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  1. #1
    BPnet Senior Member Hannahshissyfix's Avatar
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    Burm hates water?

    Curious on some input on my guy. He seems to get really stressed about water, only times he has ever bit me where both when he was little. 1 time being when I was holding him outside and my son was a jerk and sprayed us with the hose(light stream) the other time was also outside when I was taking some pictures of him and it started to sprinkle just the slightest and I picked him up to go back inside. Besides that, he has zero reaction to similar random pets/rubs and is fine to handle. I dont really believe in random forced baths since I keep my enclosures at the right humidity so sheds arent an issue and are perfect but I have given him a few quick baths after he manages to pee a whole gallon and of course everything stinks like it (including him) until washed. I make sure the water is a safe temp and not too hot/cold (temp gun it) and he still spends the few minutes being huffy and more interested in exploring vertically. I dont want it to be a stressful experience for him but also dont want to have a giant, pee smelling snake when I handle him. Suggestions?

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    C.Marie (07-18-2018)

  3. #2
    BPnet Veteran Valyrian's Avatar
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    Re: Burm hates water?

    My Burm also hates to be in water so i just don't do it. What's your substrate? If you're not doing this already try using eco earth because it absorbs waste and smells massively. When they piss and poo just change out the soiled area and the smell will be under control. I've tried paper, cypress mulch and orchid bark and they all stink to high heaven. Eco earth is the only substrate that absorbs smells in my experience.

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  5. #3
    BPnet Senior Member Hannahshissyfix's Avatar
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    Re: Burm hates water?

    Quote Originally Posted by Valyrian View Post
    My Burm also hates to be in water so i just don't do it. What's your substrate? If you're not doing this already try using eco earth because it absorbs waste and smells massively. When they piss and poo just change out the soiled area and the smell will be under control. I've tried paper, cypress mulch and orchid bark and they all stink to high heaven. Eco earth is the only substrate that absorbs smells in my experience.

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    I've considered switching him to the coco I use for all of my BPs but honestly want to avoid the mess it makes when I pull him out plus the chips getting into the sliding door track. I use a thick brown paper so I know thats most of the issue. Im just hoping theres some way of slowly getting him used to a quick rinse once in a while. Ive considered using a damp cloth to have him slide through but that isn't going to be too easy as he gets heavier.

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    C.Marie (07-18-2018)

  7. #4
    BPnet Veteran Valyrian's Avatar
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    Re: Burm hates water?

    Not chips, the fibre kind in the brick or bag form

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  8. #5
    BPnet Senior Member JodanOrNoDan's Avatar
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    Ok, take this for what it is worth because I do not own a burm, but here are my suggestions. I do keep my BP's on paper so I have an idea of what you are dealing with especially when it comes to liquid waste. None of my snakes like water but when they soil themselves they will get a quick rinse. They don't have much choice in the matter because I am much bigger than they are. I have made no attempt to make them like water.

    Once again, I have never taken care of a snake that size but I have worked with large animals that would be capable of killing me if they so desired. Conditioning like this with big animals should start when they are very young when you have a much better chance of success. I would say that any conditioning you want to do needs to happen before the animal can force you to do what it wants, so if you are going to do it, do it before you cannot easily control it on your own. In this case I think I would begin by misting the animal every day until it began to ignore it.

    All that said, if I was to own an animal with the growth potential of a burm, I would begin building an enclosure that could be maintained without removing the animal. A place that I used to frequent here keeps a couple beautiful animals. The enclosure they are in has drainage and it and the animals can be washed down without having to remove them from the enclosure.

    It is funny to hear of a burm that does not like water. They are thriving here in the Everglades.
    Honest, I only need one more ...

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  10. #6
    Registered User C.Marie's Avatar
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    I really have no helpful advice, maybe a warm damp hand towel (like when you go to the spa or a man gets an old fashion shave) instead of submerging? Gorgeous critter how old is this magnificent babe? Wishing you both nothing but the best, thank you for sharing.
    Last edited by C.Marie; 07-18-2018 at 02:42 PM.
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  12. #7
    BPnet Senior Member Hannahshissyfix's Avatar
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    Re: Burm hates water?

    Quote Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan View Post
    Ok, take this for what it is worth because I do not own a burm, but here are my suggestions. I do keep my BP's on paper so I have an idea of what you are dealing with especially when it comes to liquid waste. None of my snakes like water but when they soil themselves they will get a quick rinse. They don't have much choice in the matter because I am much bigger than they are. I have made no attempt to make them like water.

    Once again, I have never taken care of a snake that size but I have worked with large animals that would be capable of killing me if they so desired. Conditioning like this with big animals should start when they are very young when you have a much better chance of success. I would say that any conditioning you want to do needs to happen before the animal can force you to do what it wants, so if you are going to do it, do it before you cannot easily control it on your own. In this case I think I would begin by misting the animal every day until it began to ignore it.

    All that said, if I was to own an animal with the growth potential of a burm, I would begin building an enclosure that could be maintained without removing the animal. A place that I used to frequent here keeps a couple beautiful animals. The enclosure they are in has drainage and it and the animals can be washed down without having to remove them from the enclosure.

    It is funny to hear of a burm that does not like water. They are thriving here in the Everglades.
    He's getting a major enclosure upgrade in the spring when we move. We're working on building plans now and Im hoping to incorporate him into the family room or possibly make his enclosure the kitchen island so its tall enough to allow some big branches and basking ledges and a tub he can soak in. Until his recent growth, I've always provided a water bowl large enough that he could get into it and never once saw him utilize that and he's too big for it now.
    He just turned 2 and is a little over 8' so still very manageable for me and im hoping we can get him used to some form of being cleaned up soon.

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  14. #8
    bcr229's Avatar
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    I wipe my big snakes down with damp paper towels if they've gotten pee/poo on them. If they are really funky use unscented baby wipes; the generic kind actually work better because they are thicker than the name brand wipes. Follow up with several damp paper towels to remove any residual soap left by the wipes.

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  16. #9
    BPnet Senior Member CALM Pythons's Avatar
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    Re: Burm hates water?

    Quote Originally Posted by JodanOrNoDan View Post
    The enclosure they are in has drainage and it and the animals can be washed down without having to remove them from the enclosure.
    .
    Can you get a Pic of that enclosure? I wonder if AP could customize something like that for me?


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