Question

[Kori]

I have an adult bp that we took in about 6 months ago and have not had any issues with him at all, he eats great and sheds good and is all around a happy guy,
but the last 5-6 days he has been soaking in his water dish and I have never seen him do this for so long?
Could something be wrong?

Thanks

Kori

[Hoomi]

My female BP, Dixie, has a habit of soaking for long periods of time, while my other BP's don't seem to pay much attention at all to their soak dishes.

So far, it doesn't seem to have done Dixie any harm, and I do have to say she's never had a bad shed since I've had her.

Soaking helps them with their sheds and also tends to help them with their excretory functions.

[Smynx]

I'm assuming this is a new behavior for the BP since you've had him for 6 months. Snakes will soak when they're getting ready to shed, if they have mites, or to help with temperature control (i.e. if it's too hot in the tank). There are other reasons as well, and some snakes just seem to like soaking, but if this is something you haven't seen from him before, check your temperatures and humidity and check him for mites. Could he be getting ready to shed again? If the temps and humidity are okay, he doesn't have mites, and he's not getting ready to shed, he might just have decided that a soak feels pretty nice. We have a few snakes that soak for long periods of time regularly.

[Kori]

Thanks for the feedback,
Yes, this is a new thing for him, his temps are good and humidity, he could be ready to shed again, it's about time, he did come out of the bowl to eat a few days ago but went rite back in!
I don't see any mites but I really never have so not sure what I am looking for.

[Smynx]

Mites just look like tiny black dots. When the snakes soak, the mites come off and float on top of the water.

[Kori]

Nope, don't see any floaties!
I'm hoping it's just a new find for him (it), I don't think he ever had a dish large enough to soak in, when we got him he was in pretty bad shape, he was in a very small tank with a little tiny dish and was pretty beat up from being fed live rats.

[UberAlice]

Ruby and Vash are the same way, it might be an adjustment thing for them though. I moved back to my old apartment near Columbus and they've both soaked a few times a week since I got here.

[Kori]

He's been in there for days though, thats what makes me worry, but he did jump out to eat though!

[Smynx]

Give him a few more days and see if he sheds.