Originally Posted by Dboknight
There's some competing ideas and opinions here!
DEFINITELY no soap or chemical residue (as already mentioned in a previous reply). If you are just curious to see if your BP is interested in a bath or swimming, I'd first try including a slightly deeper water dish in the vive, and take note of any peek of interest your snake may show. This could mean diddly squat, or it might work. I noticed once that my BP stuck his entire head under the water in his bowl and looked around for a minute. I have yet to give him a bath though, because I do not feel it is necessary.
If you try this and find your snake soaking, that is a whole n'other story. The deep water dish idea is just thought of (and inadvertently tries myself), so now sure if others will agree with this idea or not.
I'd actually want the water to be room temperature or *slightly* cooler, not warmer. Stick your (clean) pinky finger in the BP's water bowl; that's about what temp the bath water should be.
I think it can be stressful for snakes to soak (or take baths), so if you don't think it's necessary, then it probably isn't. However, there is a really interesting video on this forum with a diving ball python, that hopped into someone's fish tank for awhile. They didn't put them in there though, the snake did this all on its own.
You will find some pros and (probably more) cons to soaking, unless - as mentioned - there are mites, stuck shed, or messes. Whatever you decide to do, do it with caution and pay attention to any stress signals from your snake.
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