Abit puzling?

[smeagel]

I went to the snake room today to do my rounds and checking up on my female balls, and when i opened up my largest females rubbermaid she was all curled up in her water dish soaking. I took her out and looked close for mites and ticks but i didn't see any. My temps are 95 hot side and 81 cool side. My humidity is 65%. Is she trying to cool herself down more for egg production or is she just having a bath?

[smeagel]

I went in to check again last night and she was in her water dish with my male and they were locked up in the water dish. Is this normal? Can it hurt anyone of them being locked up underwater? ( their heas are above water ).

[greenman1867]

To be perfectly honest, I would say if you give it a day or two, and she/they are still soaking, I would suspect you have mites. Sometimes it takes a day or two to have enough big enough to see.

What color is your water dish? Put them in a white bottomed dish and if you do have mites they will drown and you can see them on the bottom.

I just went through a bout of mites and cleared it up very easily by soaking them in water (In a rummermaid) with a couple drops of normal dish soap. While they were soaking (a few hours) I totally cleaned and washed everything, with a 5% Bleach solution, and then for good measure I used Reptile Relief on every thing.

I hope it's nothing to worry about, but watch them.

Shawn

[smeagel]

The water dish is a clear white bottom small rubbermaid, and they are in rubbermaids too with news paper bottom, so i have no problem seein if there are mites. But she only soaks at night time, the rest of the time she is in her hide.

[Clownfishie]

Snakes will sometimes soak when they're going into shed as well... or just to cool down. Soaking doesn't always mean mites -- but it can't hurt to keep an eye out for them, just in case.


Jen

[Bartman]

My male was soaking a lot a few days before shed, so right away I checked for mites and im still looking out for them but he was in shed.

[smeagel]

she hasn't eaten in 2 months, why would she be shedding?

[greenman1867]

Ya, I wasn't saying "for sure" it was mites, but just one of the 2-3 reasons. As mentioned by yourself and others, she could be going into a shed, dehydrated, or trying to cool down. Or maybe just likes to soak? Although I am not sure always soaking is healthy. Anyways hopefully you can get her back to some sort of normal habits.

[Jeff_Favelle]

she hasn't eaten in 2 months, why would she be shedding?

They don't have to eat to shed.

And sometimes, a Ball will feel that the water dish is the best place to hide at that particular time at that particular temperature. Its not going to hurt it. I'd leave her alone.

[smeagel]

ok, thanks guys. I'll keep watching her to make sure it's not mites though.

[nita]

I have a few snakes that also use their water dishes to lay in. I did the same as you panic looking for mites, found none. I guess some just like to soak, 2 of my males and one female do this all the time.

[smeagel]

a question about moyes now. Can a snake develope mites all of a sudden or do the mites have to be brought into a collection on another snake.

[JonD]

Originally posted by smeagel
Can a snake develope mites all of a sudden or do the mites have to be brought into a collection on another snake.

Mites don't just develop, they have to be introduced to your collection via a new addition, or anything else that has been in contact with mites and then brought in to your home. They simply just climb on you or items and then hitch a ride home with you.;)