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blondemafia26 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 01:42 PM

Hello everyone ,
I am new to having snakes . My husband kinds is to . We have a redtail boa that is 8 months old . He has a bowl in his cage were he can soak and drink out of . Well i figure I would stick him in the bath with a little bit of warm water while i cleaned his cage out . He is shedding and it did not come off in one pieace and he still has some left one him. Well we went to stick him in it and he did not like it at all . How else can i help him get the rest of his shed off ?

Ranger · #2 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 04:04 PM

There's an excellent chance that the water was too warm. Snakes are coldblooded animals and what is warm to us can be hot to them.

Because we are hot blooded, when we test bath water, we look for it to be warm to our touch. But our body temp is over 98 degrees, so warm to the touch is often over 100 degrees. That's hot to a snake, especially if its body temp is about 82 degrees. If we were placed into water that was 20 degrees above our body temp, we would be jumping to get out of it.

If you soak your boa, the water should be neutral to the touch, or slightly cool to the touch. This is a case in which an IR temp gun is a great tool.

Hope that helps.

TammyJamaica · #3 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 04:22 PM

Welcome to rtb!

Well, I agree with what Ranger has said about maybe the water was too warm. Keep soaking him in cooler water, but not cold. How long have you had him, and was his last shed normal? He may need higher humidity in his environment.

slither9192 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 04:35 PM

If he still won't stay in the water once it is cooler then you can soak a wash cloth and run the snakes through the wet wash cloth and that should help get some stuck shed off.

Kobi Baby · #5 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 04:36 PM

My bp isn't fond of sitting in the water either unless its when she wants to be there...which of course isnt when I want her there...lol. Anyway, I took a bathtowel and soaked it in luke warm water, laid her on it and the doubled it over leaving her face exposed. she sat there perfectly still and it helped her a lot. If your rtb doesn't want to sit still try doing that but inside a clothes basket or something. Hope that helps

blondemafia26 · #6 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 04:48 PM

Thank you all for replying back . we have had him only about a month . We got him from a friend she coudl not take him of him so we took him . He is such a sweet heart . But newazs she said that she never gave him a bath so mabe he is just not use to it . But i will try it with cooler water and if that dont help then i will do the rag or towel . Thank you all for your help i am new to this so i greatly appreciate it .

Kobi Baby · #7 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 04:54 PM

hehe...btw....i love your username....blondes rock!!

TammyJamaica · #8 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 04:56 PM

Let us know how it goes!

I have two boas and one of them loves the water and spends half of her time in it. The other one hardly goes in it at all.

Any pictures?

blondemafia26 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-31-2007, 05:27 PM

yes i have two pics in my gallery you all are more than welcome to check them out . thanks for the advice again . I will try it later on and i will let you all now . Oh yea by the way Blondes do rock thank you on that .lol

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