How To Soak Reptiles

Most reptiles benefit from an occasional warm-water soak, and soaks can be therapeutic for dysecdysis (incomplete shedding).

• Get a plastic tub with lid a bit larger than your reptile, but not too much. Poke some small holes in the top to help with airflow.
• Fill the bottom with enough water to cover most of your pet’s body, but shallow enough to hold their head out if they like. Snakes will can curl on themselves to hold as much of themselves out as they like, so make it deep enough to cover their body. If you’re not sure about depth, add a clean rock they can prop themselves out on if they like.
• The water should be warm to the touch – be careful not to get the temperature too hot though! If it’s warm and cozy with your hand dipped in for a minute, you should be safe.
• Put the lid on – this keeps them in, and also creates a “steam chamber”
• Let them soak for 10-20 minutes. Bear in mind if the volume of water is small the temp will drop quickly, so you might want to change out for warmer water half way through. Alternately, you can fill a bathtub with warm water and float them (or just put the reptile in the tub!)

While occasional soaks are great for most reptiles, remember:

• Not every reptile is a candidate for soaks, so as always you should check with your Veterinarian before starting them. 
• Likewise, if your pet has shedding issues there are almost always other contributing problems, and a Veterinary consult & exam is in order. 
• Your veterinarian may recommend medicated soaks for certain problems, but these should ONLY be done under their supervision and at their recommendation!