to find that he has regurgitated it. Now tonight I get him out to handle him and now he has an indent about half way down his spine. Any & all help would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm using my phone so it won't let me upload a pic sorry.
 

LeilaNami

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
2,164
Ok so I've had my red tail boa for about six months and had no problems...... until now. The last two weeks I switched him from live to frozen thawed mice. He eats them but the next day I go in to check on him to find that he has regurgitated it. Now tonight I get him out to handle him and now he has an indent about half way down his spine. Any & all help would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm using my phone so it won't let me upload a pic sorry.
Was the mouse 100% thawed when you fed him?
 

M_MULLINS

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
10
Yes I made absolutely sure it was completely thawed. That was my reason for not feeding him frozen thawed mice in the first place so made sure I didn't. Feed him a half frozen mouse. That still doesn't explain the indentation on his back. I handle him often but haven't in the last couple dqys because I've been busy at work.
 

jere000

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
106
The indentation sounds like the space between where each spinal section connects it could be because she is loosing weight, it sounds like your not thawing them all the way I would suggest putting the mouse in a tub of warm water for like 2-3 hours that way it's guaranteed thawed then dumping that water and putting more warm water in there to heat the mouse up, also wait about 3 weeks until you feed the little guy again when they puke it puts there body through a lot and after that 3 weeks feed him a smaller prey size to make sure his body can handle the food and then slowly switch him back to the size prey he was at.Also I would recommend getting him on rats.
 

M_MULLINS

Arachnopeon
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May 11, 2010
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10
The packaging said to sit it in hot water for 30 minutes. I put it in for an hour just to make sure. Its not big enough for rats its only a little over a foot long.
 

jere000

Arachnosquire
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Aug 22, 2010
Messages
106
The packaging said to sit it in hot water for 30 minutes. I put it in for an hour just to make sure. Its not big enough for rats its only a little over a foot long.
All boas but locality boas can eat rats from birth get her a rat pup or fuzzy or pinky or what ever and I have never been able to thaw a rat in 1hr, so i have a feeling they were not thawed just do what i did, also what are your temps and humidity at?
 

myrmecophile

Arachnolord
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Dec 22, 2006
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654
I am curious about this comment.." All boas but locality boas can eat rats from birth" Why would they not be able to eat rats from birth??

I do agree it is likely a thaw issue however double check your temps and humidity. I have never had humidity cause regurging but temps certainly can.
No idea about the apparent defect you are seeing but it could be something genetic you are now able to see as the snake is losing weight. Pics would help.
 

Dyn

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Oct 5, 2009
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All boas but locality boas can eat rats from birth
That doesnt make sense what so ever. All boas are locality boas. Locale is just where they originate from. Columbia, Guyana, Suriname, Nicaragua all of those are common locales. It is true you shouldnt feed BCC boas bigger meals because they are prone to regurge.

Can you get some pictures of the indentation in its back? Also how big is the mouse you are feeding him? Can you try a smaller one probably smaller than he is around.
 

jere000

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Aug 22, 2010
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106
People don't consider all boas locality boas, what i should have said were dwarf boas such as cay caulker, Central american, etc they're to small to eat rats from birth sorry for the confusion there.
 

M_MULLINS

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
10
I had a total brain fart when you said to feed him rats I was thinkin full grown rats. Ill try him on rats next week. I can't get any pics to upload because I'm using my cell phone.
 

jere000

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
106
I had a total brain fart when you said to feed him rats I was thinkin full grown rats. Ill try him on rats next week. I can't get any pics to upload because I'm using my cell phone.
Can you not read man lol i said wait 3 weeks before you feed him again and feed him a small meal.
 

sharpfang

Arachnoangel
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It is true you shouldnt feed BCC boas bigger meals because they are prone to regurge.

Can you try a smaller one probably smaller than he is around.
feed him a small meal.
I will Agree here.....

...Feed smaller meals for longer then would seem nec. I have almost never fed Rosy Boas one Lg. meal, generally 2-4 smaller Rat Pups. Rare for me to have a Re-gurge, but when happens.....usually from younger specimen, that I had to use a borderline appropriate sized meal :eek:

As far as the Indent, I don't surmise from info, that it has anything to do w/ the meals :? Could possibly be the cause, could she have been injured somehow ?

Hope that helps tiny bit :cool: GL :) - Jason
 
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jere000

Arachnosquire
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Aug 22, 2010
Messages
106
I will Agree here.....

...Feed smaller meals for longer then would seem nec. I have almost never fed Rosy Boas one Lg. meal, generally 2-4 smaller Rat Pups. Rare for me to have a Re-gurge, but when happens.....usually from younger specimen, that I had to use a borderline appropriate sized meal :eek:

As far as the Indent, I don't surmise from info, that it has anything to do w/ the meals :? Could possibly be the cause, could she have been injured somehow ?

Hope that helps tiny bit :cool: GL :) - Jason
No I mean one rat that is smaller then what he generally eats, feeding multiple prey items is hard for them to digest so especially after a regurge i wouldn't recommend multiple prey items.The smaller prey item is just to make sure his digestive system is back on full really.For DYN yes it's generally recommended to feed them a small meal compared to their Bci counter parts.
 

sharpfang

Arachnoangel
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Laugh Out Loud

No I mean one rat that is smaller then what he generally eats, feeding multiple prey items is hard for them to digest so especially after a regurge i wouldn't recommend multiple prey items.The smaller prey item is just to make sure his digestive system is back on full really.For DYN yes it's generally recommended to feed them a small meal compared to their Bci counter parts.
What I meant & feel described, was to NORMALLY feed multiple prey items that are much smaller, and easier to DIGEST - seems we differ on that Opinion :rolleyes: That is O.K. though :D:D:D Just tryin' 2 Help *Tee-Hee*
 

jere000

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Aug 22, 2010
Messages
106
What I meant & feel described, was to NORMALLY feed multiple prey items that are much smaller, and easier to DIGEST - seems we differ on that Opinion :rolleyes: That is O.K. though :D:D:D
I feel debate coming on?lol J/K I honestly feel that feeding a bunch of small rats is harder for them to digest NORMALLY then one appropriate sized rodent but since your talking rosies and I'm talking red tails maybe there's a difference?
 

sharpfang

Arachnoangel
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I feel debate coming on?lol J/K I honestly feel that feeding a bunch of small rats is harder for them to digest NORMALLY then one appropriate sized rodent but since your talking rosies and I'm talking red tails maybe there's a difference?
LOL - You are Funny, And I am Silly :p

ONLY difference would be the size of snakes in Boid family, thus the proportional percentage wise size, of the prey items :cool:

I could be wrong I suppose Jere, but I have ALWAYS been under the Impression, and of the Opinion after 14 years of keeping Boas, that multiple smaller food items, are EASIER to Digest, then ONE Lg. MEAL :cool:

Let me go try to eat a Watermelon WHOLE :} :D

P.S. Do ya ever find Rosies out there in the :evil: Devil's Playground :}

Also: Hope your snake is alright Mullin - Indent sounds worrysome to me.
 

jere000

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
106
LOL - You are Funny, And I am Silly :p

ONLY difference would be the size of snakes in Boid family, thus the proportional percentage wise size, of the prey items :cool:

I could be wrong I suppose Jere, but I have ALWAYS been under the Impression, and of the Opinion after 14 years of keeping Boas, that multiple smaller food items, are EASIER to Digest, then ONE Lg. MEAL :cool:

Let me go try to eat a Watermelon WHOLE :} :D
I would like to see you eat a whole watermelon please make a vid or something remeber the rule pics or it didn't happen.Anyways snakes digestive tracks are different than ours they have a certain amount of time to digest the rat before septicism kicks in, and they have to digest each prey item separately.Which is why sometimes if you feed multiple prey items sometimes you get half digested rats, and all of that stuff either way I prefer one good sized meal over multiple smaller prey items especially since at a young age i prefer to get them off of pinkies and fuzzies as fast as possible because they offer almost nothing nutritionally.
 

sharpfang

Arachnoangel
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Rosy Disposition

I prefer one good sized meal over multiple smaller prey items especially since at a young age i prefer to get them off of pinkies and fuzzies as fast as possible because they offer almost nothing nutritionally.
Well you got me there :p I have givin' supplements w/ meals on occasion as well.....In all fairness, despite the lack of Calcium, pups have virtually No HAIR - which is Not easily Digestable - but now I am nit-picking :D

You seem quite knowledgeable, and will soon LEARN weather a Homosapien can swallow a Whole seedless Melon - Oh, the "Word-Play" options that creates {D Where is my Camera :?

No Rosies out there.....they are close to ya - travel to the bottom few miles of Utah, where they are PROTECTED from collection.
 

jere000

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
106
Well you got me there :p I have givin' supplements w/ meals on occasion as well.....In all fairness, despite the lack of Calcium, pups have virtually No HAIR - which is Not easily Digestable - but now I am nit-picking :D

You seem quite knowledgeable, and will soon LEARN weather a Homosapien can swallow a Whole seedless Melon - Oh, the "Word-Play" options that creates {D Where is my Camera :?

No Rosies out there.....they are close to ya - travel to the bottom few miles of Utah, where they are PROTECTED from collection.
Your right the hair is hard for them to digest but they have virtually no bone.I have never heard of giving a snake supplements unless it was ill?Why seedless watermelon?Why hit Utah when i can go to Cali and get rubber boas?
 

sharpfang

Arachnoangel
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Messages
909
Where is the MARSHALL - this Plane is being Hi-Jacked - I want 2 fly 2 Vegas

Your right the hair is hard for them to digest but they have virtually no bone.I have never heard of giving a snake supplements unless was ill?Why seedless watermelon?
I "sometimes" add CALCIUM to pups, not often, for reasons that appear obvious to me
{extended pinkie usage & less Sun, costs more $ 2, but I feel better when raising up Boa}

Where are my Vitamins and Whey :? Milkshake time :} LOL

Seedless melons are smaller :D Gives me a shot ;) Gotta go be silly elsewhere now - Great chat Bud :p GL w/ your Boas, etc. 2!

*Edit* Ya - I just found a couple the Other day! They are cute as buttons....but not as diverse as Rosies in coloring - IRONICALLY though, Rubber Boas are RARELY Not Rosy Pink colored when Born, and for months following...:p

Also: Hit me up, if ya travel to Cali, and wanna go Herping in some Great Spots!
 
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