Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What is everyones opinion on providing a water bowl that is large enough for an indigo to soak in? When I first recieved my indigo the person I purchased him from said that if an indigo wants to soak "there's something wrong". Up until the last week I have never seen my indigo try to soak. Granted it was about a week before his abdomen turned milky and about 10 days before his eyes became opaque. He has never had a desire to soak before. As most of you I want to provide the optimal husbandry as possible, I just wanted a few opinions before I started to change my cage around.
Thanks for the input!
Roly
-----
Miami Hurricanes #1
NATIONAL CHAMPS 83,87,89,91,01

Constant soaking might indicate a problem (mites, temps too high, lack of a secure hide box) but an occasional soak before a shed doesn't sound like a problem to me.
Chris

What are the temps like, ambient and hot spot? As already stated as long as it's not a constant thing and the temps check out ok it could just be because of an upcoming shed.

I provide a large sweater box containing damp cypress mulch to act as a humidity chamber, along with a large cat litter pan for water. While most all of my Drys frequent the humidity chamber at various times, they tend to soak within their water pan prior to and during ecdysis.
Constant soaking can indicate external parasites or high temperatures as has already been mentioned, with high temps also leading to extreme restlessness and nose rubbing. Keep in mind, Drys are water loving snakes rarely found any great distance from a source of surface water in the wild, so an occasional soak is the norm.
Personally, I keep the ambient temperature within my enclosures at 75*F with a warm spot of 85*F and have found that they move between the two areas quite frequently, favoring the warm side after meals...

Best regards,

Jeff
-----
Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

Howdy Jeff,

Is your Cypress mulch box open top for humidity for the whole cage or with a lid and an access hole just for the animal. Do you think Cypress mulch or Sphagnum moss would be more hygenic for a humidity chamber?
Thanks,
Bob Stranzenbach.

Hope your Rubidus are doing well

Hello, Bob,

The box containing the cypress mulch is fully enclosed except for the opening which allows entry and exit.
I prefer the cypress over moss, as I can boil or steam clean it for re-use...

Best regards,

Jeff
-----
Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

np

Basking spot is 84F and the cool end is never cooler than 72. My thermometers give me the hi and lo for the day and are never outside the 2 temps. He has a large sweater box that I keep a moist substrate for him (I've used moss, bed a beast etc...) that he is always using. I do have a large bowl of water for him I have just never seen him soak (that doesn't mean he doesn't in my absence). He has never had any type of external parasite and I can't really account for any introduction to them. I guess he just wanted to go for a swim. Any how thanks for the input, I really value your opinions and I'll add a bowl large enough for him to soak in.
Sincerely,
Roly
-----
Miami Hurricanes #1
NATIONAL CHAMPS 83,87,89,91,01

Lets see here....

Indigos are generally found near water.

Having said this, I beleive that INDIGOS soaking in water is a normal behaviour, many of mine have exhibited this behaviour, and they have no mites, and aren't having shed problems.

They just like to soak in their bowls, providing that the bowls are large enough.

They also DEFECATE in them.

Frequently. . . .

VERY Frequently.....

However, when a snake soaks in water when it is not in shed and doesnt defecate, I would ask myself several hard questions:

A) CAGE TEMPS:
Cages temps that are in the mid 80's to 90's farenheight will often drive a Drymarchon to sit in its water bowl if only to cool down. So check your temps, both hot spot and ambient air temps and adjust the heat accordingly. LESS heat is better.

B) MITES Snakes that are infested with mites OFTEN soak themselves for days at a time in an effort of ridding themselves of these ecto-parasites. Look carefully in the water, if mites are present, then remove water bowl and treat snake for mites appropriately.

D)DEFECATION:
Indigos that have been well fed produce quite a bit of waste products. They often sit in their bowls in order to facilitate the release of these products. The prrof is, as they say, "IN THE PUDDING" meaning that when they finally crap, this will prove out why they soaked in the first place, unless mites are seen in the water bowl, floating but dead.

Well, there you have it.

Indigos love water:

they love to crap in it

they love to soak in it

they often need to cool off in it(If cage temps to high)

Best of luck!

Fred Albury

" proof in the pudding" LOL