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Regurgitation
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by earthguy on October 3, 2008
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This is rattlesnake question one of two for the day:
Last feeding cycle I gave my horridus a small rat (65g). Normally I would give him two medium mice that would add up to that same mass, but he's thick enough in the middle to handle the rat, and they had them at the store so I thought that I'd try it. He greedily ate the rat, and everything seemed normal...for a while. He stayed pretty fat for a while, then he defecated as usual. After his defecation he still seemed a little plump. Two days later he regurgitated the rattlesnake version of a hairball. It was basically a hollow rat, just fur, appendages, and a tail (no internal organs, muscle, or bones). Have any of you had similar experience?
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RE: Regurgitation
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by Cro on October 3, 2008
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Josh,
This happens from time to time.
You have to remember that the skin on that rat is probably two times thicker than the skin on the mice.
And the amount of fur on the rat, and the coarsness and size of that fur, are also greater.
You are asking the snake to digest the equivelent of a leather boot, or belt, etc...........
Many keepers of Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnakes run into this. They feed a small mouse, and get back a mouse skin empty of contents. If they feed two hoppers / fuzzies instead, they are completly digested.
When I feed 20 Pygmy Rattlesnakes, I always have two or three of them do this if I am feeding small mice. But, if I am feeding pairs of fuzzies, I do not have the problem.
I would go back to the two mouse thing. And perhaps keep the snake at a bit higher temperature.
Hope this helps.
Best Regards John Z
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RE: Regurgitation
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by Crotalusssp on October 3, 2008
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I too have seen this. The thicker coat of hair is not easily passed through. Bones and teeth go just fine, but that outer fur comes back from time to time. I never witnessed any lasting health problem from this. I have seen this in timbers and pygmy's.
Charles
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RE: Regurgitation
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by Cro on October 3, 2008
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Josh,
I have started raising the African short furred rats, and really like them. The hair is much softer and shorter than normal mice or rat hair. the snakes seem to digest them better, and picky eaters are more abpt to eat them. I believe that this is because they smell more like a wild rodent to the snakes.
Also, they do not stink as much as domestic mice and rats, and the adults produce large litters of about 20 pinks. The young grow quickly to mouse size, then slow down growth a bit.
Another great thing about them is that they use just one corner of the cage as a bathroom. This makes keeping the cages clean much easier.
I have stopped trying to raise domestic mice and rats, and now only raise the African short furred rats, and African pygmy mice.
If anyone wants to start raising these African rats, I should have about 30 of them for sale at the Columbia Show. They will be teen aged, and ready to start breeding in a month or two.
Best Regards John Z
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RE: Regurgitation
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by theemojohnm on October 5, 2008
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John,
I will not be at the Columbia show, but am very interested in breeding my own rodents soon. In the long run, I hope to save a good bit of money.
Buying rodents for all of these animals leaves me completely broke.
I soon will be keeping all of my animals in a heated shed adjacent to my house, so a little smell will not be too much of a problem.
Very interested in the Africanized species of mice, and the short-haired mice. I will message you on the PWHS site. Actually, I will post a thread here too aswell. LOL...
Do you produce ALL of your own snake food for your rodent eaters?
Take Care.
~John.
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RE: Regurgitation
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by theemojohnm on October 5, 2008
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Both RATS and MICE is what I meant to say in the last post.. LOL..
Gosh its late. And not being able to edit posts inda sucks sometimes.. =) LOL..
Take Care.
~John.
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RE: Regurgitation
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by Cro on October 6, 2008
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John, with my set up of 3 twenty gallon long aquariums, with 2 adult male, and 4 adult female African Soft Furred Rats, and one tank to raise the young, I would be able to feed all of my snakes, if I did not sell the rats at reptile shows.
But, they sell well there, so I am still using some frozen mice and rats for the time being.
At the Columbia Show, I plan to buy 3 more 20 gallon long aquariums, and double the rat breeding setup. Once that is going, I should be able to feed all of the snakes I am keeping, and still have about 20 to 30 of the rats to sell at each of the reptile shows.
Best Regards John Z
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