I am new to having hogs and wonder how much they like to soak in water and how much water intake there is. Mine have not shed and wonder if advisable to soak in warm water to facilitate shedding. Thanks for advise.
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Western Hogs and Water
mblons
Nov 30, 2007 04:39 PM
Replies (5)
justinmatthew
Dec 01, 2007 10:37 AM
Others may contradict me with this, but my experience with hogs is that they shed less frequently than others. Also, I never see any of mine soak, nor really drink for that matter. Even so, you want to make sure it is always available. Also, hogs don't do well with much humidity so make sure you keep that relatively low.
NomadOfTheHills
Dec 01, 2007 08:04 PM
Hogs shed less than most snakes.
My hogs have always been big drinkers though.
99vengeur
Dec 02, 2007 11:45 AM
I agree that hogs shed less than other snakes. But, I have seen them soak, whether or not in shed. (at least mine do) I have also watched them drink and drink and drink. I'm not sure how much other snakes drink, but my hogs seem to take in a lot of water.
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Robert Charvat
1.1 het albino Western Hognose
mikev
Dec 02, 2007 03:08 PM
i have to agree they do shed less than other snakes but the amount they drink or whether they soak depends on the temps you keep them at. mine have soaked on occasion when the room gets warmer during the hottest months probly in an attempt to cool down a bit in my opinion. I usually take them once a week and stick there heads in there bowl so they know its there and for some reason they tend to always drink when i do that.
colchicine
Dec 03, 2007 12:13 PM
Soaking will not make a snake go into shed. It will help a snake that already in the shedding processes, but there isn't anything you can do to actually stimulate ecdysis.
I have very rarely seen hogs (E or W) soak or drink. They SEEM to drink a lot when they are seen drinking. I have a feeling it has more to do with them not drinking a lot of water with each gulp of water, so they have to spend more time drinking than what would seem to be needed by us humans. Look at how long it takes a dog to drink, it's because they have to literally lap it up rather than having gravity do all the work like us.
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Virginia Herping
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