Reptile & Amphibian Forums

and there's no way he's too warm. The room he's in is barely seventy degrees, and I've been worried about him being too cold, even though he hardly spends any time on the heated half of the tank. He just shed sunday night and I fed him yesterday. Normally he does curl up on the warm side after eating, but he just curled up in the water and hasn't come out since.

It seems like I remember reading they might do this if they have mites, or some other skin irritant. I can't see anything on him, though. Any info would be appreciated.

Kim

That is what I read before too. At a Petsmart near me, they have corns that have mite, and they are ALWAYS in the water. On them I can see them. Normally you can look around there eyes nose and mouth and see if you can see them.

It is not unusual for corns to like it a little more humid during winter as it gets dryer than normal. It could also be a number of other things. Just make sure that you remove him soon or he could develope a blister disease.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

If mites, you will see little dark dots in the water, either floating around or at the bottom of the dish. Feeding mites will be dark reddish brown and a bit smaller than flax feed (more rounder actually) but about the same color. Or it may look like coarsely ground black pepper.

If not such things in the water then it could be too dry in the cage (how was the shed by the way?) he may be hot, (double check air and surface temps in the cage with a digital thermometer, maybe get a new one or change the batteries in the one you have, just in case it isn't as accurate as it used to be). If he still keeps soaking if none of the above is the cause, I suggest removing the large water bowl and put something else in for water, that is too small for him to curl up in. Monitor his condition to see if he shows signs of heat stress or something else that may be causing him to soak so much, we can't think off.
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PHLdyPayne

I don't see anything that looks like mites, so maybe it is low humidity, though his shed was fine. When I got home this evening he was under his hide as normal, so I'll just watch him for a while to make sure all is as it should be. Thanks for the help!

Did he recently shed? If so, bear in mind that often times the mites get shed with the skin too. You may want to clean out the cage and the furnishings just in case.