If you notice your pet snake spending an unusual amount of time soaking in their water dish, it’s natural to be curious or even concerned. There are several reasons why this behavior might occur, ranging from normal physiological processes to potential health issues. Here are some common reasons why your snake might be spending more time in their water dish:
Preparing to Shed
One of the most common reasons a snake will soak in its water dish is in preparation for shedding their skin. Shedding, scientifically known as ‘ecdysis’, is a natural process for snakes, allowing them to grow and remove old, worn-out skin. Young snakes will shed more frequently as they are rapidly growing, sometimes as often as once every 7-10 days!
Soaking helps hydrate and loosen the old skin, which makes the process of removing the shed easier on the snake.
Low Humidity Levels
Snakes are sensitive to humidity levels, and different species require different levels of humidity to thrive. If the ambient humidity in your snake's enclosure is too low, they might seek out the area of highest moisture to compensate, which often ends up being their water dish.
Low humidity can lead to:
- Dehydration: Improper chronically low levels of humidity in the environment can lead to dehydration and constipation.
- Incomplete Shed: If humidity is too low, a snake may have trouble shedding properly, leading to retained shed skin, particularly around the eyes and tail.
Too much humidity can also be a huge problem, sometimes even more so than too low of humidity! Low humidity can cause poor sheds and dehydration, but too high of humidity can also cause poor sheds, infection of the skin, and respiratory infections. For most species, providing a humidity gradient within their habitat is the most ideal option. This allows the snake to choose exactly what humidity level they require. It is important to research the species of snake that you keep in order to provide adequate husbandry.
High Heat
If the temperature in your snake’s enclosure is too high, your snake may soak in its water dish to cool down. This can be a sign that your snake is overheating. Make sure to:
- Check Temperature: Using an infrared thermometer, check the surface temperature of all areas within your enclosure. Use a digital probe thermometer to monitor the ambient temperatures on both the warm and cool end of the habitat. Ensure the enclosure is within the recommended temperature range for your snake's species.
- Provide Gradient: It is important for all species that they are able to escape from temperature extremes. Offer a temperature gradient with a warm side and a cool side so your snake can adequately regulate their body temperature.
Using a thermostat on any heating source is the best way to avoid potentially fatal malfunctions. Any heat source has the ability to malfunction and overheat, even products with built in thermostats or emergency shut off. Heat lamps should be hooked to dimmers and/or proportional thermostats; thermostats with the ability to adjust the amount of electricity powering the bulb AND shut off. Heat mats can be hooked to pulse thermostats; thermostats that turn the heat source on and off to control the temperature.
Many thermostats will come with the ability to sound an alarm when a threshold is reached, alerting you to a potentially dangerous situation. Some thermostat brands will also hook up to your wifi network and send an alert notification that your heating elements may be failing.
Snake Mites
Perhaps the most frustrating and one of the most worrying potential reasons for prolonged soaking is the presence of snake mites. These tiny parasites can cause discomfort and irritation to your animal. Snakes often soak themselves in water to attempt to drown the mites. Signs of mites include:
- Frequent Soaking: Snakes that may otherwise not soak in their water dish begin to spend excessive time soaking.
- Visible Mites: Tiny black or red specks on the snake's skin, around the eyes, under the chin and/or within the heat pits, or in the water dish (may look like small pieces of dirt floating or sunk to the bottom).
- Restlessness: Increased agitation or restlessness in the snake.
Enjoyment
While soaking is not a common pleasure for many commonly kept snake species, there are a few species that may enjoy soaking in their water dish, such as Brazilian rainbow boas. Semi-aquatic snakes like anacondas are frequently found in and around water sources as well.
- Provide A Large Dish: Even if your snake does not enjoy soaking, it is recommended to provide a water dish that is large enough for them to fully submerge themselves if they wish.
- Do Not Force Soak: Forcing your snake to soak removes all enjoyment from their experience and can be extremely stressful and even lead to increased risk of health issues like scale rot.
What to Do If Your Snake Is Soaking Excessively
If your snake is soaking more than usual, it's important to observe and address the underlying cause:
- Check for Signs of Shedding: Snakes will often exhibit a more dull coloration along with blue, opaque eyes indicating a shed cycle.
- Monitor Humidity Levels: Use a digital probe hygrometer to ensure appropriate humidity levels in the enclosure.
Place the hygrometer where it will not be misted or be at risk of water droplets getting inside the device/the probe, which results in inaccurate readings
- Verify Temperature: Use reliable thermometers (infrared and probe) to check the surface and air temperatures throughout the enclosure. Always plug heating elements into a reliable thermostat, and adjust as needed.
- Inspect for Mites: Carefully inspect your snake and the enclosure for mites. If mites are found, consult a veterinarian for treatment options, quarantine your snake in a sterile setup, and treat their enclosure to get rid of those pesky parasites!
Don’t Force It
Never force your snake to soak or remove your snake from their enclosure to give them baths. Giving your snake a bath is unnecessary and can be highly stressful for them. Soaking can remove the beneficial oils on the snake’s scales and can increase the risk of scale rot.
Snakes are naturally clean animals that are designed to regularly remove their old skin without assistance. If your snake is dirty, you can simply wipe them with a wet paper towel to remove poop or dirt. Instead of soaking your snake to help with incomplete shed, you should address your husbandry and provide a humid hide and plenty of rough surfaces where they can retreat for more moisture and remove shed themselves. In cases of severe stuck shed, using the pillowcase method is safer, less stressful, and more effective than soaking.
Snakes are not hydrated by soaking. Snakes are not able to absorb significant amounts of water through their skin or cloaca, and must drink orally to adequately hydrate. Therefore, soaking in an attempt to hydrate a snake is unnecessary.
Providing access to a large bowl of clean water and having proper humidity levels are the best ways to keep your snake healthy and hydrated!
By understanding the reasons behind your snake’s soaking behavior, you can ensure that your pet remains healthy and comfortable in its environment. Regular monitoring and maintenance of the enclosure's conditions will help prevent issues and keep your snake thriving.
