Soaking for extended periods of time?!?

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Originally Posted by 581775017

Shes not soaking in the bowl she drinks from.. shes soaking in the hot side where I keep water to raise the humidity... By the time I get home if shes still in the water It would of been 15hrs+ :(

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Let me guess, there's no hide on that side, is there, since you have the water bowl there.

Maybe she's trying to thermoregulate her temps, and the only "hide" available on that side is the water dish?

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Originally Posted by 581775017

Yeah I only have one hide.. I don't have space.. I only got a 25gal tank.. One hide one nice piece of wood and one water bowl.. But I keep my hide right in the middle... 60% of the hide is on the hot side and 40% of the hide is on the cool side.. Does that work?

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You can EASILY fit 2 hides and a water dish in a 25 gallon tank. I did it when I used tanks, I even have 2 hides and a water dish in a 15 QUART tub (a little less than 5 gallons). Sounds like the hide you want to use is too big. Probably a 1/2 log hide?

Ok....I'm gonna suggest a few changes that should hopefully help you out a lot.


You say you have a 25gal tank...that should be plenty of room, unless its more tall than it is long, in which case you need to seriously consider a whole new enclosure for multiple reasons.

Take out the branch...they don't need it.

Use smaller hides. Trust me, they don't need caves that are big enough to thermoregulate in a single hide. That won't feel secure enough. They much prefer to cram themselves into very tight, confined spaces.

With smaller hides, you can easily fit one at each end, and even another in the middle. They don't need a lot of empty floor space to "stretch out" in or anything. If they want to move around, they're just as happy climbing over their hides as anything.

Ditch the giant water bowl all together. Keep her drinking water (small dish she can't soak in) on the warm side of the enclosure if that helps with humidity....and cover the screen top with something to help hold the humidity in.

If worse comes to worse and you can't keep the humidity up in the 50% range...it's fine in the 40's too...and just offer a humid hide when she goes into shed. That's a much better option than what you've described so far.

Good luck with it!

EDIT for a quick thought: You don't even have to take the branch out...just rest it on top of the hides if there isn't room for it alongside at least two hides. (Just make sure its secure and won't topple)

Here's a fun little illustration of just how small and tight they like their hides:


http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=35212

:P

Appropriately sized hides for babies:


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ub/BabyTub.jpg

A ball python really IS under there!
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...b/BabyTub2.jpg

Appropriately sized hides for juvies:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...aEnclosure.jpg

Baby hides are the small plastic flower pot saucers at Walmart for $.47 each with an entrance soldered out.

Juvie hides are plastic bowls from Dollar Tree, now being sold in a 4 pack for $1 with an entrance soldered out.

Thanks for all the info! I just hope shes ok! I swear I read somewhere and they said be sure to have a water bowl large enough for them to soak.. But anyways thanks!

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Originally Posted by JLC

Here's what I would do, if I were in your shoes. I'd take everything out of her cage and replace the substrate with white paper towels. And then put in a water dish that is too small for her to soak in. Check back in the morning and see if you see any mites on the paper towels.

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Strong work Judy!!! ... Nothing better than opening a thread and seeing good, informed, well researched advice being given! ... I like it! :D

-adam

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Originally Posted by rabernet

That is correct, PAM should NEVER be sprayed directly on the snake. The treatment in the enclosure will kill any mites and eggs still on the snake when it's introduced to the treated enclosure.

I've used Reptile Relief and PAM. Reptile Relief is great for killing mites on the snake, but not the eggs and re-infestation can occur in 2-4 weeks. PAM takes away all worries for me, because I know that the eggs are being killed as well.

As for soaking, have you thought about replacing the water bowl with something smaller?

How are you measuring your temps? Is it possible it's too warm in the enclosure?

Are the hides that you are offering your snake nice and snug (can he feel the hide touching him on all sides and above?). If the hides are too large, it could be he's using the water dish as a hide, because he can "feel" the water touching him all around.

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Fantastic post! ... Robin and Judy are tearing it up!!! ... AWESOME! :love:

-adam

Well it has happened... Went home last night and saw what i expected, the snake in the water!! I took her out right away, shes been in the water for 16hrs she was cold.. I let her warm up a bit and then I fead her... I was very surprised that she still ate..

Okay let me just get this all straight in my head.

You have two threads ongoing...this one about the snake having mites and soaking constantly...another about a possible RI with this snake.

So this snake which hopefully was treated correctly with PAM (enclosure NOT snake), hopefully has no mites now but is spending over 10 hours a day soaking in a big water dish. This snake that may have an untreated RI. That came out of it's dish cold to your touch and you subsequently "warmed up".
This is the snake that you figured needed fed! http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...Smiley/OMG.gif

You do realize you've now delayed a vet visit on the RI issue by a good 48 hours. You're "surprised" it ate???? I'll be surprised it keeps it down at this rate! Why would you feed if you didn't feel the snake was well enough to eat and risk a regurge which will cause your snake even more issues? You have been given excellent advice in two ongoing threads by experienced keepers/breeders which you are consistently ignoring about providing two proper hides so this snake can thermoregulate...which they MUST do to digest...as well as other issues of your husbandry that have been suggested you look at.