Strange substance in water bowl

Last night when I went to change my water bowls and I noticed in one bowl there was something floating in the water - its hard to describe but it was like a cloudy film in a clump of sorts. I immediately thought OMG RI but I checked him over thoroughly and found no noisey breathing, no mucos around his mouth - what could this be.

I change my water bowls every 2nd day. Could he have urininated in the bowl a little bit.

I am just worried now about an RI - can someone help with this.

As a side note: this is the snake that recently had the surgery but he looks fine and its been a month since the surgery. I'm wondering if it isn't something related to the surgery/shots he got because I remember last time he had a surgery I found this similar stuff in his water bowl once but never thought too much about it.

Also, just wanted to mention that we have hard water and its treated with peroxide and salt - I rinse his bowls with this water but give him bottled water to drink - didn't know if this has something to do with it.

Maybe dissapated urate?

Have you heard of this affiliated with RI in any way??

**BUMP**

Can anyone else help with this. I am really concerned about it being an indicator of an RI.

Thanks

The only thing I could think of is that it could possibly be a sperm plug, because you mentioned the snake was a "he".

My bps both pee and poo in their water at times.. I'm thinks its due to the water.beimg warm and it helps relieve pressure. Thats prob whats goin on with your bp.

I will just have to watch to see if it happens again. It was a slimy texture not any type of solid waste. The water still looked really clean but with this slimy thing floating around.

I don't know but I thought I read somewhere a long time ago on this site that it was stated something about watching for slime in the water bowl as a sign of an RI starting - I don't really know though. Just thought I would put that out there to see.

He has a vet appt for his surgery recheck next Friday the 9nth so I will definitely have the vet check him over well.

Totally, theres no harm in being to careful especialy with a bp fresh from surgery.:gj:

It's bacteria forming in the bowl -usually Serratia marcescens - sometimes other types of bacteria.

What is the bowl made of?

Ive seen that before too

If my snakes go in their water, it gets a filmy crud covered layer on top. Could that be what you're seeing?

My water bowls are made of ceramic - I sanitize/clean them every 2nd day faithfully.

It wasn't alot of stuff just a floating slime ball really - that is the only way to describe it. Almost like when you see oil floating on top of the water - but it was white/clearish in color. I should of taken a darn picture - sorry!

Maybe I should start cleaning the bowls every day??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

My water bowls are made of ceramic - I sanitize/clean them every 2nd day faithfully.

It wasn't alot of stuff just a floating slime ball really - that is the only way to describe it. Almost like when you see oil floating on top of the water - but it was white/clearish in color. I should of taken a darn picture - sorry!

Maybe I should start cleaning the bowls every day??

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The bacteria I referenced, depending on the strain, can run the gamut from clear to pinkish to red. I've had it in one bowl and for whatever reason, it would come back as quickly as I cleaned it out. It was like it was colonized.

Wash it and sanitize it again. If it comes back. Toss the bowl and replace it.

To Skiploader - so you don't think any harm came to my snake?? And, you don't think this is related to an RI coming on??

Thanks for your help.

This just came to me - a perfect description of it would like when you see a jellyfish in the water - that color and consistancy.

Hope this helps clarify.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

This just came to me - a perfect description of it would like when you see a jellyfish in the water - that color and consistancy.

Hope this helps clarify.

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Yep.

I don't think it can harm your snake.

Do this, replace the water bowl.

Take the old one and put it on a shelf somewhere with water. See if it still grows the slime.

Oh thank god its not the beginning signs of an RI. I checked him thoroughly and he looks and sounds great.

I will take the bowl out and see what happens. It could also be the heat in the tub creating that environment for bacteria to grow also.

Thanks for your help on this.

I saw something just like that a long time ago when I was in High School chemistry class. (This was a LONG time ago! LOL) We had lab stations that were "ours" for the duration of the school year, so we kept some things in the drawers that no one else messed with. We had a beaker of distilled water left over the weekend in our drawer. The beaker was perfectly clean when the water was put in it. I don't remember why it was left there, but when we came back to school on Monday, that perfectly clean, clear water had what looked like a jelly-fish blob floating in it. It was actually pretty cool. The chem teacher (who was actually a biology teacher by profession and taught chem because no one else would) said it was probably some kind of bacterial bloom.

Anyhow...just wanted to point out that it can happen even under very clean conditions. So it's not surprising to find something like that in a snake enclosure, even if it's kept clean and tidy. :)

I'm glad Skiploder knows more about it than I do! :D

Thanks JLC - the funny thing is that it was actually distilled water that I put in their bowls since I don't use our tap water.

Is distilled water okay or should I be buying something else.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

Thanks JLC - the funny thing is that it was actually distilled water that I put in their bowls since I don't use our tap water.

Is distilled water okay or should I be buying something else.

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I wonder if there's something about the distillation process that makes that water more prone to bacterial growth? Maybe certain minerals inhibit the growth normally? I'm totally throwing out baseless speculations here. I know nothing of bacteria or how/why it grows.

:confuzd:

As for what to give the herps...I don't know if there's anything specifically wrong with giving distilled water, but I don't believe it's necessary. Regular tap water is fine. And if you're just too paranoid about your tap water, plain bottled drinking water is fine. There may be benefits to the minerals naturally found in water. (Such as inhibiting the growth of freaky mutant bacteria... :P )

Its common in waters that are semi hard water. You will see white rings as well as things floating in the water if its not changed and wiped out often

I do wash the bowls in the tap water which is put thru a peroxide/salt processor but then add the distilled water for them to drink.

I think I will switch to spring water. But, I have to believe that it is something in the tap water that I am using to wash them with to be honest. Our water is a well and it is very sulferic (smells like rotten eggs) which is why we don't drink it.

Each time i change water i spray chlorohexidine in and wipe out. Rinse then fill the bowls. This keeps the build up minimal and the white rings away.

Keep in mind, if you drink it from tap its safe for the snakes.

Since we got the softening system put in - its supposed to be fine for drinking but we just don't like it. Our dogs even get bottled water - lol

I sure feel better knowing that my snake is fine - I was very upset last night worrying about this and couldn't post to this site because my internet was down - had to wait til I got to work today to ask for all of your help.

I would be lost without my BP.Net Forum

Thanks Guys and Gals!!!!!

I get this in my ceramic water bowls from time to time. I just scrub them out really good. Chlorhexidine wouldn't be a bad idea either.

If memory serves it's airborne. I nuked the bowl in which it was occurring in and it came back. I have a crap load of snakes and it only happened in this one bowl. Even if I put the bowl in another drawer or cage it came back. When I put it outside it grew. It was like the one bowl was possessed,

There may be an issue with the porousness of the glaze in that individual bowl facilitating the growth. Who knows. What is important is that it's not a sign of bad husbandry or that anything is wrong with your snake.