My redtail thinks it's a tuna

[Dirty Pete]

Noob here. Got a redtail that thinks it's a fish.

It's a 27" juvenile redtail named Titus; my 9 year old daughter's pet.

Got it 2 months ago. Had serious mites from the store but got rid of those by thorough cleaning and hot water soaking of enclosure and contents - no pest strips or other med measures.

Titus is heathy and happy and growing rapidly. An avid feeder. He's always been a keener for a good soak (it's how he rid himself of mites), but in the last few days he's taken to the bowl, totally immersed except for his head, and stays there for 36 hours at a stretch.

This is worse than my wife and her baths.

Water temp is 77 night and 82 day, with ambient at 82 and basking at 92. Humidity is 50 - 60%. No skin conditions or unusual behaviors. He's mid way between sheds and has no trouble pooping.

Is this guy just a reincarnated water snake? I mean, I know boa juveniles like soaking, but this is ridiculous.

Does anyone know ANY reason why any juvenile might be soaking for such long stretches, other than mites, too-high temps, or too low humidity?

Will oversoaking harm him? Should I remove his water bowl for a few days?

(I did do a search here on the subject, but could not find any specific answers. BTW good site!)

[dave68]

check again very closely for mites. If you only treated them initialy with hot water that probably was not enough unless you did the same routine every day for a couple of weeks. Check the water dish for small black specks. Sorry to be a bummer but you should try the Nix solution. Just search for mite remedies on this site and you will find step by step instructions. Hope this helps!

Dave

[Linds]

Welcome to the site! :D

Is it possible that he is approaching a shed? Sometimes they soak around that time, if they feel they need a bit extra moisture to get the job done. Is it possible he feels insecure in his surroundings? Sometimes snakes will seek refuge in their water bowls in situations like that. Soaking for a few days shouldn't have any effect, but long-term exposure moisture without drying periods can evetually cause bacterial skin infections to occur. Did you recheck him and his enclosure for mites, or are you just going on the fact that you already rid him of the problem? Sometimes 1-2 months later mites can reapear if not all eggs have been removed from the area. For this reason, it can be quite difficult to get rid of them by cleaning alone.

[Dirty Pete]

Thanks Dave, but there are absolutely no mites in the water dish.

When the snake was ridding himself of mites during the first few weeks, there were drowned mites all over the bath bottom. As in 10 at a time. Now there are none. I even check the bath bottom with a magnifying glass every time after he gets out.

And I have looked at his eyes and mouth in the magnifying glass too. Clean bill of health.

[Dirty Pete]

Originally posted by Linds
Welcome to the site! :D

Is it possible that he is approaching a shed? Sometimes they soak around that time, if they feel they need a bit extra moisture to get the job done. Is it possible he feels insecure in his surroundings? Sometimes snakes will seek refuge in their water bowls in situations like that. Soaking for a few days shouldn't have any effect, but long-term exposure moisture without drying periods can evetually cause bacterial skin infections to occur. Did you recheck him and his enclosure for mites, or are you just going on the fact that you already rid him of the problem? Sometimes 1-2 months later mites can reapear if not all eggs have been removed from the area. For this reason, it can be quite difficult to get rid of them by cleaning alone.

Thank you too, Lindsay.

He's only shed once, about 3 weeks ago, so I guess it's possible he's preparing once again. His eyes aren't clouding over, though, and he didn't soak like a tuna prior to his last shed.

Your suggestion about insecurity think makes me wonder. He had a hide box for the first month or so, and used it often, but then ceased using it at all. He started curling around rocks under leaves in the corners, and never used his hide box anymore, so I assumed he was now totally secure and I removed his hide box.

Maybe Titus needs to KNOW that the hide box option is always there, whether he uses it or not. I'll test that idea out by putting the hide box back in and watching whether his behavior changes.

Thanks for the idea! I'll do it today and let you know what comes of it.

[Dubhead23]

My argentine Boa used to do that for a while... it got so bad that I had to take her out and pull the water bowl for a day to keep her from getting too cold. it was weird because she had a hiding box and everything but after a week she quit doing it and hasn't been completely in the water since.

[Dirty Pete]

Hey Lindsay,

I think your insightful advice on my snake's use of the bath as a security location was correct.

As it was, I had made the bath a little too secure by placing artifical plants so that they hung over the bath and made it a good hiding place. Also, I had removed his hide box, since the snake had been preferring to hide under artifical plants.

So now, using your basic idea, I have put the bath out in the open so that it provides less security, and placed his old hide box back into the enclosure, under the plants.

This strategy has worked, and the snake is now happily ensconced in his warm dry, hide box once again.

So thanks.

It sure goes to show the importance of environmental design - a subject which is very little touched upon.

I will post a pic of his enclosure/environment as soon as I get a chance.

[Linds]

Glad to hear the problem was figured out and corrected :)