soaking in warm water

I found a digital laser thermometer thingy at work. One of the ones that allows you to measure the temperature of surfaces instantly. I measured the temp of my hands. 91 degrees F.

Now, I've heard that if your hand is 91 degrees, anything less than 91 degrees will feel cool, and anything more than 91 degrees will feel warm to your hand.

My point is, I don't understand how soaking a snake in "warm" water can be a good idea. (people do it to promote defication and help with shedding). If it feels warm to your 91 degree hand, it could be well over 100 degrees. Given the small size of young corn snakes, their core body temperature probably shoots up in a matter of seconds. This doesn't sound like a good idea to me, but it seems to be a common practice.

/end transmission

I share your concern with this practice, and for the same reasons. Under carefully controlled conditions, I can see doing it for mite eradication, but I don't see any other reason to bathe corns.

I've done this with luke warm water for a problem shed. I used water that to my touch felt neither warm nor cool and only had the snake in there for a very short period.

I think that you have to be very careful when doing this. It's best to test the water temperature on the inside of your wrist as the skin is thinner there.

Other than a problem shed or mites I don't think I would soak a corn though.