# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry > Advanced BP Husbandry >  My girl won't stop soaking in water dish???

## Motoguy94

Ok so I bought a 3 year old ball python 3 weeks ago, fed her the first day. She ate immediately, no problems with that. But for the last 3 days she stays in her water dish. Her cold did is between 75-78 constantly. Humidity is 50-70%. Depending if I just sprayed it with a water bottle. The hot side is 85-88 with an uth with a thermostat. Her eyes aren't foggy. She isn't making bubbly noises or anything like that. I read that aspen bedding can have mites which is what I originally had her on. For the last 4 days I've had her just on paper towels. Can't find mites on her. But am I not looking hard enough?

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## M.P.C

If she is soaking as much as you say look in the water bowl for what looks like black pepper.

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## That_One_New_Guy

Also if you hold her and see black specks crawling around your hand. I'd go out and buy some PAM and reptile spray as soon as possible cuz you got your self mites. I'm dealing with them on my little girl right now

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## Tsanford

Usually they will soak for 2 main reasons.

One being that the snake has mites. And two being that there is not an adequate hide, and the snake is using the water bowl for security purposes.

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## Motoguy94

I have 2 hides. Just card board boxes I made as a temporary thing. She's in the middle of swallowing a rat right now so I figured that was all good. Since I've read they won't eat if something is out of wack. But I guess both of her hides are a little tall. Like does she not feel secure? Thanks for quick responses!!

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## Motoguy94

I'm holding the water dish right now. Granted I changed it this morning but she has obviously peed in it (urates floating) and I've got it in the light. No black pepper.

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## M.P.C

you dont want the hides much bigger then the snake, the snugger they are the happier they will be... any black specs in the water  or on the snake look around the eyes,  nose, heat vents, mouth and under the chin in that little slit and also check around the poop chute, or its like tsanford said

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## Motoguy94

Might be answering my own question. Noticed a slight pink twinge to her belly.... So she is going to shed. Did I mess up by feeding her....

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## influence

You can try putting in smaller hides for her to make her feel more secure.
Also, try putting her on paper towel as substrate, that way its easier to spot mites which will appear as black dots. They will usually gather around the eyes, pit and nose area.
If there is no mites, check your temperature on both ends of the hides and humidity too. Getting a proper thermometer and hygrometer is equally important.

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## M.P.C

I always heard mixed thoughts on feeding while in the shed process but more often then not i hear.... if they take it your fine, some may refuse to eat some wont all depends on the snake

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## Tsanford

It doesn't matter if they are in shed or not, it wont hurt them to eat.

Some snakes will eat, and some wont. You will learn each individual preference with time. 

With that said, most of mine will take a meal while in shed. In fact I think the stretch from the meal helps the shedding process (No scientific evidence to back this up, just a personal observation.)

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## Motoguy94

I have 1 probe thermoter on the hot side and a stick on thermoter on the cold side. I figured the air temp is roughly the same on both sides sonce my cage set up is a glass cage. Tin foil up top. 100 watt black bulb. Just put her on paper towels a few days ago after reading the bedding can potientially have mites. I do have some moss about the cage to help with the humidity. And a large water dish near the light. And a humidity\ thermoter stick on thing that came with the cage. I'll upgrade that to a better hergometer or however you spell it next time I get paid.

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## Motoguy94

Instead of making a bunch of new threads I'll just post a bunch of questions here. 1. How often do you guys handle your snake? 2. How often should I feed my snake? I've read lots of different opinions. I haven't weighed or measured her in anyway. But she's big. The first time I fed her was 2 weeks ago and I fed her a medium feeder rat. I noticed she was "hunting" in her cage the last 2 days so I bought a large to see if she could handle it. I did do a hand measurement. Her girth is right around my finger tips to my thumb tip. So when I got the rat I knew not to go bigger then that. 3. I notice she yawns after eating. Normal?

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## Motoguy94

And an hour after feeding we are right back in the water bowl....

- - - Updated - - -

Jk it was a short dip. On to the cold side? I have a belly heater for your digestion. Use it young lady!!!

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## M.P.C

Peach yawns twice every time she eats... she yawns once the tail goes down  looks around a little bit and yawns again in like 30 seconds like clock work then looks at me for the next prey

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## influence

> I have 1 probe thermoter on the hot side and a stick on thermoter on the cold side. I figured the air temp is roughly the same on both sides sonce my cage set up is a glass cage. Tin foil up top. 100 watt black bulb. Just put her on paper towels a few days ago after reading the bedding can potientially have mites. I do have some moss about the cage to help with the humidity. And a large water dish near the light. And a humidity\ thermoter stick on thing that came with the cage. I'll upgrade that to a better hergometer or however you spell it next time I get paid.


I'm no expert in heating matters, but could it be that the enclosure is too hot from the uth and the black bulb combined?
If there is no mites and adequate hides are provided, there is a possibility that the temperature is too high or the humidity is too low, in my opinion.
Also, snakes in shed will tend to search for higher humidity spots to aid in shedding.

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## influence

> Instead of making a bunch of new threads I'll just post a bunch of questions here. 1. How often do you guys handle your snake? 2. How often should I feed my snake? I've read lots of different opinions. I haven't weighed or measured her in anyway. But she's big. The first time I fed her was 2 weeks ago and I fed her a medium feeder rat. I noticed she was "hunting" in her cage the last 2 days so I bought a large to see if she could handle it. I did do a hand measurement. Her girth is right around my finger tips to my thumb tip. So when I got the rat I knew not to go bigger then that. 3. I notice she yawns after eating. Normal?


I handle my BPs almost everyday. However, it is advisable to let a newly acquired snake to 'settle in' the new enclosure and avoid handling for a couple of days.
I feed my BPs on a weekly basis with one appropriately sized feeder rat.

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## rlditmars

I've had two girls soak in their water bowl this year. The first could barely fit as you can see here. She stayed in there for days and then came out and went through a shed and then started to glow.
[IMG][/IMG]

The second girl spent the entire shed cycle in her bowl (7 days) and then came out to shed. She is now looking very bright so my guess is she is going to ovulate here soon.

[IMG][/IMG]

In both instances, neither girl had ever done this before going through shed. All I had done previously was mist them to keep the humidity up during the shed cycle. I also have no mites so I think this is linked to the building phase as they move towards ovulation. Is your female a virgin? Has she been paired this year or before? it may have something to do with it.

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## Albert Clark

> Instead of making a bunch of new threads I'll just post a bunch of questions here. 1. How often do you guys handle your snake? 2. How often should I feed my snake? I've read lots of different opinions. I haven't weighed or measured her in anyway. But she's big. The first time I fed her was 2 weeks ago and I fed her a medium feeder rat. I noticed she was "hunting" in her cage the last 2 days so I bought a large to see if she could handle it. I did do a hand measurement. Her girth is right around my finger tips to my thumb tip. So when I got the rat I knew not to go bigger then that. 3. I notice she yawns after eating. Normal?


First, never feed a new addition to your collection before you have quarantined them for at least 2 to 3 weeks. That time frame is enough to allow him to acclimate to a new environment and for you to rule out some potential illnesses. Most people quarantine new animals for 90 days! I quarantine for 30 days unless I see or hear something suspicious. I don't handle my bp's unless I am cleaning or for some reason have to examine them. You should keep track of their weights for managing their growth and food requirements. Hope this helped.    :Confused:

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## 200xth

> Instead of making a bunch of new threads I'll just post a bunch of questions here. 1. How often do you guys handle your snake? 2. How often should I feed my snake? I've read lots of different opinions. I haven't weighed or measured her in anyway. But she's big. The first time I fed her was 2 weeks ago and I fed her a medium feeder rat. I noticed she was "hunting" in her cage the last 2 days so I bought a large to see if she could handle it. I did do a hand measurement. Her girth is right around my finger tips to my thumb tip. So when I got the rat I knew not to go bigger then that. 3. I notice she yawns after eating. Normal?


1.  Rarely.  If I want to handle a snake, I get my rat snake or one of the BRB's out.  The BP's I generally leave alone except for one who I take out maybe once a week just to handle.

2.  Depends.  Some eat more than others.  Some prefer smaller meals than others.  Some will eat more often than others.  If you aren't sure, start at once a week and make adjustments from there.

3.  Probably realigning her jaws which come unhinged when eating.

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## kitedemon

I think your humidity is too low. This is the most common reason for soaking. There are so few whom understand relative humidity that it is no wonder why so many have issues with it.

Relative Humidity is relative to temperature. It is expressed as a percentage of the saturation point of the air that changes as the temperature changes. (saturation vapour density) As the temperature changes the SVD changes and the %RH changes too. If you have 50% of 10 (5) is very different from 50% of 10000 (5000) yet all anyone speaks of is 50% I have 50% of the money I won. It is meaningless.

RH% with out temp is also meaningless. 

You have said you have a cool side temp of 75-78 constant from that I would infer that the ambients are also in the 70s. This means that if you have an average of 60%RH @ 76ºF you have about 13gm/m3 Absolute Humidity. You need to have 15.5 AH It is too low.

If your ambient air temp is 76ºF you should be holding just short of 70%RH to get 15.5gm/m3 AH. Increase the humidity and the issue will resolve itself. (if you increase the air temp some it becomes easier to hold the humidity. My ambient air temp sits in the 83ºF area and I can very easily hold in an open tank 15.5 AH (54% RH) Ambient air temp is the key to most husbandry issues.

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