Bathing your snake?

[New_BP_Guy]

Hey I was first told to bath them every two weeks by my friend, I was just wondering if that is correct? I was also wondering how long I should bath him for? just to help them go poop and what not.

[VoodooChile]

I rarely bathe my snake..Only after she poops will I let her soak. Unless she's having shed or pooping problems, I let her soak herself in her water bowl.

If I do soak my snakes, I get the water just lukewarm, fill it up to a depth that reaches just up the sides of the snake, so they don't have to constantly swim. I let them soak for 20mins. By then its usually time to refresh the water temps anyway.
If your snake is having problems with shedding, I found the best way to help it out is put it in an old pillowcase, tie the open end, and place the snake in the water. (same depth as mentioned above) the snake will slither around in the pillowcase and when its wet it helps rub the shed off. I will soak it as long as it takes, refreshing the water as needed.

[fishmommy]

You can if you want to, but it's not needed.
I recommend against a rubber ducky though. Very bad if the snake swallows it. LOL

[unluckyseventeen]

Don't let the word "bathing" confuse you. If you're ever going to SOAK them, only put about a half-inch to an inch of water in there, so they can still sit on the bottom and not have to swim, and put a piled-up rag in the center so they can still hang out somewhere. The soaking is generally used to help them with shed or to help them poop. Also assure you soak in water that is literally room temperature or maybe slightly warmer. Remember, hot water to you is like boiling water to them.

As said, no, it's not totally necessary unless you have reason to believe so, or unless you want to do so.

[New_BP_Guy]

ok thanks, since my first snake had problems with compaction a long with many other things which lead to its death, I was told to bath/soak every 2 weeks to help him out just to be safe...

[X-Factor]

As was mentioned in another thread, if your cage temps and humidity are correct then you do NOT need to worry about soaks. the two reasons you would are helping with shed (fixed if your temps/hum are good), and getting backed up and not pooping. the advice given on temps are good, if the snake is fighting you and doesn't want to get in then the temps are too hot or too cold. Also realize that just as you get cold when you jump out of the shower, its even more important to get the snake dry and back into its cage for warmth when you remove it from water. cold water and cold wind suck more heat out your body than you realize, remember that.