Hey all. This morning when I woke up, I checked on Zola and she was soaking in her water dish, which I haven't seen her do before. After I got out of the shower, she was hiding, then when I got home from my finals just now, she was back in the water. Her temps are fine, humidity at 60. She ate yesterday, and normally after she eats, I don't see her leave her warm side hide for 2 days. So, this is new, and I want to know if I should be concerned because I have heard BPs don't soak generally.

I have heard they may soak to get rid of mites, so that was my first red flag. My girl has never had contact with another snake, aside from where she was bred and she was mite free when I got her, I made sure to check. Can snakes get mites out of the blue, having never come in contact with another snake?! Everything in her tub I bleached before I put it in and I bleach it every 2 weeks.

Because she ate less than 24 hours ago, I don't want to pull her out and check for mites. Plus, I am hoping that is just not the case because I don't have any other snakes....

I am hoping she is preparing for a shed.... her last one was over a month ago, I marked it on a chart I have for her. She is almost 4 months old, and I hear the growing snakes can shed monthly, sometimes even more frequently, so the time is right. There isn't good lighting in her terrarium, so I can't tell if she looks dull unless I pull her out, which like I said, I don't want to do til tomorrow at the earliest, more likely Thursday. Should I start misting to up the humidity assuming she is going into shed? Or is she taking care of things herself by soaking? Or should I just stop worrying and assume she just felt like a soak?