size of water=swimming?

[hjelte]

Ok, as stated in a previous tread, I´m very interested in the varying aquatic leanings of our garter friends. I´m curious;

have anyone of you found that the bigger water-area you offer your snake, the more likely it is that you see it soaking? I have a theory that when the garter finds a body of water that appears to be bigger than a mere puddle it is more keen to get in and acually swim a few rounds, maybe in the hope to find prey like minnow etc.

Do you all think I´m completely of in this theory?

[Cazador]

Hi Chris,

I play around with the water once in a while, and here's what I can say for sure. When you change something in their enclosure, they become more active and investigate it. Over time, however, they get used to the new object and take it's presence for granted.

The normal water dish that I use is 6" x 7" (15 x 18cm). Sometimes I add one that is 13" x 9" (33 x 23cm). The larger water dish is about twice as deep, and I usually add small fish to the larger water dish but not to the smaller one. I enjoy seeing the snakes swim around in the larger dish to chase the fish. They get more exercise, but a day or two after the fish are gone, they don't just swim around for exercise.

These are just my observations, but my sample size for different snakes' behavior isn't large enough to say anything definitively with confidence. Maybe other people have different experiences, too? Just changing the water dish stimulates them, so there aren't any negative consequences.

Rick

P.S. When I want them to swim, I put them in the bathtub, but don't tell my wife .

[suzoo]

Rick

P.S. When I want them to swim, I put them in the bathtub, but don't tell my wife .

Oh that's rich! Awesome Rick!

I have 2 garters that like the water, the rest only go into it for food. Gerdie and Gretchen will lounge in the water (and poop in it ) no matter what size it is. Which the smallest water bowl (8" x 11") they drape themselves in it and hang out both sides. Silly snakes.

[adamanteus]

I always try to include a water bowl large enough for my snakes to swim in, whenever it's practical.

I don't know if it's because my water bowls are sunken into the the floor, and provided with surrounding cover, but I find my snakes will often lay, half concealed, with their heads motionless over the water, as if waiting to see movement from passing fish. I'll try to get a photo later.

[stonyloam]

I don't know about snakes, but It works for me. Seriously, In working with dogs we always start the pups in"small water" that they can wade across, then to "larger water" that they can swim in and easily see the other side like a small pond, and then to "big water" like a lake where they can't see the other side. I don't see any reason why the same "training" techniques would not work with snakes to get them used to swimming for a meal.

[drache]

my garters get pretty large water bowls or tubs
they all swim sometimes and some of them go in the water every day and hang out

[rwgsnakes]

mine has a huge water section right now because he in my water snakes tank for a little while, but dont worry he has plenty of land, he is always swimming, floating, and sometime diving in the water. but i think it is more so that he is looking for a way to get out. He has been trying to catch fish but its a bit difficult for him

[abcat1993]

Mine will have a decent sized one soon I hope. We ended up not going to the reptile show, so we didn't get the 40 gallon tank, but when we do it'll be pretty nice.

[Stefan-A]

Can't confirm that the size of the water makes a difference. I've had different sized dishes in use, from fairly small, covering about 1/6 of the surface to dishes covering 1/2. The male shows absolutely no interest in water and crosses it as quickly as possible. The female rarely spends more than 30 seconds in it at a time. Both have occasionally tried to find a way out of the terrarium through the bottom of the dish.

Of course, I have no fish present and neither snake shows any interest in live fish anyway.

[Thamnophis]

My experience with snakes (in general) is that they like to lay in water when the bowl is not to big.
They like to feel something.
In the reptilezoo we often lay a stone in the water for this reason.
My garters have no large waterbowls, but they are big enough to lay completely in it.