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How often do you soak?
During my time here I have seen a lot of mixed views on soaking your snakes. In the two months I have had him, I have never bathed Peter, but am considering it now as he has some dust off of the substrate on him and is getting a little bit rough so I assume it will be a good idea. Just wanted to gauge what you guys think in a poll! Let me know why you chose what you did if ya fancy it too. Cheers :)
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Re: How often do you soak?
This i a personal preference of mine but when one of my snakes goes into shed i soak once every 2 days for bet 10 mins. As soon as i c a pink belly i start doing this. I put lupe warm water in a sealable tub place the snake in it and leave for 10 mins. This being said if ur humidity is hight enough then ur snakes will shed with out soaking.
Joe Tully
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I know there are some legitimate reasons for needing to soak a BP, but I, knock on wood, have never run into one of those reasons.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slim
I know there are some legitimate reasons for needing to soak a BP, but I, knock on wood, have never run into one of those reasons.
By that do you mean humidity and shedding issues?
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Unless a snake is dehydrated there no reason to soak, all you are doing is washing away the natural oils that help them shed.
If you feel you need to soak them then please fix your husbandry issues, IF they want to soak they have a water bowl for that.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by George1994
By that do you mean humidity and shedding issues?
Yes, but also I've not had any mites or dehydration issues either.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl
Unless a snake is dehydrated there no reason to soak, all you are doing is washing away the natural oils that help them shed.
If you feel you need to soak them then please fix your husbandry issues, IF they want to soak they have a water bowl for that.
Ahh, I never knew that! I am glad I've not soaked him now then haha! So say they are having a difficult shed do you just mist the viv, raising the humidity?
I don't have any issues at the time being, I just wanted to know peoples opinions on the matter!
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by George1994
Ahh, I never knew that! I am glad I've not soaked him now then haha! So say they are having a difficult shed do you just mist the viv, raising the humidity?
My collection is too large to use tanks anymore. Tubs and racks hold humidity great.;)
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl
My collection is too large to use tanks anymore. Tubs and racks hold humidity great.;)
Fair enough :) I hope to have a system like that one day, when I'm working my to that Lemonblast haha! How is that Lemonblast you ordered getting on?
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Re: How often do you soak?
I soak mine if they had a bad shed, or dehydration. Which is rare.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by George1994
Fair enough :) I hope to have a system like that one day, when I'm working my to that Lemonblast haha! How is that Lemonblast you ordered getting on?
She is in the kids rack and doing great from what I hear.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl
She is in the kids rack and doing great from what I hear.
That is good to hear! I am one jealous fella!
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Never, there is no reason to do so. BP can easily get stressed and you do not need to ad additional stress by bathing them.
The only thing I do is wipe of females after they laid, again I wipe them off no soaking. ;)
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Re: How often do you soak?
About 5-10 minutes in the tub. If I have sunburn, then I soak for longer to let the water really take the heat out of my skin. But I haven't had a bath in a long time, I'm a shower type of person. ;)
In 13 years I've had snakes, I think I've soaked or given some type of bath on 3 occasions cause of a super bad shed or the snake was so covered in feces, a bath was the only way to get the stench off. And when I moved all my snakes crapped their bags. So they all got a bath then. It was gross.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by Pyrate81
About 5-10 minutes in the tub. If I have sunburn, then I soak for longer to let the water really take the heat out of my skin. But I haven't had a bath in a long time, I'm a shower type of person. ;)
In 13 years I've had snakes, I think I've soaked or given some type of bath on 3 occasions cause of a super bad shed or the snake was so covered in feces, a bath was the only way to get the stench off. And when I moved all my snakes crapped their bags. So they all got a bath then. It was gross.
Haha! I'm a bath man myself! Have you tried shower beering? Drinking beer whilst in the shower... Amazing stuff!
My condolances! That does sound like a disaster haha! That musta been a fun clean up operation!
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by George1994
Haha! I'm a bath man myself! Have you tried shower beering? Drinking beer whilst in the shower... Amazing stuff!
My condolances! That does sound like a disaster haha! That musta been a fun clean up operation!
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Actually, I have. It was fun.
Ty, it stunk for a couple days. I guess that'll learn me to give 2 weeks of not feeding before I move again.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by Pyrate81
Actually, I have. It was fun.
Ty, it stunk for a couple days. I guess that'll learn me to give 2 weeks of not feeding before I move again.
You sound like you know where you are going in life haha! Showerbeers are great! So are bathbeers!
I can't begin to imagine the smell haha!
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don't really soak mine they soak themselves. They will flip their water bowl over at soak the tub when they want to soak .( some more than others ) or if they can't flip the bowl they will just squeeze into it until water every were and soak that way.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by mechnut450
don't really soak mine they soak themselves. They will flip their water bowl over at soak the tub when they want to soak .( some more than others ) or if they can't flip the bowl they will just squeeze into it until water every were and soak that way.
We don't call them tubs for nothin'. :rimshot: ;)
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Re: How often do you soak?
Mya's water bowl is big enough for her to soak in it if she chooses to ;)
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mechnut450
don't really soak mine they soak themselves. They will flip their water bowl over at soak the tub when they want to soak .( some more than others ) or if they can't flip the bowl they will just squeeze into it until water every were and soak that way.
Haha, you must have spent a while emptying tubs then haha! Mine is in a viv and has a heavy bowl which is flush with the ground so he can't get any leverage to tip it! I have only ever seen him with his tail in the water... Bit old to be weeing in the bath Peter!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kat1204
Mya's water bowl is big enough for her to soak in it if she chooses to ;)
Nice, does she ever soak?
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I'm on that "never" bandwagon, but it's not to say I wouldn't if it was necessary.
So far all sheds from my snakes have been clean and complete - lucky us!
I would only soak if there was stuck shed, and I'd tried the damp towel trick. I wouldn't soak before a shed though, because those oils they have are necessary and could be impaired (or so I've read).
If I noticed one of my snakes soaking on their own, I'd wanna check it out, as this isn't a normal behaviour for them. Although I did see my BP dunk his head under the water in his large water bowl and look around... that was interesting. :P
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by NH93
I'm on that "never" bandwagon, but it's not to say I wouldn't if it was necessary.
So far all sheds from my snakes have been clean and complete - lucky us!
I would only soak if there was stuck shed, and I'd tried the damp towel trick. I wouldn't soak before a shed though, because those oils they have are necessary and could be impaired (or so I've read).
If I noticed one of my snakes soaking on their own, I'd wanna check it out, as this isn't a normal behaviour for them. Although I did see my BP dunk his head under the water in his large water bowl and look around... that was interesting. :P
Seems to be overwhelming support for not soaking at this point! The damp towel in a tub idea also seems preferable to soaking. I'm not sure how much a ball python would swim in the wild... I doubt it would be often at all haha!
Quote:
Originally Posted by NH93
Although I did see my BP dunk his head under the water in his large water bowl and look around... that was interesting.
I bet haha! That sounds so cool!
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Re: How often do you soak?
I don't ever either. The closest I'll get is misting em down when they're going into their shed cycle during the dry winter months. If you're humidity is good you shouldn't need to. But it gets so dry here in the winter months I try to mist them just to be on the safe side.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGeek
I don't ever either. The closest I'll get is misting em down when they're going into their shed cycle during the dry winter months. If you're humidity is good you shouldn't need to. But it gets so dry here in the winter months I try to mist them just to be on the safe side.
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Yeah, I think most of the issues that people try to fix with soaking can be sorted by misting the viv daily for a few days. Also, props on the perfect avatar/name combo :)
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Only times I've soaked my snake is when he was getting stinky from pooping in his hide and I didn't see it.
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Re: How often do you soak?
never
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Never.
As long as your husbandry is good and your snake is mite free, you shouldn't have to soak them. They will shed fine on their own. Bathing strips them of their natural body oils that act like a lubricant between the new skin and old skin during a shed. You can actually make a shed go bad if you bathe during a shed cycle.
If your snake has a bad shed, there are better options to soaking. Soaking can be stressful for ball pythons. Especially since they are a terrestrial, non-aquatic, species.
A better alternative is putting them in a warm damp pillow case and letting them move around for an hour or so. That usually gets off any stuck shed.
Or if it has only a little bit of stuck shed, you can just leave it alone, bump up your humidity, and wait for it to come off with the next shed.
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Re: How often do you soak?
How about a retained eye cap? It's been stuck on izzy since her last shed about 3 weeks ago, and I'm getting antsy. The vet said it could be detrimental if it stays much longer.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Archimedes
How about a retained eye cap? It's been stuck on izzy since her last shed about 3 weeks ago, and I'm getting antsy. The vet said it could be detrimental if it stays much longer.
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One or two retained caps is no big deal. It only becomes detrimental if a lot builds up.
Do the pillowcase trick or just leave it be and wait for the next shed. Just make sure your humidity is up. You can potentially do more harm to the eye if mess with it. Some folks have ripped off the live eye membrane accidentally and caused permanent eye damage.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by satomi325
One or two retained caps is no big deal. It only becomes detrimental if a lot builds up.
Do the pillowcase trick or just leave it be and wait for the next shed. Just make sure your humidity is up. You can potentially do more harm to the eye if mess with it.
Yeah I've been trying to let it be, I'm actually really glad the vet didn't try to mess with it while we were there, i've just heard too many horror stories about trying to physically remove them. Her humidity stays in the 60s, but she hasn't really made an effort to rub it off, it does look pretty loose though so maybe i'll give her a pillowcase to play in.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Archimedes
The vet said it could be detrimental if it stays much longer.
I would like to know what your Vet is basing that diagnosis on. Sorry, but there are a lot keepers here that have way more hands on experience with snakes than most any Vet.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slim
I would like to know what your Vet is basing that diagnosis on. Sorry, but there are a lot keepers here that have way more hands on experience with snakes than most any Vet.
I understand that, but the vet I go to is the only person I know irl to look at my snakes with a trained eye. I specifically chose an exotics vet with a lot of past snake experience. It looks uncomfortable, which is why I am concerned, not because I fear permanent damage to the eye if it sits awhile longer. I know one cap won't do that.
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I dont soak my snakes i just keep humidity 90% when shedding and mist them directly also other then that no reason to soak they always have perfect sheds like this
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Archimedes, won't be to long before your Vet is calling you when he has snake questions.
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I didn't answer the poll because there aren't selections for
Only when I'm soaping up a female who had just laid eggs
Only when they get poop under their scales
If they ever had a really really bad shed, I'd soak them, but they never have bad sheds. They always come off in one piece. The beauty of racks!
Edit: Actually sorry, I guess I'll check "Whenever they need it" to go with my explanation...
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SquamishSerpents
I didn't answer the poll because there aren't selections for
Only when I'm soaping up a female who had just laid eggs
Only when they get poop under their scales
If they ever had a really really bad shed, I'd soak them, but they never have bad sheds. They always come off in one piece. The beauty of racks!
Edit: Actually sorry, I guess I'll check "Whenever they need it" to go with my explanation...
I agree with this. Ive yet to begin breeding yet, but my bumble bee loves to poop and instantly start painting with it so if I don't get to it quick enough I like to clean him up really good because he gets pretty disgusting. I don't let him soak for a long time but just let him sit in some water with some betadine mixed in.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Unscented baby wipes work great for painters...
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by DooLittle
Unscented baby wipes work great for painters...
Ooo that's a good idea :) gunna have to start using those with him. Hope i don't add anymore painters to my collection lol.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by AlexisFitzy
Ooo that's a good idea :) gunna have to start using those with him. Hope i don't add anymore painters to my collection lol.
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I hope Peter isn't one... Sounds horrible.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by George1994
I hope Peter isn't one... Sounds horrible.
It is horrible, but he's starting to do it less and less, but he still has his moments where he's inspired to paint a masterpiece. I hope he grows out of it completely.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisFitzy
It is horrible, but he's starting to do it less and less, but he still has his moments where he's inspired to paint a masterpiece. I hope he grows out of it completely.
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Well good luck getting him out of it! I'd hate to have a snake that paints everytime he does his business haha! You must dread the clean up sometimes!
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by George1994
Well good luck getting him out of it! I'd hate to have a snake that paints everytime he does his business haha! You must dread the clean up sometimes!
Haha yeah it's pretty terrible :P the only time he doesn't do it is when he poops on me when I have him out lol. You know what he actually peed on me today. Decided to climb into my shirt, get comfy, and pee. He's just a messy little boy. While my normal male whose much older is a complete prima dona lol.
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisFitzy
Haha yeah it's pretty terrible :P the only time he doesn't do it is when he poops on me when I have him out lol. You know what he actually peed on me today. Decided to climb into my shirt, get comfy, and pee. He's just a messy little boy. While my normal male whose much older is a complete prima dona lol.
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Haha, that is so unlucky! Seems like he does it to make you either have to clean up for him or wee all over you haha! Remind me of a toddler.
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by George1994
Haha, that is so unlucky! Seems like he does it to make you either have to clean up for him or wee all over you haha! Remind me of a toddler.
Omg that is the most perfect description of him Ever! A toddler. He's messy, throws tantrums and has hissy fits lol Literally. He's just a complete Goofball. But he's my goofball and I love him :D
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisFitzy
Omg that is the most perfect description of him Ever! A toddler. He's messy, throws tantrums and has hissy fits lol Literally. He's just a complete Goofball. But he's my goofball and I love him :D
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Haha, he seems very qwirky! How old is he? Mine is 3y/o so he seems pretty chilled out and non-toddler like haha!
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by George1994
Haha, he seems very qwirky! How old is he? Mine is 3y/o so he seems pretty chilled out and non-toddler like haha!
Hahaha also a very good descriptive word for him! :P he is almost 9 months old so still a yungin lol. I think he will grow out of a lot of his wackiness as he ages and grows. I'm not expecting a huge difference though since he's a bumble bee with the whole spider wobble thing so his silly personality will always be the same :) I could just do without the messiness and the fussiness lol. Will be glad when he outgrows his toddler state and becomes a big boy!
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DooLittle
Unscented baby wipes work great for painters...
As a teacher I'd like to say unscented baby wipes are some of the best cleaning devises ever! :D
I'm in the only if needed category. My boy came with mites so sadly it was needed for us but he's all better now!
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Re: How often do you soak?
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Originally Posted by RobertsKitty
As a teacher I'd like to say unscented baby wipes are some of the best cleaning devises ever! :D
I'm in the only if needed category. My boy came with mites so sadly it was needed for us but he's all better now!
Haha I bet!
Glad that he is all better now :)
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Re: How often do you soak?
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexisFitzy
Hahaha also a very good descriptive word for him! :P he is almost 9 months old so still a yungin lol. I think he will grow out of a lot of his wackiness as he ages and grows. I'm not expecting a huge difference though since he's a bumble bee with the whole spider wobble thing so his silly personality will always be the same :) I could just do without the messiness and the fussiness lol. Will be glad when he outgrows his toddler state and becomes a big boy!
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Aww so he is still a litlun then ey :) I want a baby snake, thought for my first one I would like to get an already healthy adult so there is less things to go wrong! Hopefully he grows out of this stage for you though :)
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