How big of a water bowl for racks?

So, I was just wondering how big of a water bowl most of you "rack folks" put in your tubs? I thought it should only be big enough for the snke to fit in coiled up...is this incorrect?

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Originally Posted by 4theSNAKElady

So, I was just wondering how big of a water bowl most of you "rack folks" put in your tubs? I thought it should only be big enough for the snke to fit in coiled up...is this incorrect?

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16 oz deli cup inside a 4" PVC coupler. No need to provide a bowl big enough for soaking. A healthy BP kept in the right temps and fed the right size prey item should never need to soak. Rock on!

can PVC couplers be bought at walmart? or do you have to go to lowes or home depot

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Originally Posted by Kizerk

can PVC couplers be bought at walmart? or do you have to go to lowes or home depot

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Lowes, HD or any plumbing supply store. They are like $2 each at HD.

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Originally Posted by jglass38

16 oz deli cup inside a 4" PVC coupler. No need to provide a bowl big enough for soaking. A healthy BP kept in the right temps and fed the right size prey item should never need to soak. Rock on!

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Jamie's right. I've never had BP's soak and they always shed in one piece.

The coupler/deli cup idea is a winner. That's what Mike and I intend to go with when we build our racks. Easy to keep clean and very cost effective for a larger collection in my mind. As Jamie said you don't need to provide a water source large enough to soak in as BP's normally do not require this and too much standing water is just an invitation for bacteria growth or major water spills leading to wet substrate.

I am not sure if they need to .... but my snakes love to soak. Especially after they eat. I have gladware containers in my rack. They all ate last night (700g and ate a 45g rat; not very big prey) and low and behold, they are all sitting in their bowls this morning. :D Humidity is 60 and temps are 90/80. I have covers on my bowls, and maybe the treat it as third hide.....but whatever the reason, that is how they roll!

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Originally Posted by PipeDADDY

I am not sure if they need to .... but my snakes love to soak. Especially after they eat. I have gladware containers in my rack. They all ate last night (700g and ate a 45g rat; not very big prey) and low and behold, they are all sitting in their bowls this morning. :D Humidity is 60 and temps are 90/80. I have covers on my bowls, and maybe the treat it as third hide.....but whatever the reason, that is how they roll!

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I don't have a single snake that has ever soaked after a meal except if the meal was too big or if the temps were off. I would recheck your temps. Just my opinion. :)

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Originally Posted by jglass38

I don't have a single snake that has ever soaked after a meal except if the meal was too big or if the temps were off. I would recheck your temps. Just my opinion. :)

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two accurites in two different tubs plus a herpstat pro. I guess they all could be wrong. ;) They have done it for as long as i have had them. They are 05s. I had them in a herp room prior to moving. Now they are in the house with a new rack. But their routine as remained the same. Now I will say, If I take the lid off the waterbowl (i have holes cut out the top) they do not soak. But as soon as that lid is on....they are in there after they eat. For 24-48 hours. They also go in it before they shed. So far no shed problems.

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Originally Posted by PipeDADDY

two accurites in two different tubs plus a herpstat pro. I guess they all could be wrong. ;) They have done it for as long as i have had them. They are 05s. I had them in a herp room prior to moving. Now they are in the house with a new rack. But their routine as remained the same. Now I will say, If I take the lid off the waterbowl (i have holes cut out the top) they do not soak. But as soon as that lid is on....they are in there after they eat. For 24-48 hours. They also go in it before they shed. So far no shed problems.

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If it works for you, go with it! :rockon:

So, you have gladware containers with lids on em' and a hole cut in the top for water? That sound pretty nifty.....less spillage.....but, are you concerned about the snake getting trapped in there and drowning? It sound like a great idea, but it kinda worries me for my snakes....I would try it, but i don't want to chance a drowning.

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Originally Posted by PipeDADDY

I am not sure if they need to .... but my snakes love to soak. Especially after they eat. I have gladware containers in my rack. They all ate last night (700g and ate a 45g rat; not very big prey) and low and behold, they are all sitting in their bowls this morning. :D Humidity is 60 and temps are 90/80. I have covers on my bowls, and maybe the treat it as third hide.....but whatever the reason, that is how they roll!

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In my experience a 45g rat is a huge meal for a 700 gram ball pythons (other species might do fine) ... The reason that the ball python retreats to a water bowl after too large of a meal is a combination of the added heat digesting something so large adds to the enclosure (causing the snake to want to cool off in the water) and the amount of pressure such a large meal places on the snakes internal organs (becoming boyant in a water bowl helps relieve this pressure) ... if fed more appropriately sized meals, it is unlikely that your ball pythons would ever soak.

One quick note about bowls with covers ... they are very dangerous ... I have seen snakes (ball pythons specifically) get confused trying to get out of covered water dishes and drown inside ... It's such a serious danger that Dave and Tracy Barker dedicated some thoughts to the topic on page 181 of their new book "Ball Pythons - The History, Natural History, Care, and Breeding" where they actually referred to covered water dishes identical to the ones you describe as "death traps".

Hope this helps.

-adam