Should I?

[Bartman]

I usually give my beardy and tortoise a soak about once a week or once every 2 weeks because they get pretty dirty after a while.

I was just wondering if snakes could use soaks from time to time. Is it good to put my boa in some luke warm water, or is it only necessary for sheding, or just not necessary at all?

Thanks

[ChunkyMunky]

It is not necessary, but it wouldn't hurt if you did.

[Simon Sansom]

Hi Adam,

As far as I'm concerned there's no reason that you can't give your boa a weekly soaking in some shallow water. The snake might "enjoy" it - who knows...?

Cheers!

[Invictus]

If you have time, why not? Just make sure the water does not feel warm to you - remember, our body temperature is 20 degrees higher than theirs, so if the water feels warm to you, it feels MUCH warmer to them. Room temp water is safest.

[Linds]

IMHO it isn't necessary at all. I find it just ticks most snakes right off, or scares them stiff, so it is my guess that those that don't outwardly show their dislike for the activity, are merely tolerating it. Given the right conditions, snakes are perfectly fine without having to get bathed.

The only time I bathe any of my snakes is if they get poop on them and stink (which rarely happens anyways), then I use a tiny bit of Ivory dishsoap and water, and bathe them quickly, then rinse them off in the shower.

[Dubhead23]

My Argentine Boa loves swimming around in the bathtub about once a week. Try it once and if yours likes it then keep doing it and if not then don't. It all depends on weather your snake likes the water or not.

[susan]

my jcp and durmil love to be in tub
susan

[BOA68]

Every snake is different, some love it and some hate it. My BCI will soak for hours, but my BP hates water with a passion. Give it a try it can't hurt.

[Brent Strande]

How can you tell if it enjoys the water? If it just sits there is that 'tolerating' it or 'enjoying it?' Or if it cruises around is that 'enjoying a swim' or 'trying to escape?'

Just a question, as each of my snakes acts differently and I have a hard time deciphering which ones are enjoying themselves while the others aren't.

[Bartman]

Well I think it all will refer to there environment in the wild. Would a Ball Python encounter a swamp/pond/etc and go in it? Are they generally found near wet areas, like conda's (who clearly enjoy water).

So would a boa encounter a pond in the wild and go in it, or around if it could?
Probably a question that would be near impossible to answer.

[bistrobob85]

Well as for balls, they live mostly in termites' nests and rodents' burrows, i think they have all the good reasons in the world not to go near water : in africa, A LOT of big animals hang out around the water spots when there are some, so it makes it pretty dangerous for them to go over there... Boa constrictors have much more occasions to have a bath safely since there are a lot of little ponds in the rainforest when it gets to rain.

phil.