Question's about soaking......

[BMoore]

Hello everyone.......

I have 2 question's that I have been pondering the last 2 days.

#1) When a boa is in shed, is it a good idea to soak them or do I let nature take it's course? I usually only soak when there is a bad, patchy, shed. If so............ when should I soak them? When their eyecap's peel off before they actually shed?

#2) How much is too much? I soak once a month unless there is a problem with a shed. (I just learned from Steve not too long ago that Boa's should soak at least once a month.) Well thier are 2 incidence's that have happened that make me wonder............
The day after Ezzie, my 6 1/2 footer bit me, she went into her cage and was emerged in her water dish for almost 48 hours until I said enough is enough and moved her out.
Then yesterday.............. AFTER I had just soaked Jezebel, 4 1/2 feet, she went straight back into her water dish for 9 hour's completely emerged. (She had a little retain on her head) I figured she wanted to soak longer but took her out because I was starting to worry.
Do snake's get water logged? Can this cause scale rot? Anyone else have boa's that do this? Should I leave them alone, or draw the line when it come's to soaking time?

**Beth**

[eViL_KaRoT]

Re:Question's about soaking......

I would say, if the boa wants to soak, let them soak. They know when enough is enough and they need to dry off. My Ursula (7ftr) will soak, when she can, and she will soak for 2 days or so. Then she'll get out, usually spilling over all her water. I'll change the water and her tank out, and within 6 hrs of cleaning it all out, she's back in the tub. I'd just let her soak. I think the once a month thing is a bare minimum. As long as the outside of the water is dry so that they have a chance to dry out and avoid scale rot, they should be fine to soak for 2-4 days at a time. It's up to them. I'm sure when you're not looking, she probably gets out.

[sclark]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Hey Beth,

I will post basically what i said here, and then we can see what others feel on this subject..

With my boas, as soon as they start looking real dusty, just before their eyes go blue, I do an hour soak. I find this with daily misting during the blue phase allows a clean shead almost always..

I make sure to always do that with the bigger adults because I do not have dishes big enough for the adults to fit in and submerge.

Can they be soaked to much.. Well I do think you can over do this. If you you do not allow the boas to allopw him or herself enough time to be semi dry you run the risk of belly rott.. I have never seen a case of belly rott caused by the boas soaking him/herself too much, except in the extreme case of a bad mite problem. They are so stressed by the mites, everything else becomes a secondary worry to them..

Hope this helps..

Steve

[redtailedmel]

Re:Question's about soaking......

i hardly ever see mine soaking but of course i do like steve when they atart the shed process ill let them play in the bath tub and they ill mist them occasionally during that time like maybe once a day if they still feel moise ill leave them be but ive not had any problems with dry sheds or belly rot, but then again when im asleep i have no clue what they are doing in there lol

[Gun Lover]

Re:Question's about soaking......

i would say let nature take its course..if they wanna soak in the water i would let em..like steve said ..only time you really have to worry is if there is a mite problem..

[Red]

Re:Question's about soaking......

You know you are descriding a mite problem... If you humidity is correct then it should shed fine with no mistings and no soaking... they help it alongI have found it to take less time witch is good because of reduced stress...
But if maintained at the right humidity with no other health problems then the snake should have no problem...
Snakes often show aggresive tendences when they have mites too... probley hurt or itch....
I would check the water for mites... If there are none...
I would say Put in a hide made out of a dish for for plane clay pots.... Soak it in water and it makes the inside of the hide 100% humidity... this is basicly like the snake soaking... Works like a charm... Steve I would try this since you don't have a big enuf bowl... Just a thought I hopes this helps..
ERic aka...Red

[BMoore]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Thanks guys..........

Well this is my first bad shed I've dealt with and I don't even think it's that bad......... I was just wondering if it was bad if they soak for almost 48 hours. Now that I am kinda worried about mites, I will check them out. Thanks everyone for your reply's. I am gonna go check my girls for mites now! :P

**Beth**

[Weazel]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Not to steal you thread or anything, but after reading this I have a question now...

My has never soaked, that I have seen, during her shed cycle I myst the enclosure at least once a day, to keep the humidity up around 80-90%.

Is soaking one a month a thing I should be doing. All the care sheets, sites I have read, I don't ever remember seeing this...

And if I should soak her once a month, can I get some pointers on how to do it? (I'm paranoid for her... hehe)

Lukewarm water? do I hold her the whole time to make sure her head doesn't go under, or just let her wander and have fun, etc....

Thanks in advance...

~W

[eViL_KaRoT]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Honestly, soaking is a thing that a snake will do, when it feels the need to do so. If you have a dish in the cage that is large enough for the snake to fit in, and it wants to soak, they'll do it. But with the fact that you spray her down during shed cycle, then she may not feel the need to soak, so she doesn't. As long as they are having a complete shed and do not have mites, they don't neccasarily NEED to soak, but they may like to soak every now and then. I say, put a dish in the cage large enough for the snake to fit it, if possible, and place it in the cage with some water. Then let the snake do the work.

[BMoore]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Hey Weazel........

Like Evil said...... You should definetly have a water dish that the boa can soak in if you don't already. My 6 1/2 footer LOVES to soak! She will do it herself, when ever she want's. But the time that tripped me out was when she stayed in there for almost 48 hour's. I though it was a little too long so I took her out. She will usually go in there to pee or poo. LOL
Now my 4 1/2 footer, I have seen soak once in 6 month's. The first time I soaked her was after a patchy shed and I put her in a big rubber maid container and put holes in the top, but not to where any plastic is sharp and poke's out. (Don't want your snake to get cut) I fill it just enough for her to soak in and not have to swim. The water should not feel warm to you. If it does, then it will feel HOT to your snake. It should be right before luke warm, just slightly cool. The first time I put Jezebel in there, she didn't like it. But after the second soak, she never wanted to come out.
The last time I soaked her, she went back into her enclosure and straight into her water dish. She stayed there for 8 hours, so that why I started this thread. I was wondering how much is too much. But my snakes kinda seem to love to soak. I don't have to soak Ezzie because she is doing it herself, but Jezebel I soak because she hardly does herself............. see what I am saying. i think it's good for your boa. Now I just got a 2 footer who is 3 months old and am not sure if he needs to soak this young. That is something I wanted to ask Steve............
I hope I didn't ramble on............ :P

**Beth**

[sclark]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Hello Weazel,

I agree with what has been said.. Just one thing. You mentioned you keep your boa at 80-90% humidity.. Drop that down to about 70%.. 90% is too high and you may end up with a snake with belly rot.. Trust me, you don't want to have to deal with bad belly rot..

Good luck
Steve

[Weazel]

Re:Question's about soaking......

I only keep it around 80-90% during her shed, otherwise is usually around 50-60%

[sclark]

Re:Question's about soaking......

70% should be fine for you boa to shed nice.. Just worried your baby may end up with scale rot.. That is so hard to see your baby deal with.. Just becareful.. i know you love your snake..

Steve

[Weazel]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Will do steve, thanks for the input... last thing I want is problems

Should I try to keep it below 50-60% during non-shed times?

I live in arizona, so it's not hard to get it lower :P but I try to keep it around 50-60%...

~W

[bigmitch]

Re:Question's about soaking......

Don't worry about it if your Boa doesn't soak. Mine never soaks some like to some don't. I usually let mine soak in the tub for 30 mins to an hour it all depends he lets me know when he wants to get out..he usually wraps around the Knobs and the spicket..lol.. be careful with the water..like what was stated before you don't want to burn your baby..and even during shed time 90% is to high ..Like Steve said you don't want a case of belly rot..It is painful to your snake and its not something that goes away quickly..

jAySoN