Suddenly moved into water bowl

My new BP has been with me for 3 months and in the last week or so has started sitting in her water dish. Heat gun temps in her warm hide are ~88 degrees (herpestat set to 91 with probe under the tank), ambient room temp is 76. Humidity 70%+. She's white, so I feel confident that she has no mites, but I treated her enclosure with PAM anyway.

Last shed was about 3 weeks ago.

No settings or husbandry has changed since I got her, any thoughts on this new behavior?


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Has the soaking only been since after the PAM treatment? I ask because even a slight exposure to such chemicals may instinctively need 'flushing' from their body, which is what the soaking (hydration) might be about? Just a guess, if you're SURE there's no mites, & that the temperatures aren't too high (what is the cool side reading in her enclosure???) & that your temp. readings are accurate. Some snakes soak for moisture, others for the cooler temperature relief, & others to try to get rid of mites. It's up to us to "play detective". ;)

The PAM was after the soaking started on the chance that I was missing mites.

Temps on cool side by heat gun are 76-78.


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The only other thing I can think of is that he feels more "secure" in the water bowl, & prefers it to his hides. What kind of hides does he have? He should at least have 2- one warm side & one cool side, but they also have to have the right dimensions for a snake to feel safe & like using them. They don't like high ceilings, more than one doorway, or large doorways, or "too much room"- they like to feel "snug"- that equals feeling "safe" to a snake.