Showering with my snake?

[chewy_num]

My 9-10 month boy Neo, (childreni) is coming into his first at home shed! Everything is going as I read, scales turning cloudy/dull and his eyes are going milky. He still ate on Tuesday though (very happy!)

I gave him a bath that day, something nice and warm to help kick start the shed. He's slowly getting duller and duller each day, so after a rather started out good and ended crap day I went for a calming shower and thought why not bring Neo in for a nice steam bath?

It was so bizarre! He was thirsty and anyone who has seen their python drink knows it's amazing, first time he drank up some droplets on the back of my hand I thought 'whelp that's it he thinks I'm food...' and prepared myself for a chomp and to get the alcohol wipes, guess I was wrong!

Kept him out of the direct line of water, in nice pools in my hands. He freaked out a little at first but chilled right down, so much he just sat there on my knee, tasting the air as snakes do. I kept an eye for heavy breathing and f he wanted a full retreat into dry-ish hands in the dark. But nope, sat there like bump on a log, loving it He did try to almsot nuzzle my hand like he was trying to start the shed but only did this maybe three times *shrug*


What do you guys think? A possible spend more quality time and help a snake shed kinda thing?



Chewy

 

[Darlyn]

Cons-chemicals you clean yourself and the shower with.
Pro-You enjoyed it.
Fact- your snake can shed by itself. It shouldn't need your assistance.
When snakes come up to a shed they feel vulnerable so I'm not surprised he freaked out "a little bit".

 

[chewy_num]

Twas a chemical free shower, more to warm up. Paid very close attention to any signs of distress c:

 

[Darlyn]

Pretty sure if you read a care sheet for snakes coming up to shed it will tell you to leave them be.
Why put it in a situation where it could potentially freak out your snake when it is not necessary?

 

[andynic07]

Twas a chemical free shower, more to warm up. Paid very close attention to any signs of distress c:

Although the steam and water would be beneficial for your snake the stress far outweighs the benefits you will get and there are other ways to get humidity benefits that are less stressful. I have only had a few bad sheds and the majority of them seem to come just after I get them and I am putting it down to the stress of a move. I do not change anything when they come up to shed other than leave them alone. I make sure they have fresh water every second day and also always feed them wet prey.

 

[FAY]

You realise that what is warm for you is HOT for them?

 

[hnn17]

what are these people doing ? sleeping with snake, then showering with snakes, next sharing a rat with your snake ? lol

 

[sprocket]

hahahahahaha funny stuff. if that does happen i would like to see a pic

 

[longqi]

Because a lot of our snakes get handled regularly by strangers I always give them a wash when we get home
Gets rid of all the people bugs antiperspirant sunscreen perfume and mozzie repellant etc

By far the easiest way is to jump in the shower with them
Set water temp at about 28c
No soap etc
retics bloods and burmese seem to enjoy it
chondros dont mind so long as their heads are not under the water stream
Most others appear ambivalent

While I put others away retics and burmese very seldom leave the shower area

I realise this is different to what the op is doing
But this works well for us

 

[ash1997]

umm if your in the shower i would be more worried about a bite *u no were* than on the hand

 

[princessparrot]

Interesting idea. Don't see much harm in it. I shower with my birds and they love it

 

[Ellannn]

I sit on the edge of the bath with my feet in the water sometimes whilst my snakes are in the bath. Mine love having a soak. I would have a shower with them though. I would imagine it could potentially be stressful for them.

 

[mungus]

I would definately like to come back as a snake !!
having a bath / shower with my female owner.............

 

[sd1981]

Showering with my snake... pics or it never happened... Hehehehe (deviant laughter)

 

[chewy_num]

Talk about a mixed bag of replies xD

> I rinsed thoroughly before getting Neo, so none of the days gross got on him. There where no chemicals, potions or lotions near him. Our shower head is one of those filtering ones too
> I never put him in direct line of the water, I always sheltered him and if he got near the water it wasn't near the shower head but sitting down at the bottom so the cooler but still warm-ish and safe for his scaley skin
> I know of stress in animals and kept a very, very close eye on his breathing, eyes, if he was twitchy, striking and anything else.
> Honestly the only thing was he was thirsty for the first couple of minutes, I made my hand into a hide and he ignored it, went to take him out and he went back into the wet, he does like water and I made sure to test that with the click clack bath.

This is all after a by himself bath with me watching in his old click clack and a good three weeks of constant daily handling from 15 minutes and now up to 2 hours in one sitting, so he is now used to my smell and doesnt even recoil when I boop his nose to get him to move back from a dangerous area, he's an absolute puppy to handle

Yes bathing with a snake seem bizarre but nothing as odd as birds or swimming with a dog, even water loving cats

(and I kept him far away from 'hazardous areas' xD)

I will be keeping any handling to lifting hides and replacing water while he sheds, then a good feed once he is done and to carry on for another two months

 

[wildthings]

What they said above, no chemicals, cool water, gentle stream and when coming up to a shed, give him privacy etc. I ve been doing it for a few years now, Davinci absolutely loves it, shower or bath, particularly when it's really hot. We have an ionizer pool sanitizer (no chemicals) he loves to swim too, freaks everyone out when he does decide to slide off and go, coz he's quick as in the water. I have seen snakes in the wild drinking the rainwater off their backs

 

[SteveNT]

A common sight in our spa,

 

[chewy_num]

rub-a-dub dub! Theres a snake in my tub xD

 

[Darlyn]

My BHP was in the spa tonight as long as water temps are fine and no chemicals
are involved, no problems, but handling and showering with it when he is coming up for a shed is not
something I would do.

 

[Lawra]

Wow a mixed bag of replies indeed! I vote against, just because I think it's a bit inappropriate. Call me old fashioned but nakedness with pets and stuff kinda weirds me out.