How to wash a snake?

Supposing one witnessed their BP drag themselves through a particularly wet turd, how might that person clean their snake? Just a rinse, or is there any snake friendly soaps? When he had mites, I put him in a shallow tub with a drop of Dawn...

That's such a great mental image! :P I just use a damp paper towel.

I toss mine into a plastic bucket with plain old water.

It might not get them squeaky clean, but then I can't imagine that a minute trace of invisible turdage is going to harm a snake.

W.e you do make sure you dry him before placing him back in the tub. They can develop an RI quickly if thrown back in there wet.

Please correct me if I am wrong bcoz I am new here and new to owning snakes. I put diluted Chlorhexadine in the tub and wash my BP name "big money".

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Originally Posted by that_dc5

W.e you do make sure you dry him before placing him back in the tub. They can develop an RI quickly if thrown back in there wet.

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They can? That's a new one to me. I've put wet snakes back into tubs lots of times and never had an issue. Plus, people with humidity challenges regularly mist the enclosures and wet down the snake.

So long as you're not bathing your snake in COLD water and/or leaving it exposed to cold ambient temps for a long period of time....and so long as the enclosure temps remain in their proper ranges, it shouldn't matter.

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Originally Posted by JLC

They can? That's a new one to me. I've put wet snakes back into tubs lots of times and never had an issue. Plus, people with humidity challenges regularly mist the enclosures and wet down the snake.

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I've got a couple that get themselves all wet soaking in their water dishes, slop water all into their substrates, and they're never sick.

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Originally Posted by JLC

They can? That's a new one to me. I've put wet snakes back into tubs lots of times and never had an issue. Plus, people with humidity challenges regularly mist the enclosures and wet down the snake.

So long as you're not bathing your snake in COLD water and/or leaving it exposed to cold ambient temps for a long period of time....and so long as the enclosure temps remain in their proper ranges, it shouldn't matter.

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Ditto, Judy. My dog doesn't catch a cold when I don't blow-dry him after a bath, and my house is colder than the snake room. I doubt that a snake with no fur to retain the moisture is going to be in worse shape than my Boxer.

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Originally Posted by JLC

They can? That's a new one to me. I've put wet snakes back into tubs lots of times and never had an issue. Plus, people with humidity challenges regularly mist the enclosures and wet down the snake.

So long as you're not bathing your snake in COLD water and/or leaving it exposed to cold ambient temps for a long period of time....and so long as the enclosure temps remain in their proper ranges, it shouldn't matter.

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+1

yea to wash them, I just fill a the bath tub a few inches and let them swim around, mostly because I like to watch them swim around, some are so awkward doing it, some are pretty good.

When one of mine gets particularly gross, I put them in the shower. I turn the water on really low, adjust the temp, and wet them down. A dollop of baby shampoo in the palm of my hand, rub both hands together to get lather, then run both hands over the snake.

Rinse well, and your done.

Gale

I clean off offending poo paint with unscented baby wipes...

You guys continue to do w.e works for you. But I have read on more than one occassion where someone drops a wet snake in a tub and they get sick soon after. But to each their own.

Also a dog getting a cold and a snake getting an RI is comparing apples to oranges. Which btw is still a little mean, to put in a cold wet dog inside a cold house.

I use a tub bath or Jurrassi Wipes

Is baby shampoo actually safe for them?

I've never had an issue. Not in three years. I avoid the eyes of course, and I don't let water get in their nostrils.

Gale

Yeah, sorry, I've never once had a snake get sick from being wet, lol. It doesn't even make sense--they soak in their water bowls sometimes, after all. The bin is nice and warm, why would being wet matter?

The reason cool temperatures can lead to RI in snakes is that being too cool lowers their immune system function, so they can't fight off bacteria as readily. This has nothing to do with being wet or dry. (Also, going outside without your jacket won't make you catch a cold. ;)

Just because someone had a snake get sick after they bathed it doesn't mean the illness was caused by the bathing. (I would also point out that if you heard of this happening several times...was it the same person? Because their husbandry may be bad, and that's why their snakes are getting sick....)

My snakes sometimes duck their head under the water when I'm bathing them in a tub, so keeping water out of their nostrils isn't really possible at that point, lol. Never had any issues.

Thanks so much! I did just rinse him off and let him run through a moist paper towel. I did dry him off, but thats mainly 'cause I wanted to have him on my lap to watch tv. He doesn't ever seem to stay wet very long anyway.

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Originally Posted by that_dc5

Also a dog getting a cold and a snake getting an RI is comparing apples to oranges. Which btw is still a little mean, to put in a cold wet dog inside a cold house.

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I guess I should have spelled it out a bit clearer. In the winter, I do not keep my house at 78F like my snake room. Therefore, it is colder in my house, where I bathe my dog - this does not mean my house is "cold," or that the dog was bathed in cold water (therefore, he is not "cold," either). If my snakes (or dog) get wet, they are still at an ambient temperature that is healthy for them and will not create a disease that did not exist.

I wash my BP once or twice a week in the bathroom sink with just a little "Betadine Vet Surgical Scrub" and rinse well. I keep his face away from the standing water till it doesn't have soap in it anymore because sometimes he drinks his bath water. (He will also drink right where it is coming out of the faucet.) He likes "showers" more than baths so I let most of the water drain out and let the water splash on him from the faucet. I have used Oatmeal soap and baby shampoo in the past as well.
I could be wrong but I figure skin is skin right? We bathe with it every day and it doesn't hurt us. I figure as long as it is rinsed off well it shouldn't matter too much but just to be on the safe side I avoid perfumed and deodorant soaps that leave a residue. Stay with natural soaps or "no tears" children's soaps or shampoos. And make sure you don't let them drink it or let it get in their eyes or nose.

:snake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFlV3y4Ra4o

In this video I was helping him shed but I give him regular baths in the sink too. Just to help hydrate his skin and keep him clean.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...11Hermes25.jpg

I have had him since May and have never had any problems. But being in Arizona it is a challenge keeping his enclosure humid enough. In his new enclosure I have to use a spray bottle a couple times a day to bring the humidity up....

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...n/100_7831.jpg

During the monsoon is the only time the humidity stays up by its self..

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Originally Posted by Vypyrz

poo paint

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This is the best description of wet snake poo EVER.

I just do tepid water/wet paper towels. They seem to like that MUCH more than swimming - at least mine do.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

+1

yea to wash them, I just fill a the bath tub a few inches and let them swim around, mostly because I like to watch them swim around, some are so awkward doing it, some are pretty good.

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Yes, this is what I do, too. Though I'm now very careful about the water temp: I find they really like it just above room temp, about 78-80F. And they'd rather have it too cold than even a little too warm. Some of them still just don't like water, but most of them don't put as much effort into thrashing and escaping the tub when the water temp is just smidge above room temp.

I almost never use soap. If I have a stinky snake, I make them stay in and soak longer. The pieds and the albinos and the lucy I'll actually scrub a bit with my fingers if they've painted themselves with poop.

Ahh painting with poo. I have a couple snakes who'll do it and some that will scrunch themselves into the opposite side of the tub as if they're trying to get as far away as possible.

I just wipe them off with a damp paper towel.

My colubrids' however...holy moly that is some concrete poop! It sticks to plastic tubs like nobody's business!

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Originally Posted by KatStoverReptiles

Ahh painting with poo. I have a couple snakes who'll do it and some that will scrunch themselves into the opposite side of the tub as if they're trying to get as far away as possible.

I just wipe them off with a damp paper towel.

My colubrids' however...holy moly that is some concrete poop! It sticks to plastic tubs like nobody's business!

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Yeah I usually wipe off with a damp paper towel after a poop. And concrete poop sounds hard to clean !! :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by mattchibi

Yeah I usually wipe off with a damp paper towel after a poop. And concrete poop sounds hard to clean !! :rolleyes:

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We should sell the concrete poop as building material! Wait, no, maybe we shouldn't.

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

I guess I should have spelled it out a bit clearer. In the winter, I do not keep my house at 78F like my snake room. Therefore, it is colder in my house, where I bathe my dog - this does not mean my house is "cold," or that the dog was bathed in cold water (therefore, he is not "cold," either). If my snakes (or dog) get wet, they are still at an ambient temperature that is healthy for them and will not create a disease that did not exist.

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Being cold or wet does not create a disease, or a virus, or bacteria. If your snake gets sick, it is bad husbandry, not having a bath, that did it. It is having the snake in an area that already has bacteria growing. If that is where you gave it a bath, then it is the dirty conditions that caused it not the bath itself.

Those having issues with humidity--consider a Repti-Fogger. A lot more reliable than spraying 3 times per day. In arid climates, they may be well worth it.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Those having issues with humidity--consider a Repti-Fogger. A lot more reliable than spraying 3 times per day. In arid climates, they may be well worth it.

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Yea, I am seriously considering it, or make a humid container he can go into. There certainly is room for one within his new habitat! ;)

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Originally Posted by Missy King

Being cold or wet does not create a disease, or a virus, or bacteria. If your snake gets sick, it is bad husbandry, not having a bath, that did it. It is having the snake in an area that already has bacteria growing. If that is where you gave it a bath, then it is the dirty conditions that caused it not the bath itself.

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Exactly my point, thank you. ;)

I give my Bleak a bath just before photoshoots or if cleaning her tank before putting her back in, I use kids hand wash, here's how.

Place 1 squirt into the palm of your hand, and apply it to your Bp, you can use a handful of water to create a lather, then simply rinse with plain water, I usually dry right after since I don't want the bedding getting wet.

I always use 3 sheets of news print, covered with a layer of plain white paper and bedding. This usually traps and moisture that gets spilled, also great for maintaining humidity for those that use tanks as enclosures. I also never use any type of heating with my Bp, mainly because I live in Barbados so it's not necessary.