Hand Soap to wash snakes

Will hand soap harm my snakes if I use it to wash them after they pee/poop?

Thanks,
Dennis

just use warm water if you really must. Save the soap for your hands.

I wouldn't use any soap. Just use room temperature water to wash them off if they have soiled themselves.

I would just stick with warm water. Soap has to many chemicals that could cause an irritation.

I didn't know this was necessary. Do you need to wash them?

I wash the snakes with soap only after they lay eggs to remove the egg scent. I tend to just wipe them off if they are in filth.

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Originally Posted by LadyOhh

I wash the snakes with soap only after they lay eggs to remove the egg scent. I tend to just wipe them off if they are in filth.

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Same here - the only snakes that get a "bath" around here are those that just laid eggs.

I use soap to wash them if they've been laying in filth. I've tried water only, but you smell them after and they still smell like piss. Don't want that on my hands, don't want it on my snakes. They smell fine after soap and water, though. They've never behaved any differently in soapy water vs water.

this sounds insane but im sure they probably make a "snake friendly" soap or spray to help with the smell

When I use soap, I use anti bacterial dish washing soap. I only put one, no more than two drops in the water. Not even enough to suds up. Or I will use a little Chlorhexidine in the water. If I am feeling lazy, I'll wipe them down with baby wipes.

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Originally Posted by dembonez

this sounds insane but im sure they probably make a "snake friendly" soap or spray to help with the smell

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Yes they do. It is called Healthy Habitat De-odorizer. I use that as well.

I give my snakes a nice swim in Chlorhexadine/water mixture after egg laying and the same if they slither though poop.

I have, as a noob, given them a bath in baby bath (one drop) to some luke warm water.

I only bathe them after egg laying or if they have crawled through their filth. The only soap I use is softsoap antibacterial hand soap or body wash. These are moisturizing to prevent drying or irritation.

Just wondering , why do they need baths after egg laying?

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Originally Posted by Minja777

Just wondering , why do they need baths after egg laying?

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To remove the scent of eggs off of them, so that they will not fast for another 60 days and will be more likely to accept a meal soon after laying. This is when you remove the eggs from the female.

I use baby bath only after egg laying. One or 2 drops.

Thanks all. My snakes tend to run through their pee/poo, and a simple rinse doesn't get the smell off.

I've heard of the dish soap technique before, so maybe I'll give that a try. I swear I remember seeing Chewy getting a BP all soaped up in a snakebytes episode.

Dennis

when putting my snakes together for breeding, i leave them in a bare tub with no substrate, and no water dish to rumpus around in.

often, one or both of them will poop. the result is LESS than ideal, and VERY smelly/sticky. and NO, plain water does NOT do it!

i personally don't think soap is harmful to the snake at all. i use softsoap aloe vera. it is not an antibacterial soap, as i am not a fan of those.

what i do, is put the snake in the bath and let it swim around for awhile. then i soap up my hands as if i'm washing them, and let the snake slither through. i don't put any soap near their head, and once i'm done soaping them up, i put them back down in the bath water, let them rinse themselves off, and then pick them up and dry them off with a hand towel.

all my snakes are still alive! their scales are like armor, lol!

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Originally Posted by Hapa_Haole

I swear I remember seeing Chewy getting a BP all soaped up in a snakebytes episode.

Dennis

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If you need to see a photo to be convinced, I have one. He smelled just fine afterward.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...thtime_al1.jpg

oh that's an ADORABLE photo! what's that, a pastel hidden underneath all those bubbles?

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Originally Posted by Tikall

If you need to see a photo to be convinced, I have one. He smelled just fine afterward.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...thtime_al1.jpg

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...LOL...Looks like a fine day at the spa..:D

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Originally Posted by katia

oh that's an ADORABLE photo! what's that, a pastel hidden underneath all those bubbles?

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He's a lesser. :D

Sweet snake. Is that hand sanitizer okay for using before and after handling, it seems as though everyone was just saying to use water to wash your hands. I've heard you should wash your hands before and after. Oh and do snakes smell, I really didn't think they did I just couldn't know that.

I use hand sanitizer after handling each snake. When you're at a show, you'll see sanitizer everywhere. That's so nothing can spread to another persons table through people handling reptiles.

Sometimes I wash my hands, especially if I'm about to handle food. I'll use my sanitizer and wash my hands in that case. Rather be safe than sorry!

Yeah I'll get some, but should you use it before too or is it okay to just wash with water.

I have used baby wipes, unscented and also a small anount a baby shampoo, but only after egg laying, or if they crap in hide and I dont catch during cleaning and they lay in it for a day or 2.