laying in the water

[bigbosky]

I know they like to go in the water, but mine has been laying in the water bowl for 3 days. Is that normal?

[MoreliAddict]

What are the temps in the enclosure (hot side & cool side)?

Soaking usually means your snake is is coming up to a shed, too hot, or has mites. Check your snake under a bright light to make sure it doesn't have mites. Mites will look like black specks moving around on your snake.

[Terranaut]

Mites are hard to see on a carpet. Wipe your carpet with a damp white papertowel and look for black specs that might even move on the papertowel.
There are a few carpets out there that like the water dish but 99% of the time its mites ,temps or shed.

[millertime89]

My SD female laid in her water bowl daily for about a month, humidity was high, she wasn't in shed, no mites, she just did it. I still have no explanation, she has since stopped, I think she just liked the way it felt. Nothing in her enclosure changed either.

[bigbosky]

temperature is 86 on the warm side 82 on the cool side.
i dont think its mites, i had a stool sample tested by the vet last week and everything was good.

[MoreliAddict]

temperature is 86 on the warm side 82 on the cool side.
i dont think its mites, i had a stool sample tested by the vet last week and everything was good.
You don't need a vet to check for mites, you should visually check the snake yourself just to be sure. Has it been a while since his last shed?

[MoreliAddict]

My SD female laid in her water bowl daily for about a month, humidity was high, she wasn't in shed, no mites, she just did it. I still have no explanation, she has since stopped, I think she just liked the way it felt. Nothing in her enclosure changed either.
Don't retics generally spend a lot of time close to or in water in the wild?

[millertime89]

Don't retics generally spend a lot of time close to or in water in the wild?

hit and miss, SDs are typically more arboreal like a carpet python and both of mine are SDs. But the really big ones I would think so because the water helps alleviate the stress of their weight on their bodies.

[UwabamiReptiles]

My jag will do this from time to time. I double and triple check temps and look for mites and nothing comes up. So if your husbandry is right and there are no mites, I don't think its anything to worry about.

[shaunyboy]

imo the easiest way to check a snake that's in it's water bowl for mites is.....

take the snake straight out the water

swab the eyes and nostrils,with WHITE cotton buds

the snake is trying to drown the mites,so the mites cluster,around the eyes and mouth,because they are the only part of the snake,NOT submerged in water

i've seen snakes completely submerge,for long lengths of time,trying to rid itself of mites

if you get any,full stop..... sized dots on the cotton bud,simply squeeze one of the black dots,between your finger tips

it should turn into,a squidged up,blob of blood,as blood is what they feed on

i have heard people say,some of their carpet python hatchlings,like to go into their water bowl,for a few days,after they have a feed

cheers shaun

[GUITARZAN509]

Helps them poop

[red ink]

temperature is 86 on the warm side 82 on the cool side.
i dont think its mites, i had a stool sample tested by the vet last week and everything was good.

I'd say the lack of a sufficient temperature gradient is the cause of the soaking rather than mites mate.

[Ezowlen69]

I'd say cgheck for mites. If nothing appears to be there and the temperatures are ideal, then all shall be wellll

[millertime89]

I'd say the lack of a sufficient temperature gradient is the cause of the soaking rather than mites mate.

While I know many people give their snakes a gradient and it is commonly accepted as proper husbandry, I know a few successful breeders that provide no gradient and just keep the room at the desired temps. I'm just throwing this out there for consideration as he is at least providing a gradient.

[red ink]

While I know many people give their snakes a gradient and it is commonly accepted as proper husbandry, I know a few successful breeders that provide no gradient and just keep the room at the desired temps. I'm just throwing this out there for consideration as he is at least providing a gradient.

No gradient at all in the micro environment? Interesting.....

I'm used to working in celsius as a gauge of temp and I did the conversion on them from fahrenheit. A 2.3C degree difference between the cool side and hot side is just not enough IMO more any Morelia species. How much can a snake cool down when the "cool" point in the enclosure is only 2.3 degree difference at the hot point. The only other cool place is the water bowl.

I'm definitely interested in hearing more of the no gradient way of keeping Kyle, what species, what temp?

PM me if you want mate so we don't clutter this thread :)

[JustBitten]

My brother's BP (his only snake) always seemed to love being in his water bowl right from when he was brought home from the breeder. I had heard that was a sign of mites so I would check him once a week, but I wasn't able to find anything and my BP (same breeder) had none, so it had us all scratching our heads. Then after months of nothing I found four and started treatment right away. Once they cleared up he stopped spending time in his water bowl so I felt justified in persevering. Great suggestion to swab eyes and nose right out of the water. I might have found them quicker that way. Anyway, my suggestion is not to give up looking for them.

Maybe someone can tell me if I was doing something wrong? :( I would examine him closely head to tail looking for tiny black spots against white scales or trying to hide under them, examine his water bowl for black flecks, and check his substrate for them as well. Maybe they were just too small?

[shaunyboy]

My brother's BP (his only snake) always seemed to love being in his water bowl right from when he was brought home from the breeder. I had heard that was a sign of mites so I would check him once a week, but I wasn't able to find anything and my BP (same breeder) had none, so it had us all scratching our heads. Then after months of nothing I found four and started treatment right away. Once they cleared up he stopped spending time in his water bowl so I felt justified in persevering. Great suggestion to swab eyes and nose right out of the water. I might have found them quicker that way. Anyway, my suggestion is not to give up looking for them.

Maybe someone can tell me if I was doing something wrong? :( I would examine him closely head to tail looking for tiny black spots against white scales or trying to hide under them, examine his water bowl for black flecks, and check his substrate for them as well. Maybe they were just too small?

mites are little ******ds to find pal

don't beat yourself up about not finding them straight away

imo,its a god send if the snake lyes in the water bowl,as the mites accumulate around the eyes and nostrils,making it easy to find them

cheers shaun