snakes & burping

Question
My Columbian Red Tailed Boa ate his medium rat on Wednesday. Today is Sunday and I noticed that he seems to be 'burping'. I am wondering if this is normal? Is there anything I should or shouldn't do for him? I am a little worried as this is a new snake and I am not real familiar with snakes, this is only my second one. Please help calm my nerves!! Thank you  

Answer
Hello Karen:

    As for your Boa burping, I must say that it is not an every day occurrence with my animals however I do not believe it to be anything fatal at this point.  Let me give you the required tank settings and items for your type snake and see if you have covered all of the snakes needs.  If not, correct the situation and give it a few days and see if it helped.  If there are no improvements, please take the snake to a Vet for a wellness check, as I am not a Vet. and all animals need a check up now and then to halt the progression of a disease before it gets to far along.  Also you did not give the age or size of the snake and the size of the food item and how often you feed it, all of these things could make a difference but the items below are still required for all sizes and ages.

The tank must be at least 2/3 as long as the snakes body length.
There must be two temperature zones in the tank, an under tank heat mat works best.  The hot end should be between 90 and 96 degrees F.  The cooler end should be ambient to about the mid 70's.  After a meal, the warm end should have a basking light no closer then 6 inches above the screen top raising the temperature to between 97 and 100 degrees F.  Leave the light on for about four hours a day for a week or so after eating.
A water bowl large enough to soak in and with clean water daily.
Humidity should be kept at 50 to 60% and upped to 89% when shedding.  Mist every 10 hours when in a shed cycle.
There should be a hide box at each end to releave stress and do not bother it when it is inside its shelter.
Please convert your snake to eating frozen thawed prey, its safer for the snake and more humane for the rodent.
Use a solid sub strate on the floor of your tank and not wood chips.  Chips get stuck on prey and will not digest causing trouble sometimes fatal trouble for your snake.  I use 100% white cotton heavy towels and have two in reserve so I can change the tank in a few minutes.
Buy a temperature and humidity gauge for the tank and adjust the temps. as necessary.
Never handle the snake during a shed or after eating.  Do not feed when in a shed cycle.
Feed every seven to ten days only with food no larger then the widest part of the snake.
Use daylight hours for lights on and off around the snakes tank, if not possible, cover the tank with dark cloth leaving a vent opening so the temps. do not get to high, check the temp the first few nights often.

After doing this, your snake should be one happy camper.  If it still burps, please see a Vet.  If there is any chance of the snakes swallowing a non food item, see a Vet. now.

Write me back and tell me how it is doing.  I hope all goes well for the both of you.

                                       Take care
                                          Joel