Hand-watering?

so i was just looking on youtube and came across this guy (viperkeeper) hand-watering his snake...he has a whole collection of venomous snakes, and he mentioned in his video that he preffers to hand-water them to ensure they all get hydrated properly...is this normal? should i be doing this too? if so, how often? here's a link to the video...i'm not sure if anyone's seen it before...it's a Gravid Wagler's Pit Viper...a real looker :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9LhUfoBqqk

gosh that's alot of spraying...I can only imagine how high the humidity just went lol. But it was cute :wuv:

yeah, that kinda seems like overkill. personally, i don't spray my snakes directly cuz they don't seem 2 like it.... they take a defensive position right away. i just spray the substrate.

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Originally Posted by python.princess

yeah, that kinda seems like overkill. personally, i don't spray my snakes directly cuz they don't seem 2 like it.... they take a defensive position right away. i just spray the substrate.

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Same...I'll let them soak while I clean cages if one appears to be ready to shed..

i can't get mine 2 soak usually... i hafta wrap them in a wash cloth and put them in a bowl of warm water... otherwise they're out of the bowl in 1.2 seconds flat!

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Originally Posted by python.princess

i can't get mine 2 soak usually... i hafta wrap them in a wash cloth and put them in a bowl of warm water... otherwise they're out of the bowl in 1.2 seconds flat!

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Yeah I have a smaller tub with a locking lid and holes that I use to let them soak in...I fill it appropriatly with warm water depending on which snake and let them soak for a minute while I clean out the tub.
For the tiny guy who has a hard time shedding I wet a pillow case and sit the tub on a heating pad...I get the temp right on and make sure the damp pillow case isnt cold and set him inside to help remove his shed...its a trick someone on here suggested and it works like a charm!

Wagleri are notorious for wanting a bit of extra incentive to drink when kept as captives - often best offered as frequent spraying/misting (although each animal can easily have its own quirks/requirements). We have one that must be sprayed on a regular basis to encourage this behavior. It makes sense, considering they hail from an area of the world that experiences high levels of rainfall.

Thank goodness ball pythons aren't as uppity when it comes to water consumption! Access to clean, fresh water is usually all it takes to keep them well-hydrated. :)

K~

yeah, i figured our BP's wouldn't need that much water...but i was interested in the idea because i rarely ever see Aurora drinking out of her water bowl...how do i know if she's properly hydrated or not?