Water hide

[aquamentus_11]

So, I just got my little red-sided female this past Thursday. She's about 10" long and very calm. I was going to name her Jadis after the White Witch from the Chronicles of Narnia books, but she's such a sweetheart that I think I'm going with Ivy instead. She ate for the first time today: just ~1" of nightcrawler. I know that she had been eating pieces of pinky too, so I went to go cut some up, came back and she was in her humid hide and wanted nothing to do with the mouse meat. There was no way that she was full, but she did just get here so I left her alone.

A few hours later I came back into the room. She got startled and raced out of the branches and into her water bowl. I went to go grab the worms again to see if she would eat, but when I came back, she was gone. I looked everywhere and couldn't find her until a tiny bubble rose up out of the aquarium stones at the bottom of her bowl. This is what I saw...

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac328/AQUAMENTUS11/waterivy-2.jpg

She stayed under there for awhile, burrowed into the rocks coming up for air every few minutes. She wouldn't eat, but tasted the worm a few times. She's never been afraid of me before, but just seemed to want to watch me through the glass of her bowl. I set her tank up with plenty of hides, but never expected that she would use the decorative aquarium rocks as one. Easily the coolest species of snake. Maybe I should give her a more aquatic name. Any suggestions?

http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac328/AQUAMENTUS11/waterivy2-1.jpg
(sorry for the crappy quality: it was taken through the side of the tank)

[guidofatherof5]

Any chance those stones could shift?

[chris-uk]

I agree with Steve, I'd be concerned about the snake getting trapped in the rocks. I wouldn't have stones in a water bowl, what's the thinking behind a water bowl with stones in the bottom?

[EasternGirl]

Yes...we are certainly not trying to be critical...just helpful. We just want to make sure your snake is safe. It is best not to have anything in the water bowl to avoid contaminating the water the snake is drinking and in this case, you do not want her to become trapped under the rocks and get crushed or to drown. There was a sea nymph in Greek mythology named Electra (not to be confused with the daughter of Agamemnon)...I think it's a pretty cool name...

[aquamentus_11]

Yeah, they can shift easily....I'll remove them.

They were put in to create a grade to allow her access to deep water and still let her get out easily.

[aquamentus_11]

She can move them herself easily, though: they're not heavy or large, but it's better to be safe I guess. I wash them every day when I change her water.

[guidofatherof5]

I only asked because shifting rocks can pin a snake.
i think you are right. Better to be safe. Good call.

[aquamentus_11]

Yeah, I just ran home and checked and she's not in there. I'll remove the rocks tomorrow when I change her water and she's not sleeping. Anyone have any ideas on another substrate that I could put in the bottom of her water bowl for her to hide in, while not endangering her life? I really enjoyed that she did that and she seemed to like it too. I don't think I want her drinking moss-water, so I don't think moss is a good idea. She could swallow gravel. Maybe some fake aquarium seaweed?

[EasternGirl]

I would think that fake aquarium seaweed would probably be okay...just make sure that it isn't attached to some sort of base that she could get under and get caught. Also make sure that the bowl is not too big...make sure she can get out of the water and climb out of the bowl on her own. If any other members disagree with me here...please say so...I don't know anything about this...I'm just guessing that the fake seaweed would be okay...

[mikem]

personally, i'd just have water in the water bowl. does she have any other hides in the enclosure? if not, maybe add a couple.

[aquamentus_11]

yeah, she has 3

[Selkielass]

My Butlers are crazy about their 'Peat Bog' hide- a lidded Kool-whip tub with a door in one side filled with wet sphagnum moss.You have to take care to keep it clean and fresh, but so far they seem to be benefitting greatly from the moisture- especially the smallest ones.

[EasternGirl]

My snakes really like to play in sphagnum moss too. Sometimes I put a bowl of it in their enclosures and let them play in it for a few days...then I take it out because I get sick of dealing with it.