Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how do some of you keep your snakes from knocking over their water bowls? cmon people, i know at least some of you have this problem.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Texas Tiger Salamander

Most of my snakes are young, but I use crock bowls because they are heavy. Derek

Well...what type of set-ups are we talking about? If you have a rack system, use a stone crock bowl...like a dog food dish and use the size deli cup that fits it as an insert...then you just take out the deli cup and clean or replace with new water....If you have a 4'x2'x 2' adult cage then I use the big hard plastic Dog dishes...I bought them at Walmart...they hold well from tipping...although I have one male that seems to have to soak just to go to the bathroom every time...so his bowl is not as full....or else the cage ends up soaked...lol..Hope this helps. Andy

well, for me im talking about a cage housing a 7' redtail. i also know others with other types of snakes (boas, pythons, colubrids, etc) in tanks and rack systems that go through the same issue. ive seen the big crock bowls at wally world and they are a bit on the expensive side (around $10.00....for a bowl?!?!?) so im trying to find (maybe) a a way to rig up what ive got to work. here's the bane of water bowls.

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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Texas Tiger Salamander

*what ive got to work with*
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Texas Tiger Salamander

I use a cat litter pan the big plastic ones and i built a wooden frame around it and stained it so it wold look good..they my 10 ft burm has never knocked it over..np joe
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0.1 wife
0.4 kids
2.0 kids
0.1 columbian redtail (gravid) 6ft
1.0 pastel 6 1/2 ft
1.0 burmese 10ft
1.0 redtail baby
0.1 surinam(purple)
50 rats
3.4 dwarf hamsters
1.1 dogs
0.2 farret
8.24 mice
1.0 guinie pig
0.2 cats

I cut the rim off of the tubs so it would be easier to clean if it gets defecated on. I haven't had a bowl spill in over 2 years. I think the wood framing that was mentioned would work as well, but it will also absorb fecal matter.
Here's a 6footer:

and an almost 7 footer:

---Hope this helps, David
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--aka DMOG68

that looks like it would probably work. thanks a bunch! one question...what kind of tubs did you use and where did you get them? (okay thats 2 questions)
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
1.0 Texas Tiger Salamander

I bought the tubs at Bi-Mart by the dish drainer/washing stuff. They don't have any ridges on the bottom (flat surface) which is what I was looking for. I also cut them down to where the bowl was barely off of the ground for a low center of gravity.
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--aka DMOG68

I use polyurathane so the wood wont absorb anything..np
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0.1 wife
0.4 kids
2.0 kids
0.1 columbian redtail (gravid) 6ft
1.0 pastel 6 1/2 ft
1.0 burmese 10ft
1.0 redtail baby
0.1 surinam(purple)
50 rats
3.4 dwarf hamsters
1.1 dogs
0.2 farret
8.24 mice
1.0 guinie pig
0.2 cats

some people use a deli cup with a lid fastened on and a whole just big enough to get the snakes head in for a drink...

some people have gone as far as to drill a hole in the front of the tub/sweater box and fasten it to a pvc ring that sits inside the tub. you would then use that ring as a holder for a deli cup filled with water. unless they push it up from underneath, it won't spill.

another similar route is to glue or cement that ring or a similar holder onto the bottom of the tub, inside, and then simply use that as the deli cup holder.

I use cheapo plastic dog bowls from the local $1 store. They are usually sloped downwards to a larger base, making spilling almost impossible.

I find the larger, wider, flatter bowls work the best. Anything less than 3" high is virtually spill proof.

I have some huge bowls like this I used for 8-10 foot snakes, and the bottoms, underside, is filled with cement.... completely spill proof.

My smaller animals have mulch or shredded aspen, and placing the small water bowls in a hole in the mulch, with the surrounding area firmly packed usually doesn't lead to spillage. For those smaller animals in shoe boxes, I use 1.5" or 2" PVC end caps, the ones with the flat bottoms. Very affordable.

I use those old, heavy, ceramic bowls for most of my adults, but that's just because I still have them from way back when.
These are heavy, and not easy to spill, but not impossible either.
I find that the xlg sloped plastic water bowls from the $1 store actually work better in eliminating spillage.

another thing you can do is remove the water for the day or two after you've seen it take a long drink.

Sometimes, a snake consistantly spilling its waterbowl can indicate that it wants to soak (whether he likes this or because the cage is too dry), or maybe needs to, like in the case of mites or a shed approaching.
For this reason, it would be worthwhile to provide both a soaking tub and a seperate water dish. Then you can see if he does want to soak, and if he still tips over the water.

Well, i'm sure there are several other tips... those are just the few that I can remember without more than 2 coffee's in me... it's 8:03am here in NYC.

Have a great day! -Bci Joe

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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

I didn't realize you were in NYC. What do you do for a living? I used to live at 47th and 9th back in 2001 and I'm moving back in the next few months. I have been told that boa constrictors are illegal in NYC. Is this true, or is it one of those laws they don't really enforce? Since I heard this I was planning on moving to New Jersey but it would be great if I didn't have to. Any information on this would be great. Also, what is the reptile community like up there and is there any other big boa breeders? Thanks.
Michael Burton

Hi Michael, from what I understand, all constrictors were illegal in NYC several years ago, due to a misclassification to the law.
A friend of mine helped write it, but the pushers weren't interested in the ssp, and so vaguely said constrictors were illegal.
Well, when the law was ready to be pushed to all of NY state, this is when we all petitioned to Pataki.

Now, besides venemous, and illegal, endangered and more, the only snakes we would need to know are illegal, are the 5 giants:
Anacondas, Burmese/Indian, African Rocks, Retics, and either Scrubs or Water Pythons.

Basically, something you can buy for a few bucks at the pet store that will reach 10-12 feet in the first year and ahalf or two years, and possibly be a problem.

Boas, balls... all fine.

I'm in Brooklyn, NYC, and work in midtown on W59th.

The scene up here is alright, then again i'm not too actively involved, mostly because I don't have a car at the moment.

I do head up to White Plains with friends whenever I can, and there are quite a few big breeders around here.

Some of the people in the surrounding areas are

Frank Martin
Greg Riso
Mike Brooks - TNS reptiles
Adam - Millenium Morphs
Ian Diamello
Paul Mitchell
and many, many more...

Let me know when you get up here, we'll meet up..

Well, speak to you again... Joe
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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

Thanks for the info. Now I can move back to the city.
Michael Burton