dehydrated????

[zen]

I have a little maccie here that even though she has water in her enclosure, she still drinks from a cup when I offer it. She is so sweet.

How charming

That reminds me of a little old lady that offered a saucer of water to a wild Diamond Python that was in her pigeon house. The python drank right in front of her! True story (first hand)

[Wrasse]

Good on her !!

[zen]

Good on her !!

I thought so too.
There should be more people like her!

[Dutchy]

I agree
That's why i joined the Animal Ambulance overhere.
That way you meet more animal loving people and make the world seem to be a better place for both humanity and animals alike ^__^

[Pythoninfinite]

Dehydration affects the way a snake "feels" too - a well hydrated snake feels soft and pliable, but when severely dehydrated they get a harder, less flexible feel, hard to describe, but obvious if you saw the two conditions side-by-side. Also, many of my snakes will drink as soon as I replace their water with fresh stuff, after it's been in the bowl for a day or two, it's not as tempting. They seem very sensitive to that.

Jamie.

[caffiend]

I didn't see my coastal drink for the first six months or so, I knew he was, because I'd seen the maculosa drinking so many times, I just guessed he was being sneaky . I remember the first time he took a public drink, it was a big event at our house! Now he even gets in his bowl for a soak .
Speaking of offering water to wild creatures, in my last place when the summer temps were over 40c I used to mist the spider webs at sunset when I watered the garden, all the spiders would come belting out to suck up the drops... It felt like a big happy hydrated family when that happened

[Wrasse]

There are spider keepers on this site that will love you for that.

[snakegal]

Originally Posted by caffiend

Speaking of offering water to wild creatures, in my last place when the summer temps were over 40c I used to mist the spider webs at sunset when I watered the garden, all the spiders would come belting out to suck up the drops... It felt like a big happy hydrated family when that happened

Awwwww thats so sweet of you!

[caffiend]

Thankyou Wrasse and snakegal, I loves me spidies

I've noticed our maculosa loves fresh water... we give them filtered water and he loves it if you mix a little cool water in from the fridge in summer... i'm sure he can "see" the temp difference and he goes belting over for a slurp too...

[wokka]

a lot of these questions can be solved by going back to the wild range of the snakes concerned.There is not a bowl of cool clean water on every corner. Just as snakes are opportunistic feeders they are also opportunistic drinkers. They have to drink when they can. In captivity snakes should always have water but I'm sure they can go months without it.
Standard dehydration test with most animals including humans is to pinch the skin and see how quickly it flattens back out. If the skin remains creased it may indicate dehydration.

[Mysnakeau]

Originally Posted by Dutchy

refusing to eat might be indicators IMO.
H

I hope thats not the case with my girl. She always has water available but I've never seen her drink. I've even held her water dish up to her, she comes over for a look but thats it.

I know, I am a drama queen. My pets don't have bad skin days, I always think the worse and worry myself stupid. I've only had her bit over 2 weeks and she's been in hybernation.

[Dutchy]

Well Kathy ,

Being concerned bout ur lovely's isn't a crime but instead is admirable. Keep in mind that snakes and most herps don't go at the fast pace trough life as mammals do , give it some time and don't worrie too much , unless you wanna fall ill urself ( wich we hope will not happen )
I'm sure it'll work out just fine ^__^

[CodeRed]

Originally Posted by Pythoninfinite

Dehydration affects the way a snake "feels" too - a well hydrated snake feels soft and pliable, but when severely dehydrated they get a harder, less flexible feel, hard to describe, but obvious if you saw the two conditions side-by-side. Also, many of my snakes will drink as soon as I replace their water with fresh stuff, after it's been in the bowl for a day or two, it's not as tempting. They seem very sensitive to that.

Jamie.

Funny that you should mention the "feel" of the snake. The little childrens python that I picked up on Sunday night after 7 months in the wild felt very rigid and tough. I thought that it was because the snake was extremely cold. When I put it in an enclosure and gave in some water, it drank for about 2 or 3 minutes straight then proceeded to soak for the next 30 minutes. It was very dehydrated.

[chaps76]

Thanks everyone atleast now I have some indicators to watch out for.

[Dutchy]

No worries mate , anytime ^__^