snake in the water

[me_luv_moe]

howdy evryone! do your garter snakes sit in the water? like you know, just relax? or is the tank too hot for my garter so he sits in his fish bowl?

oh, and by the way, my water bowl has a guppy in it and its still alive..just in case that has anythingto do w/ it. oh and thanxx:)

[Sputnik]

When I first got my garters they used to lie in the waterbowl for ages soaking. They don't seem to do it so much now. Now they just prefer to discover new ways to escape their viv. Grrrr.

[jompiej]

my atratus swims a lot, but he has a water bowl from 45cmx30cmx30cm :P
the remaining don't swin that much.

[Stefan-A]

None of my snakes spend time in the bowl. At least not more than it takes for them to swim across.

[adamanteus]

It might be worth double checking your temperatures, and make sure your snake is free from mites. But some Garters do seem to soak more than others.

[garterking]

howdy evryone! do your garter snakes sit in the water? like you know, just relax? or is the tank too hot for my garter so he sits in his fish bowl?

oh, and by the way, my water bowl has a guppy in it and its still alive..just in case that has anythingto do w/ it. oh and thanxx:)

Some will soak, others won't. I agree to look them over for mites as that is a symtom. Snakes will soak as a way to drown mites and it also helps with the discomfort. When mites are under water, they don't tend to concentrate on getting under their skin. No pun intended.

[Sid]

Mine rarely soak unless preping to shed. The last reply is one to consider. If they get mites, they will stay in the water a lot. Look closely to the water bowl, if you see tiny roung bugs, they're mites.

[KITKAT]

My elderly CA Red-Sided (passed away last fall) used to soak alot. She also had a different hunting style than my other garters.

One of my Wandering garters soaks occasionally, while the other never does. They are housed together, so it must be individual choice.

[drache]

yeah
I find differences among cohabitating garters
some of mine really like to spend time in water, others don't
I do always give them the option by providing good sized water bowls
even the ones who aren't normally into it will take advantage around shedding time

[anji1971]

Deejay used to soak when she was in the little tank, but since I've moved her into the 20G she hardly ever goes in the water. I have no idea why.
When Dojo was alive she was never really a soaker.

[Lori P]

Mine don't soak either. The only time I've seen them actually in the water was to hunt fish. Reed is funny, he likes to burrow in the aspen under the water tub and since it's a clear plastic tub I can see him under there. :-)

[me_luv_moe]

can mites kill my snake? and how can i prevent him from getting mites?

[Stefan-A]

They can weaken it and make it susceptible to other illnesses. They could probably spread diseases as well, but I don't think people are as concerned about that.

If you use branches, bark or other stuff you find outdoors, you might want to heat it or at least pour boiling hot water over it before putting it in the terrarium. New snakes should be quarantined and observed, especially if they are wildcaught.

[adamanteus]

Over the years I have had to deal with snake mites a few times. On every single occasion the source was a pet store.

[Odie]

My male's don't soak but the female's do :confused:

[tikichick]

Some of mine soak. Some do it any time, others do it right after they eat and rub their noses on the side of the bowl. My ball python likes to rub his nose clean after he eats, too. :)