The Problem with Bathing?

[Futile]

I've seen quite a few posts here that almost scold people who give their balls a bath right before or while they shed. However, none of the people doing the scolding ever say why you shouldn't soak your snake. Long story short, why are you not supposed to soak the snake?

Does the answer change with special cases? My friend has a rescued ball python who had gotten chewed up from a rat and so has quite a few messed up scales by his tail (and the old wounds reopen when there are things in his cage to rub against.) This is a ball python who almost never sheds on one piece. The one time he did was so surprising for her that she called her sister (who is a vet whom specializes in reptiles) and had an hour long conversation with her about it. She has to soak the snake and then sit with him and help him rub his skin off. Sulu simply won't shed properly without opening his old wounds, unless he's soaked.

[M.P.C]

It is answered everytime its asked... Its bad because its completly unessecary to start with... You should be providing propper humidity to begin with plus when you give them a bath you are removing the natural oils and enzymes created by the snakes body to help with the shedding process and then theres all the added stress to the little one ... If you have to help them shed use a humid hide and if that dosent work a damp warm rag in a cotton pillow case is another option... But other then being covered in excrement there is no reason to ever bath a snake.. More harm then good

[bcr229]

If you have a snake with injuries or scarring that interfere with shedding, the keeper can help by:
- Keeping the snake's humidity higher than the norm all the time, not just during the shed cycle.
- Offer a humid hide when the snake starts the shedding process; in mine the bellies start to go pink before the eyes cloud over.
- After the snake actually pops the shed, use a warm, damp washcloth to gently rub it off of any problem areas.

Also if the scabs/wounds are re-opening during a shed I would treat them with Vetericyn versus Neosporin or Triple, as the latter products use a petroleum-based jelly which can cause scale damage.

I have an older boa that was fed live, usually two small rats, by a prior owner. He would throw both into the enclosure at once, and while she would eventually eat both, rats aren't stupid - the one she didn't take immediately would attack her as soon as she hit the other. She has a lot of scarring on her back and sides. So, she gets rubbed with a warm damp washtowel periodically in areas with stuck shed.

[John1982]

I've seen quite a few posts here that almost scold people who give their balls a bath right before or while they shed. However, none of the people doing the scolding ever say why you shouldn't soak your snake. Long story short, why are you not supposed to soak the snake?

Easy enough to demonstrate if you have a fresh snake skin. It should feel kind of wet, kind of sticky, kind of slimy. Those are the oils they produce to aid in shedding - bathing simply washes all of that away.

Does the answer change with special cases? My friend has a rescued ball python who had gotten chewed up from a rat and so has quite a few messed up scales by his tail (and the old wounds reopen when there are things in his cage to rub against.) This is a ball python who almost never sheds on one piece. The one time he did was so surprising for her that she called her sister (who is a vet whom specializes in reptiles) and had an hour long conversation with her about it. She has to soak the snake and then sit with him and help him rub his skin off. Sulu simply won't shed properly without opening his old wounds, unless he's soaked.

Snakes don't need a rough surface to shed. It makes the task a bit easier if they have one but they will find a way out of that old skin regardless. If your friend just provided proper humidity instead of soaking she'd probably get those whole sheds more often.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Yep, its been gone over many time why NOT to bath your snakes.

[Mephibosheth1]

The only time I did a bath to help with a shed I had let the humidity get down super low (like 20%) so when Mycroft tried to shed he only removed about 20% of the shed by himself.

I went ahead and did a soak to help, but I could tell that it was a stressful experience; it took him a couple weeks before he would even eat again. Had I just moderated the temperatures properly I wouldn't have had the issue in the first place.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Bathing while in shed will deplite the snake form essential oils which make it difficult for it to shed.

Bathing after a bad shed can be done but there are better alternative that are less stressful.

Remember stress plus bad husbandry can lead to severe health issues, stress with those animals should be kept to a minimum.

The only time I ever bath a snake it has happened twice in 10 years and in both case those wee females that were way overdue (50 days POS)

[ECechoHO]

The only time i bathe mine is when i can see some kind of unwanted matter on them... i ALWAYS thought soaking while in shed was ok to help the procedure move along BUT realized by myself to just make the enclosure hotter(humidity) wise until mine shed //eg\\ if your using a tub just put the top on until shed process is over...

[Futile]

Sorry for the late reply, but thanks for all of the answers. It was very helpful to me, and I have a better understanding why I shouldn't soak the snake.

[Zincubus]

Shakes head at this thread ....... the outrage at the idea of someone daring to put the snake in a tub of water and soak ( which they do themselves if their water bowl is large enough ...)

Yet you're all skipping over the part where the snakes mentioned above were bitten when feeding live rats ..... post number one and three incidentally ...

Just saying .....