Where did you buy the snake? 'Checking' for mites isn't necessarily going to be enough, especially if there are only a few. Some people are really good at spotting them, while others can't detect them even on very heavily infested reptiles. I think it's mainly due to the large variation in the acuity of peoples' eyesight.
Snakes without mites sometimes soak, especially if they're too hot, but there seems to be something husbandry related which governs whether or not they do it. The only times I've ever had any of my snakes soad is when they've had mites, and the most recent soak in my collection was about 6 years ago. Healthy snakes seem to do it on occasion too, but it must depend on some as yet unidentified aspect of husbandry, or perhaps I've just been very 'lucky'. My guess is that it is caused by mild problems with husbandry, perhaps mostly low humidity and excessive heat. I believe (and could be wrong) that it is unusual for a wild pythons of most species(I'm assuming Angel is a python, giving the species etc is better than the pet name!) to spend any significant amount of time soaking in water. Freaking out from too much activity outside the cage should make them go into the hide box, not the water bowl. Most snakes will quickly get used to vibrations etc, but the odd one will not and will need to be kept somewhere quiet.
