Water Drinking Habits

[ssg150102]

hope i'm asking this question the right way. How much is a ball python capable of drinking in a day? I ask because i have had mine a little over a week now so i'm still trying to learn what the things he does means. so, i refresh his water every evening, i know he is up at night, and i have no indication he moves about much during the day. after a week of seemingly barely touching his water, i come home from work today and check on him as i always do, and his bowl is completely empty! like bone dry! i feed him bottled water, and his bowl will take about 10 oz, i only fill it have way though because like i said he normally barely touches it.

the temp in tank right now appears cool, which isnt normal. i think someone changed the AC temperature in the house today. his tank is usually 87-90 on the hot side and 82-85 on the cool side. right now his cool side is 75 and the warm side is 82. and the humidty is 60. his lamp stays on all day and there is a heater under the tank on the warm side.

1. could it be the change in temperature that made him drink all his water suddenly?
2. could he not be feeling well?
3. or is this normal, for them to go days without drinking as they do with eating food?

[tbowman]

It's doubtful that he's going a long period of time without drinking, he is most likely drinking when you aren't watching. Although I personally haven't seen a snake drink its entire water bowl.

[ssg150102]

i thought it was strange, too. its too heavy for him to have been able to turn it over, and i doubt the entire thing would have evaporated just since last night.

[Ax01]

i seen my snake take a sip here and there. but nothing like a big, long gulp.

check the substrate and area around the water bowl. is it wet? maybe your bp was soaking in the bowl and forced some water out?

[Monty's_Mom]

Is the bowl ceramic? I had one and after filling it every day for 2 days I got suspicious. The bowl had a very thin crack in it and the water leaked out. I use coconut substrate, the water leaked under the substrate so I couldn't tell because the top stayed dryish. It was a soupy swampy mess under the hide though. I'm glad I caught it when I did.

[ssg150102]

Is the bowl ceramic? I had one and after filling it every day for 2 days I got suspicious. The bowl had a very thin crack in it and the water leaked out. I use coconut substrate, the water leaked under the substrate so I couldn't tell because the top stayed dryish. It was a soupy swampy mess under the hide though. I'm glad I caught it when I did.

You were right!! I filled the bowl again when I posted the first time and then I went out. Came home just now and it was empty again! Checked the bottom of the tank and I can tell it's soaked. Lifted the bowl and it was same as yours. Cracked. Problem solved.

[DennisM]

You were right!! I filled the bowl again when I posted the first time and then I went out. Came home just now and it was empty again! Checked the bottom of the tank and I can tell it's soaked. Lifted the bowl and it was same as yours. Cracked. Problem solved.

good to hear your snake doesn't have a drinking problem