Why does our snake sleep in its water AND when, for how long, and how should it hibernate?

Question

We have a California Kingsnake and it curls up in its water for a good portion of the day and night. It is a shallow water dish. Why does it do this, and should I get a different dish to try to get it to stop?

Also, when should I put my snake up for hibernation? Do they not eat at all during that time? How long should they hibernate? And anything else I should know about this snake and hibernation...

Thanks!

Answer 1

They curl up in the water to help moisturize their skin, and help them shed. I always knew when my king snake was going to shed before his eyes turned blue because he would start hanging out in his water bowl. DON'T discourage this. They need extra humidity when they are shedding. If their environment is too dry they may end up with an incomplete shed, and then you will have to spend time and energy trying to get the rest off. Always have a water bowl big enough for your snake to soak in.
WHY would you want to get your snake to hibernate? Snakes are not supposed to hibernate in captivity! KEEP him warm and take care of him and feed him all year!
King snakes make GREAT pets. I owned one for many years untilan ex I had killed it. :-( Take care of it and it should provide many years of enjoyment. ( they can live up to 25 years!)

Answer 2

I have been getting these same answers, but my snake does not have mites. I've had the same tank and conditions for 15 years and she has shed many many times without soaking. No idea why the change!

Answer 3

Whatever you do don't take it's water away. Snakes need the water to help with shedding as they grow, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it soaking all day. Maybe look up what the humidity level's supposed to be in the tank online and try fixing it if it's off, that can make a difference.
As for hibernation, the snake will hibernate on it's own, you wont need to 'put it up for hibernation'. check out repticzone.com, it's the best site I've found for snake info and it'll tell you more about humidity and hibernation.

Answer 4

mine does the same thing. the water provides necessary moisture for proper shedding. keep the cage temp around 85 to90 during the day and no lower than 70 at night. hibernating is not necessary in captivity but many snakes internal body clock will slow down their metabolism and eating habits. go to kingsnake .com for more care sheet info.

Answer 5

They will often soak in their water bowls to help out with shedding... However doing this long term CAN cause skin problems. Extensive soaking can also be due to a mite infestation (trying to drown them). I would check for small black or red bugs... And make sure the temperatures in the tank are alright.
As far as "hibernation" (more accurately called Brumation), there is no need to brumate captive reptiles unless you plan to breed them the following spring. A yearly cooling is often needed for reproduction, however, if you don't know exactly what you are doing, it can actually be harmful to the snake's health. Many, many snakes live long and healthy lives without ever having been brumated.

Answer 6

if a snake curls up in its water for a couple of days it might be because it is getting ready to shed...if its eyes look cloudy and scales look pale then it is getting ready to shed. laying in water helps them soothe the shedding process and make the process more comforting. a snake usually decides on its own when it wants to hibernate but it is up to you when you want to prepare it..it will be less active obviously and its appitite will decrease. what i suggest is that depending on the snake to continue to feed it...if you feed it pinkies or whatever maybe put one in there and see if it will eat it ....if it doesnt then take it out and if it does then continue on a feeding schedule but maybe a little less frequent then its normal schedule...i hope this helps and good luck

Answer 7

My son has three snakes and all of them hang out in their
water bowls. they have to keep thier skin moist.
and i have never heard of hibernating captive snakes, that is something they do in the wild as the weather changes and since inside your home doesn't really change all that much there is no need for it.
continue to feed your snake as ussual.
good luck and enjoy.

Answer 8

Your snake is probably hanging out in his dish to get his skin more moist. This helps him shed it all in one piece, and it's GOOD for him! You might even want to mist/spray him with warm water (just one or two squirts), but it seems like he's doing what he should to take care of himself. You can find some information about him here:
http://www.anapsid.org/king.html
Good Luck!