Water may cause a Rosy Boa to regurge?

[TheFrogman]

TRUE or FALSE ?

I just read that you shouldn't keep a water dish in your Rosy's enclosure at all, allowing them to drink from a water dish only once a week because If your Rosy drinks too much water it could cause a regurge?

[nyx]

TRUE or FALSE ?

I just read that you shouldn't keep a water dish in your Rosy's enclosure at all, allowing them to drink from a water dish only once a week because If your Rosy drinks too much water it could cause a regurge?

True or false:


You live in a crazy humid area and have trouble getting clothes to dry inside (outside of an actual clothes dryer).
You put them in an enclosure with no ventilation.
Your water dish is over 1/2 of the enclosure.


If none of these are true, don't worry about it. The myth of rosies regurgitating because they drink too much is just that - a myth. The average ambient humidity across southern California is something like 50% (much higher in some places) - I suspect wild rosy boas don't have much trouble with it. Some keepers report respiratory issues with excessive humidity, which can also contribute to feeding refusal, but I have found that regurgitation is more often linked to feeding prey items that are too large, or temperatures that are too cold, than to having an appropriate water dish in the enclosure.

I am strongly opposed to not allowing an animal free access to water. Even in the wild, if the animal felt it needed to regulate, it would go and find a water source, and rosy boas are often found in the wild near water. Taking this option away from it is not - in my opinion - optimal care. I offer a water dish that is not large enough to soak in, placed on the cool side of the cage. At the typical indoor humidity of 30%, I have not seen an issue.

(I know who is setting the precedent of not offering water, and I respect their experience, but in my experience - and others' - it has not been harmful in any way. Of course husbandry may vary in humid locations.)

[TheFrogman]

True or false:



You live in a crazy humid area and have trouble getting clothes to dry inside (outside of an actual clothes dryer).
You put them in an enclosure with no ventilation.
Your water dish is over 1/2 of the enclosure.


If none of these are true, don't worry about it. The myth of rosies regurgitating because they drink too much is just that - a myth. The average ambient humidity across southern California is something like 50% (much higher in some places) - I suspect wild rosy boas don't have much trouble with it. Some keepers report respiratory issues with excessive humidity, which can also contribute to feeding refusal, but I have found that regurgitation is more often linked to feeding prey items that are too large, or temperatures that are too cold, than to having an appropriate water dish in the enclosure.

I am strongly opposed to not allowing an animal free access to water. Even in the wild, if the animal felt it needed to regulate, it would go and find a water source, and rosy boas are often found in the wild near water. Taking this option away from it is not - in my opinion - optimal care. I offer a water dish that is not large enough to soak in, placed on the cool side of the cage. At the typical indoor humidity of 30%, I have not seen an issue.

(I know who is setting the precedent of not offering water, and I respect their experience, but in my experience - and others' - it has not been harmful in any way. Of course husbandry may vary in humid locations.)

AWESOME and thank you.