BP Dehydration Question

Is it possible for a BP to get dehydrated because of humidity being too low? Are there any signs that would lead someone to believe it is too dry in their enclosure? And let's put aside the whole hygrometer thing too... I mean, what if the hygrometer is giving a false reading or something. I appreciate any input on this topic. THANKS!!!

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Originally Posted by Spyderco1116

Is it possible for a BP to get dehydrated because of humidity being too low? Are there any signs that would lead someone to believe it is too dry in their enclosure? And let's put aside the whole hygrometer thing too... I mean, what if the hygrometer is giving a false reading or something. I appreciate any input on this topic. THANKS!!!

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Yes, I believe it is. I would first recommend getting a digital thermometer/hygrometer as those are more accurate. You can get one from the pet store for about $25. But hygrometers aside, if your snake has a dry shed, that would be a very big sign that your enclosure is not humid enough and your snake is dehydrated.

Always make sure your snake has a fresh bowl of water to lay in if he/she wants. And mist your tank a couple of times a week. You can get a cheap spray bottle from the dollar store if money is an issue and those work just fine. :)

I'd say stuck sheds are a pretty good sign of poor humidity. Other than that I can't think of anything obvious without using a hydrometer (which you should of course...). I do believe it can lead to dehydration as well.

Would dehydration in this case be considered external or internal?

Poor sheds, dimpled eye caps, excessive soaking (if you provide that option).
Hydrometers are a good idea, they are not very accurate but will get you in the ballpark of where you want it to be.

Severe dehydration will be visible by slightly pinching the skin and observing what happens. It should immediately snap back to original form; dehydration will result in it slightly retaining the pinch mark (along with the other signs already mentioned).
Analog hygrometers do just fine as long as you are considering a few factors...hot side hide will be significantly less humid due to the UTH, a hygrometer on the wall could be inaccurate if you have damp substrate, and a hygrometer resting on the substrate will also be inaccurate if the substrate is damp (will look higher than the ambient humidity). Also, google "salt test" for hygrometers; it's a way to calibrate the hygrometer you already have.

If a snake is very dehydrated, then it will show dimpled eyes, stuck sheds, and I've also seen where their skin seems almost a bit... saggy? I'm not sure if that's the best way to describe it, but it's usually most visible around their neck where it will look like there's a fold of skin. That's how I see dehydration characterized most often.