Ball python soaking = always bad?

Today I checked on my Pastel Ivory girl who I noticed going into shed yesterday - apparently she decided to soak herself and flood her tub today. Id always thought that if humidity is good, the snake won't feel the need to soak itself. Is a soaking ball python always a sign of incorrect humidity/husbandry? Or is it normal to an extent? None of my snakes have every soaked before.
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When given the opportunity, all seven of my snakes will soak even though the humidity is spot on or high. Even up to immediately before shedding. All seven have one piece sheds even with continuous soaking.

The bit about washing off oils is total BS. One person said it here years ago and many have repeated it because it sounds good. The oils are UNDERNEATH the skin.

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It's relatively rare for BP to soak unless there is a reason but it can happen, what you want to prevent is a persistent soaking in other words an animal soaking every single day.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

It's relatively rare for BP to soak unless there is a reason but it can happen, what you want to prevent is a persistent soaking in other words an animal soaking every single day.

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Why prevent them if they choose to do it?

My BP, Boas, and Carpets have done so for years with no negative effects. And with perfect sheds as well.

I do actually believe that their primary reason for doing so is for the feeling of security. Even though they each have hides, maybe they like mixing it up?

So your BP soak 365 days a year?

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Originally Posted by Deborah

So your BP soak 365 days a year?

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When did he ever say his bps soak for 365 days a year? I feel like when someone says something you disagree with, you always make something up that was never said!

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Originally Posted by highqualityballz

When did he ever say his bps soak for 365 days a year? I feel like when someone says something you disagree with, you always make something up that was never said!

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So now asking a question is making something up now well ok. (You know interragation mark = question well last I check I thought it was)

I ask a question, fair enough since he questionned my answer based on PERSISTENT soaking not occasional?

Persistent soaking not occasional is a sign that something is wrong and can lead to issues those snakes are nit meant to spend most of their life in water they are not anacondas.





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Mine do it too, which is why each has an oversized water bowl that only gets filled half way...keeps them from flooding their homes.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2399303526.jpg

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I'm yet to see my BP soak, but my Kingsnake does occasionally, and will often soak at least once a day prior to shed. Never had any issues, he always sheds in one beautiful piece.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

So your BP soak 365 days a year?

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No, sorry about using the word "consistently" in my first post. I was trying to say that she (and all of my snakes) will stay in the bowl all day or for days without going in and out.

Let me say that I'm not being defensive. I'm just posting my experience and I am willing to take advice and criticism. But I will chime in when someone says something thing is bad and can't back it up. I also will not sit by when someone make blanket statements about anatomy and physiology and don't back it up with facts; e.g., soaking washes away needed oils.

But if you added up the days of the year, I would estimate that she spends 40-45% soaking, 40-45% in her cool side hide, and 10-15% out and about. She will not use a hot side hide whatsoever.
One month might be 15 days in the hide, 10 soaking, 3-4 days half in the water, half out, and 1 or two days out and about.

Another month may be 20 days soaking and 10 in the hide. Or 10, 10, 10.

The Boas soak more because they don't use hides, except Butch during shed.

My Carpets used to soak more because they didn't care for hides either until I mounted them on the ceiling. Now their soaks are similar to the BP.

I once questioned myself that ambient of 78-80 was too warm and the snakes wanted to cool down. But then one winter the cool side got down to 65 and she was soaking on the cool side. Same thing for one of the Boas in the quarantine room. Hence, I provide the opportunity and let them choose how they wish to live. As long as they are healthy with good sheds, what does it matter?

Also, if you are thinking that it must be MY husbandry causing this, which it very well may be, when I went to the breeder to pick up Lizzy, a Coastal Carpet, she was soaking. And most of the photos from the breeder were of her soaking.

Ran out of time for photos.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2231492015.jpg
Mack doing a true periscope/snorkeling.

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Butch soaked for 6 days straight right up until his shed. I watched as he crawled out, waited about 10 minutes, and began his one piece shed.

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Esmarelda started soaking as soon as I gave her a bowl large enough as a Juvie.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dca1d803c4.jpg
Mack in the middle and Lizzy on the bottom, both Coastal Carpets.

There are only two common scenarios that I have had a ball attempt to soak. The first being pregnant where they will soak the first third of the body. The second being when they have decided they like the bowl as a hide. The second is always remedied by giving them a hide they like more than the bowl.

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No, sorry about using the word "consistently" in my first post. I was trying to say that she (and all of my snakes) will stay in the bowl all day or for days without going in and out.

Let me say that I'm not being defensive. I'm just posting my experience and I am willing to take advice and criticism. But I will chime in when someone says something thing is bad and can't back it up. I also will not sit by when someone make blanket statements about anatomy and physiology and don't back it up with facts; e.g., soaking washes away needed oils.

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I know and figured you did but had to make sure hence why I asked if they were soaking daily (365 which of course someone (not you) had to read something into this wonder why :rolleyes:) and the point I was making in my first answer was identical as well, when I used the word persistent, occasional soaking are fine persistent not so much a snake that would soak daily would indicate an issue to start with and could create more (thinking more along the like scale issues, scale rot due to prolonged exposure to damp environment).

And I am talking about BP here not other species which in my experience carpet soak a lot more than BP who rarely do.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

(365 which of course someone (not you) had to read something into this wonder why :rolleyes:

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would that happen to be me? :8::)

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Originally Posted by Reinz

Ran out of time for photos.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2231492015.jpg
Mack doing a true periscope/snorkeling.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...76bbf6f96d.jpg
Butch soaked for 6 days straight right up until his shed. I watched as he crawled out, waited about 10 minutes, and began his one piece shed.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...eb1aa6e411.jpg
Esmarelda started soaking as soon as I gave her a bowl large enough as a Juvie.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dca1d803c4.jpg
Mack in the middle and Lizzy on the bottom, both Coastal Carpets.

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Love that sign. Beware. lol. They can gobble you up 😁

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