Water bowl size?

Large(as in wide) water dishes help with humidity, and there are no real downsides with giving a water dish they can soak in.

They really dont need a water bowl big enough to soak in....a healthy ball python rarely soaks...it only soaks if there's low humidity, the hot spot is too hot, or if it has mites...they only need fresh water...but if you want to buy a big one go ahead it doesnt really matter...

I think it depends on the enclosure. If you have a screen-topped enclosure, a large bowl does great to helping the humidity. And, if the humidity gets a bit low, at least the snake has somewhere wet to go.

I find that humidity can get out of control in a tub. So, when I have my girl in a tub (when she's sick for ease of cleaning, when she's fasting, etc), I use a smaller bowl to help keep the humidity down.

Also, if your snake has a bad shed and you aren't able to bathe them daily, provide a bowl large enough to soak in. In the case of a bad shed, they will use it.

All of my balls are housed in a boamaster rack and an animal plastic rack Except one female being in a 3 foot vision. My racks hold humidity great sometimes it actually gets to humid. So in those I use the small water dishes you can get for cats or dogs at walmart. But my girl in my vision I use a larger on to keep the humidity up. Its alot harder for me to keep it right in the vision then the racks. I had to tape up most of the vents and everything just to get it humid in them at all.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

The water dishes I provide are 4 inches in diameter, here are the one I use http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store....p-flypage-9736 (not tipping even with big girls)

Contrary to what some may think the water dish does not need to be big enough for your BP to soak in.

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I use very similar bowls
I'm getting them in my local farm supply store but because I'm using do far glass tanks with screen top I was forced to use 7 inches diameter to keep right humidity level
Is a funny story with soaking when I had problems with sheding because of low humidity my female never soaked and she freaks out when I try give her bath to help her with shed
Right now when enviroment in enclosure is perfect I catching her soaking times to times
My rescued male who had really bad stuck shed was really enjoying batch to help him soften a skin (ever seen your ball diving ?) but I never seen him soaking in cage and honestly I never see him drinking either
I think size shoul be big enough to maintain right humidity level
I'm about to expand my collection and move to plastic tubs and I think 4 inch gonna be just fine

I don't think it matters that much--some of my snakes like to soak, some don't. If I think a snake is spending too much time soaking when it's not opaque, it will get a smaller bowl for a while. No mites, just personalities.

Only a few of them like to soak when they aren't opaque. My spider likes to soak a lot.

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Originally Posted by psycho

They really dont need a water bowl big enough to soak in....a healthy ball python rarely soaks...it only soaks if there's low humidity, the hot spot is too hot, or if it has mites.

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I've only ever seen mine daintly drinking, and usually only immediately after swallowing dinner. The water "bowl" could be a thimble, for all that it's used.

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

I use 3 inch diameter bowls for my juvenile snakes. They don't need to soak. Soaking is usually an indication of mites.

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That's not always true ! I have a couple that love the water .