Do BPs need baths?

This might be a stupid question to some but I'm curious so I'll ask anyways. I know that people soak in containers to help with shedding but can BPs be bathed too? Obviously, I know they don't need soap and all of that but can they benefit from just hanging out in a shallow bathtub of warm water for a few min every so often?

I was visiting with family last week and she has bearded dragons. Once a week she runs a warm bath for them and just lets them hang out for a few min while she supervises. They seemed to really enjoy it and it cleaned the messes off of them so they weren't stinky. It made me think about my guys at home when they wallow in their crap. Will it hurt my guys to do they same thing when they're gross?

They don't need it nor will it hurt them.. It'll stress them out, but it won't hurt them.. I've done it to help the shed process and to clean them up if they smell like poo.

Just make sure it's not so deep where they have to work to keep their head out of water..

Do you think it'll stress them out anymore than soaking them in a container?

I give my Royals the occasional soak for about 30 minutes , they ALWAYS come out looking cleaner, brighter and occasionally plumper ......

They don't need baths. There is no benefit to it and they don't enjoy it.

You have one goal as a keeper: to provide a stress free proper environment.

Stress is the root cause of many health issues that plague captive reptiles. It can reduce the efficacy of the immune system and trigger bouts of anorexia.

For every instance where someone states a bath us needed I can provide a less stressful solution. Bad sheds, crawling through poop....anything.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

They don't need baths. There is no benefit to it and they don't enjoy it.

You have one goal as a keeper: to provide a stress free proper environment.

Stress is the root cause of many health issues that plague captive reptiles. It can reduce the efficacy of the immune system and trigger bouts of anorexia.

For every instance where someone states a bath us needed I can provide a less stressful solution. Bad sheds, crawling through poop....anything.

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Well .... To be fair I'd say that SOME do benefit from a soak .

My first Royal ( albino ) was in pretty poor condition when I 'saved' it from the local pet store and she wasn't happy or wanting to eat for a few weeks afterwards .

I posted a photo of it onto a Snake forum and within hours somebody suggested that she thought it was probably dehydrated and to give it a soak in water for 30 minutes . I did everything she said and within the hour the snake had transformed into a plump brightly coloured Albino .. and she ate the very next day ...

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Well .... To be fair I'd say that SOME do benefit from a soak .

My first Royal ( albino ) was in pretty poor condition when I 'saved' it from the local pet store and she wasn't happy or wanting to eat for a few weeks afterwards .

I posted a photo of it onto a Snake forum and within hours somebody suggested that she thought it was probably dehydrated and to give it a soak in water for 30 minutes . I did everything she said and within the hour the snake had transformed into a plump brightly coloured Albino .. and she ate the very next day ...

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Was the OP asking about rehabilitating a dehydrated snake?

Or was the OP asking about just hanging out in shallow water very so often?

With regards to dehydration, there are better ways to address it than soaking the snake in water.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

Was the OP asking about rehabilitating a dehydrated snake?

Or was the OP asking about just hanging out in shallow water very so often?

With regards to dehydration, there are better ways to address it than soaking the snake in water.

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No he wasn't , but you said 'categorically " that they don't benefit from baths and I simply showed an actual example of one benefiting massively from a soak ... Ie it went on to positively thrive rather than maybe dying !!

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Originally Posted by onthefritz

This might be a stupid question to some but I'm curious so I'll ask anyways. I know that people soak in containers to help with shedding but can BPs be bathed too? Obviously, I know they don't need soap and all of that but can they benefit from just hanging out in a shallow bathtub of warm water for a few min every so often?

I was visiting with family last week and she has bearded dragons. Once a week she runs a warm bath for them and just lets them hang out for a few min while she supervises. They seemed to really enjoy it and it cleaned the messes off of them so they weren't stinky. It made me think about my guys at home when they wallow in their crap. Will it hurt my guys to do they same thing when they're gross?

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

They don't need baths. There is no benefit to it and they don't enjoy it.

You have one goal as a keeper: to provide a stress free proper environment.

Stress is the root cause of many health issues that plague captive reptiles. It can reduce the efficacy of the immune system and trigger bouts of anorexia.

For every instance where someone states a bath us needed I can provide a less stressful solution. Bad sheds, crawling through poop....anything.

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Now, point out to me where we are discussing dehydration and soaks.

A ball python does not need a bath.

A ball python does not benefit from a bath.

A dehydrated ball python requiring rehydration - that is a different discussion - but I would do two or three other things rather than soak the snake.

If you want to have a discussion about that, let's start with this:

How does a ball python physiologically benefit from soaking in water if it's seriously dehydrated? Let's begin with that.

Now if you are trying to stave off a potentially fatal case of dehydration, you first need to diagnose the cause and then treat it in the quickest, most stress free way possible that provides maximum and immediate benefit.

But soaking it is not that way. And again, ball pythons do not need baths. They do not benefit from it and it can lead to other health issues.

For every instance where someone states a bath us needed I can provide a less stressful solution. Bad sheds, crawling through poop....anything.

Please elaborate

Poop on snake : spray rag with f10 solution and wipe down snake.

Bad sheds: provide correct husbandry. If bad shed has already occurred, utilize a humid hide to help the snake shed on its own.

The physiological process of shedding can be seriously impeded by soaks, especially pre shed soaks.

Dehydration is minimally affected by soaks. The skin is impervious and fluid uptake is mainly through the cloaca. This type of absorption is inefficient and there are quicker more effective way to address dehydration.

To wipe off poop; I use a warm, damp paper towel and let the snake crawl through it.
A sidenote; I was under the understanding that atm f10 isn't available in the states (where I am). The last time I looked online for it (about a month ago) I was unable to find any in stock.

To answer the OP's question, my personal opinion is I don't believe that bps would enjoy having a bath just for the heck of it, as previously stated, it stresses them out and there are other methods to handle bad sheds and your snake getting dirty. I don't think it's worth the health risks. FWIW.

I only give my balls bath when they have shedding problem or when they covered themselves with poop.

No they dont need baths or soaking.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

Quote . " ball pythons do not need baths. They do not benefit from it and it can lead to other health issues " .

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Incidentally ... I'd seriously be interested in the other health issues as regards soaking Ball pythons as its certainly not common knowledge and maybe should be ...

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Incidentally ... I'd seriously be interested in the other health issues as regards soaking Ball pythons as its certainly not common knowledge and maybe should be ...

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My biggest concern about giving one a bath (like, letting it hang out in the bathtub) would be chemicals and worrying about the snake drinking un-treated water with chlorine and chloramines in it.
I think soaking in a container would be safer in the short term, but it can cause stress, and stress can cause a whole host of health issues.

I think we all realise that if the humidity levels are adequate there's usually no problems with shedding but things don't always go to plan especially for novices . That's when this method is useful and effective. It should never be done before shedding or even during the blue period and only be done after the 'blue' phase when the snake is looking normal again .

The way I've seen it suggested in this forum and the way I do it - is by using room temp water in a secure plastic tub . I have a few air holes in it and leave an inch of air or so at the top so it can keep it's head above water should it want to .... they usually don't . Let them soak for about 25 minutes . In my experience they aren't even that keen to get out afterwards either and have to be coaxed out ...and then let the snake slide through a wet / damp rough textured towel , just applying gentle pressure , when it's head appears out of the towel you just cover it carefully with the towel and let it slide through again , repeat for a few minutes . .

This method has proven 100% successful for myself and many , many others .

You asked what potential health risks were, so I gave you some... The thread wasn't about retained shed though, it was about giving them baths in a bathtub for no medical reason and whether or not there were any benefits to that.

It's all about opinions and experiences I guess . The thing is in this thread the idea of bathing and soaking seemed to blend into one and the same thing ....

Yeah, it did get kind of side-tracked :P. I always looked at soaking as more of a medical thing, and the 'bathing' as putting the snake in a bathtub to clean it off or something. I won't say soaking is never good, but I do think it's easy to look at it as completely harmless and overdo it.

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Originally Posted by DVirginiana

Yeah, it did get kind of side-tracked :P. I always looked at soaking as more of a medical thing, and the 'bathing' as putting the snake in a bathtub to clean it off or something. I won't say soaking is never good, but I do think it's easy to look at it as completely harmless and overdo it.

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Yeah , it's a common sense thing I guess . I can't see any point in just giving random soaks or baths and as such would never suggest same .