Reptile & Amphibian Forums

When I had chickens, it was recommended to add a capful of Apple Cider Vinegar to a quart of drinking water to promote good chicken health. A friend of mine who raises chickens told me he even tosses in a capful of ACV into his dogs' drinking water. So, for those that are aware of the health benefits of ACV, do you add any to your snakes' drinking water? I've been dribbling a few drops in the waterbowls myself lately. Everyone is still eating and drinking, so I don't think it's harming them (though one did request red wine). Just curious. Thanks!

My instincts say no to this. I keep a supply of clean ceramic bowls on hand and use clean well water for my animals, and change the water frequently. I don't think adding anything to the water is beneficial.

They not only drink the water, they go for dips in it, and I would be concerned about any substance other than plain water getting in their eyes.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Good point about them soaking. I'm using really just a couple drops per small ceramic bowl, a few more for the bigger ones. So far nothing negative in the last month, even with snakes having soaked.

Interesting post. I believe the purpose of the ACV is to induce a pH shift that is less conducive to bacterial growth. While this may not be harmful to the snakes it is certainly no substitute for keeping water bowls clean. People need to remember that, dumping and refilling the bowl isn't sufficient. The bowl should be routinely cleaned and sanitized.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Hi Tony, can you tell me why your water bowls need to be sanitized. I agree with clean water. But sanitized? what problems have you actually experienced? Thanks

Frank I haven't had problems that I can trace to fowled bowls but then I've always sanitized mine on a frequent basis. My snakes routinely get in their water bowls, push fouled bedding into it and even void in the bowl.

I have no delusion that the water doesn't become "contaminated" quite soon after I place it back in the cage but I don't want them to accumulate a bio-slime that could potentially harbor a mix of bacteria the snakes nature systems aren't adapted to handle. Fundamentally, its one effort to remove another unknown from the husbandry equation.

My admonishment that its a must might have been overstated.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Washing the water bowls in hot soapy water and rinsing well is my process. Also I have to scrub the bowls as my well water is high in calcium, which adheres to surfaces. A copper Chore-girl scrubber removes that nicely. I use ceramic bowls exclusively which are non porous. Those reptile square bowls meant to fit in the corners of tanks are really terrible as they have all kinds of nooks and crannies impossible to scrub. I suppose one could soak those in bleach, but what a hassle when a nice round bowl works fine, and can be had cheaply from thrift stores in assorted sizes.

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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

First I would ask, is there a reason? are your snakes having problems?

Then I would ask, If you want to add to your animals lifes, there are a million known ways to do that. Ok, not a million, just a lot of ways.

My own personal approach is to seek conditions where the snakes do not drink regularly. Again that old "in nature thing". In nature, many of our species, including kings, rarely are exposed to drinking water. And do seek mirco habitats that support hydration without the need to drink.

Its not about drinking water itself, in the field we watch snakes for months at a time with NO AVAILABLE DRINKING water, yet they are fine and going about daily behavior. The question is, can you take your water bowl out of your cage and have normal activity for months at a time. Which in most cases is no you can't. Doing so would result in a dead snake. Which brings up the question, why? (my actual point)

The only negative effect of adding your juice that I can think of, is, it could offset the acid/alkaline balance within your snake. Then consider, ovum and sperm are maintianed inside your animals, in a particular fluid. The health of that fluid is critical.

If adding your juice can be deterimed to improve, say fertility, that you have something there. Or the other side of the coin, increase infertility, that would not be good.

Also, no benefit and no harm, brings up the question of why? Why do needless things and back to the top, when there are things that are needed. Best wishes