Posted by:
FR
at Mon Mar 2 10:50:38 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by FR ]
I am sorry, water dishes do not prevent dehydration. In fact, they cause it, hmmmmmmmmm kinda.
Snakes are not designed to lose water through their skin, like we are(its just us and horses you know). So with them, dehydration is caused by drinking water and losing it through the skin, this causes a buildup of uric crystals, also known as gout. This can be viseral or skeletal, if longterm.
Shorterm extreme dehydration causes these crytals to form in the kidneys, which causes them to fail. Which causes a otherwise healthy snake to die.
You must consider, healthy snakes do not DIE. They are killed. Your snake appeared healthy. So what killed it? Was it sick(diseased)? did it do anything to tell you it was sick? Or was it simply dead? hmmmmmmmmmm its trying to tell you something and you do not want to listen. TAKE IT TO A VET, if your really interested. If you just want to blame mites to make you feel better, go for it. Again, mites do not kill snakes, mites can transmitt disease, which takes time and causes symtoms.
Back to dehydration, If you have a open top, screen, perforated, etc. The air raises UP and takes humidity with it. The cooler dry air, from your house which is VERY dry in the winter, drops in. If you have any type of heat source, it will warm the air (faster) up and out it goes again, taking humidity with it.
With snakes, its not the problem it is with other reptiles like monitors or turtles. Yes, the turtle people understand, you can dehydrate a turtle, IN A TANK OF WATER, so they recomend covering the tops in the winter and when in an air conditioned room(also drys out the air) REMEMBER, these are turtles in the water.
Back to you, you can easily tell which snakes are prone to this, thick skinned snakes like rattlesnakes or watersnakes, can withstand some air movement. Thin skinned snakes like wormsnakes or scarlet kings, cannot. Althougth, all species, even thick skinned rattlesnakes, avoid being dried out.(exposure to dry air)
Again, just an idea for you to consider, take it or leave it. Cheers
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RE: Heres the problem - FR, Mon Mar 2 10:50:38 2009