My sand boa is in his water dish. Is this normal?

[Clara]

Hi!
(I am very new to raising snakes, so I apologize if this is a silly question.)

My baby Kenyan sand boa has been "bathing" in his water dish for short periods of time (between 15-45 minutes). I believe this is because he's in the process of shedding his skin. BUT sometimes he submerges his whole head in the water, which concerns me greatly. Is this normal behavior for shedding sand boas? Should I be concerned?

Thanks! ~Clara

[Kid Boa]

First off, congratulations on the Boa. :)

If your Boa is well and healthy it is not going to drown its self. :)

It could be doing this for several reasons.

1) Your enclosure maybe to hot, check your temps and make sure they are accurate. warm/basking side should be 90 deg. cool side should be about 75 deg.

2) If it has shed recently it may be trying to remove some stuck skin.

3) It could be in or about to shed.

Sand Boas require very low humidity and only need to drink a few times a week.

A lot of keepers do not even keep a water dish in the enclosure and offer water 3 or 4 times a week during the night. Personally I don't see a problem with keeping a water dish in the enclosure provided you can maintain a proper humidity level. Some people just opt to add a humid hide during the shed period.

[Clara]

^Thank you!

But now I have a new problem; He is undergoing another shed. He's been in shed for over two weeks. He hasn't eaten, and rarely moves. He's still looks very VERY 'frosty.' I'm getting worried. I'm trying out a humidity hide hoping it'll help him. Are sheds usually this bad? What else can I do to help him? :(

[ErikBush97]

^Thank you!

But now I have a new problem; He is undergoing another shed. He's been in shed for over two weeks. He hasn't eaten, and rarely moves. He's still looks very VERY 'frosty.' I'm getting worried. I'm trying out a humidity hide hoping it'll help him. Are sheds usually this bad? What else can I do to help him? :(

Most snakes can hold their breathe for 30 minutes easy. They hold their breathe the entire te they eat, too :) So keep that in mind if he ever does that again. As for the new concern. Try misting his cage. I'm not sure what you mean when you say he looks frosty. Misting his cage, humid hides, and bathing him, if needed. All great. Also: Snakes feel very vulnerable when they shed. Give him like a week alone (minus misting, and changing water). Do not offer food while he's shedding! Why? Because shedding requires a lot of hydration... So does digesting, and snakes can only hydrate enough to do one or the other. So even if a snake will take food in a shed, you shouldn't offer food. Wild snakes do not hunt while they're in sheds so captive snakes shouldn't eat in sheds either. I really hoped this helped, and I hope he sheds well for you!

[marvelfreak]

Most snakes can hold their breathe for 30 minutes easy. They hold their breathe the entire te they eat, too :) So keep that in mind if he ever does that again. As for the new concern. Try misting his cage. I'm not sure what you mean when you say he looks frosty. Misting his cage, humid hides, and bathing him, if needed. All great. Also: Snakes feel very vulnerable when they shed. Give him like a week alone (minus misting, and changing water). Do not offer food while he's shedding! Why? Because shedding requires a lot of hydration... So does digesting, and snakes can only hydrate enough to do one or the other. So even if a snake will take food in a shed, you shouldn't offer food. Wild snakes do not hunt while they're in sheds so captive snakes shouldn't eat in sheds either. I really hoped this helped, and I hope he sheds well for you!


I know anaconda can but i never heard of some thing as small a a sand boa being able to do this. i always thought it had to do with the size of the snake and their lung capacity. I never heard of the holding their breath while eating thing either. Can you show me a link to prove this?

I have never heard of not feeding when in shed ether. I have always done it if it was feed time. with most of my snakes it help them shed.Can you show me a link? Not trying to be a smart a-s i have just never heard of this and would like to read up on it.

[ErikBush97]

I know anaconda can but i never heard of some thing as small a a sand boa being able to do this. i always thought it had to do with the size of the snake and their lung capacity. I never heard of the holding their breath while eating thing either. Can you show me a link to prove this?

I have never heard of not feeding when in shed ether. I have always done it if it was feed time. with most of my snakes it help them shed.Can you show me a link? Not trying to be a smart a-s i have just never heard of this and would like to read up on it.

I think I read both of those things in the same article (or wherever I remember hearing that). Let me try and find some links for you! Also; it would make sense that size was part of the equation. Either way.. Just like any air breathing animal; a snake should instinctively pull it's head out of the water if its out of oxygen. The reason that the whole holding their breathe thing seemed trustworthy is because my ball python and corn snake will often explore the bottom of their water bowls for 10-20 minutes without issues.

Edit: haven't found the link yet, BUT I found an opposing answer to the same question that I found interesting.
Re: How do snakes breathe when they are eating? (http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-08/967660047.Zo.r.html)

[KORBIN5895]

Snakes do not hold their breath while eating. They continue to breath through a small tube at the bottom of their mouth.

It is perfectly acceptable to feed a snake in shed. If your snake is healthy there won't be any issues with the snake shedding and digesting. Feeding close to the end of a shed can cause the snake to be unable to roll the shed past the bulge if the bulge is too big.

Also according to some very trustworthy members here a ksb needs about 50% humidity. The concept that they don't need humidity is a myth.

If your snake seems to be shedding often and sitting in water I would check for mites.

[MDT]

They hold their breathe the entire te they eat, too


Absolutely not true.

[marvelfreak]

Edit: haven't found the link yet, BUT I found an opposing answer to the same question that I found interesting.
Re: How do snakes breathe when they are eating? (http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-08/967660047.Zo.r.html)
Thanks for the link very interesting read. I learned something new. :):)

[Clara]

Wow, thank you guys for the quick responses! With all of your helpful suggestions, my little KSB just shed this morning! And I think he's feeling a million times better!

He's still refusing meals. I gave him a thawed fuzzy earlier and he still hasn't shown any interest. I'm just worried because he hasn't eaten in over three weeks! I think he's a little frazzled from shedding... Do they typically not eat after a shed?

[slowhite03]

They usually like water first then they eat. I would leave it in his tank over night or you could try braining it. I would leave it overnight forst

[B_Aller]

They usually like water first then they eat. I would leave it in his tank over night or you could try braining it. I would leave it overnight forst
Gee slow white...wonder if your snake needs to drink first because it's kept in a 1970's style fish tank and is dehydrated?
Remember when we told you your housing/husbandry was way off? This is s symptom of bad husbandry.
Soaking for prolonged amounts of time in a species such as sand boas is screaming at you that you are not keeping it properly. In the wild these animals would only see pools of water when their habitat is flooding.
Reptiles are all about conserving moisture and are designed to limit moisture loss, they are not designed to have fresh water running through them all the time.
To the o.p do you have a screen top? if so that is the first major problem.
Screen tops are a slow death sentence for captive reptiles.