Whats the deal?

[scottyy]

For all the Retic owners out there, does anybody know why they hate being sprayed with water, or even being soaked for that matter? I spray and soak my retic when she is in shed and for the humidity in her cage and she HATES it. When i put her in the tub for a nice soak she tried to avoid the water at first until she gave up and then just sat in the water. I know its just water and its not going to hurt her, but i dont think she knows it lol. just curious to see if there is a reason y they hate water.

[stephanbakir]

All retics that i know of love being "misted" i don't know of any snake that likes getting sprayed, that being said, all retics that i have worked with love to soak when they are coming into a shed.
It may be a question of temperature, is your retics enclosure at the proper temperature? If so I would advise removing the "spray" part of the bottle and adding a screw top, and then leaving this bottle in the enclosure for a while prior to misting the snake, that way you aren't misting the snake with water that is too cold or too hot.
Also, if you have a temp gun, you can use that to check the water temperature in the tub your going to be soaking the snake in to make sure that it too isn't too hot or too cold.
I have never heard of a retic disliking water.

[scottyy]

All retics that i know of love being "misted" i don't know of any snake that likes getting sprayed, that being said, all retics that i have worked with love to soak when they are coming into a shed.
It may be a question of temperature, is your retics enclosure at the proper temperature? If so I would advise removing the "spray" part of the bottle and adding a screw top, and then leaving this bottle in the enclosure for a while prior to misting the snake, that way you aren't misting the snake with water that is too cold or too hot.
Also, if you have a temp gun, you can use that to check the water temperature in the tub your going to be soaking the snake in to make sure that it too isn't too hot or too cold.
I have never heard of a retic disliking water.

well i make sure that the water is warm before i put her in the tub about the temp of a nice warm bath. well yea it is more of a mist, i suppose that was misleading. Its what you would use for hair or whatever. maybe i just got a weird retic?

[stephanbakir]

I'm pretty sure its a temperature thing, i have never heard of a retic disliking water, try using a temp gun so that you are sure of the temperature instead of guessing, reptiles are very aware of temperature changes, even 1-2 degrees they will notice. A friends gecko is always in the spot that is about 85 degrees, he moved the stuff around inside the enclosure, and the gecko found a new location with the same temperature. I know geckos aren't snakes I'm just using it to explain.

[scottyy]

I'm pretty sure its a temperature thing, i have never heard of a retic disliking water, try using a temp gun so that you are sure of the temperature instead of guessing, reptiles are very aware of temperature changes, even 1-2 degrees they will notice. A friends gecko is always in the spot that is about 85 degrees, he moved the stuff around inside the enclosure, and the gecko found a new location with the same temperature. I know geckos aren't snakes I'm just using it to explain.

well i never really did an exact temperature of the water but i would guess it would be at least 80-85 at least. idk i will just set the mister under the heat lamp for a while and then try.

[stephanbakir]

Just set the mister in the enclosure and leave it there, the temperature will equalise that way.
Temp guns are only 5-15 bucks and they are priceless when you keep herps.

[stephanbakir]

Just set the mister in the enclosure and leave it there, the temperature will equalise that way.
Temp guns are only 5-15 bucks and they are priceless when you keep herps.

[scottyy]

yea she still doesnt like being misted lol. i guess i got a weird snake

[Lankyrob]

Our SD retic will strike at the water spray most days but then settle down - wouldnt say he LIKES being sprayed but he tolerates it after the original strike.

[scottyy]

maybe she will learn to tolerate it because i like to spray her when she is in shed to kind of help. i also give her a good soak as well. she doesnt always strike at it though she just opens her mouth at it. she is young so maybe as she gets older she will learn to be ok with it

[Lankyrob]

What level is te humidity day to day when she is not in shed?

[Damion930]

Mine would flinch at first when I would spray him now it doesn't faze him but I always try and make sure I don't just surprise him with it

[maitre]

Try filling your spray bottle with hot water. If you fill the bottle with room-temp water and spray your own hand, you'll notice that it feels much cooler by the time it hits your skin. Your retic may just be reacting to the cool water when it hits him. Try the hot water thing. Oh, and if you spray him, try to do it gently. Perhaps angle your spray bottle up so when the droplets fall on him, it will feel more like rain?

I think the best way to understand why he is reacting poorly is if you put yourself in his skin. If you were hanging out somewhere, not bothering anyone, and someone came by and started spraying you with cold water, you probably wouldn't be too happy about it either haha

[scottyy]

What level is te humidity day to day when she is not in shed?

i try to keep it at about 60% an let it drop at night

[scottyy]

Try filling your spray bottle with hot water. If you fill the bottle with room-temp water and spray your own hand, you'll notice that it feels much cooler by the time it hits your skin. Your retic may just be reacting to the cool water when it hits him. Try the hot water thing. Oh, and if you spray him, try to do it gently. Perhaps angle your spray bottle up so when the droplets fall on him, it will feel more like rain?

I think the best way to understand why he is reacting poorly is if you put yourself in his skin. If you were hanging out somewhere, not bothering anyone, and someone came by and started spraying you with cold water, you probably wouldn't be too happy about it either haha

she didnt like that either. i try not to mist her head because that might make her more aggravated? idk

[Jenn_06]

my guys dont mind too much they just move there heads under there body until im done.

[breezybri69]

i dont have a snake myself, but my best friend has a 13 ft red tailed boa, and its loves to take baths, not only dose it help with its shedding but also helps there digestive system, i also belive it is probably a temp issue, snakes are very sensitive to temp changes :)

[infernalis]

i dont have a snake myself, but my best friend has a 13 ft red tailed boa, and its loves to take baths, not only dose it help with its shedding but also helps there digestive system, i also belive it is probably a temp issue, snakes are very sensitive to temp changes :)


Please don't take this wrong, I know it's going to look like you are getting ganged up on, please understand that's not so. You have been given some bad information, and the only way to get that bad information to go away is to replace it with proper information.

1. Snakes do not "Love" anything. They are instinct driven animals without the brain function of "Love"

2. Giving them a bath does not aid in digestion.

[stephanbakir]

My snake loved Marty the mouse, up untill the day he ate him XD

[scottyy]

Please don't take this wrong, I know it's going to look like you are getting ganged up on, please understand that's not so. You have been given some bad information, and the only way to get that bad information to go away is to replace it with proper information.

1. Snakes do not "Love" anything. They are instinct driven animals without the brain function of "Love"

2. Giving them a bath does not aid in digestion.

no its not for digestion she is in shed.

[Damion930]

But it can help em pooo to lol

[Lankyrob]

But it can help em pooo to lol

beat me to it - was gonna say if the snake is a little constipated then a warm bath can help them "pass":Wow:

[stephanbakir]

Nothing like cleaning up a bath tub after a constipated full grown retic just passed a monster.

[TeaNinja]

LOL, that's a pleasant thought!
yuck! lol

[stephanbakir]

Rofl, Its one of the few unpleasant things involved with owning retics.
The positives far outweigh the negatives.

[TeaNinja]

yea, they seem like they have super awesome personalities but i can't cater to such a huge snake at this point in my life. maybe when i'm older.

[scottyy]

Nothing like cleaning up a bath tub after a constipated full grown retic just passed a monster.

yea i know they just go whenever they feel like it. mine just peed all over my bed and a few days ago she pooped all over the floor, but luckily i was able to pick her up and let her finish pooping in her cage after i just changed the substrate.

[stephanbakir]

Gota love it lol, if u cant stand poo and pee find another pet:P