Question about humidity in hides

[Borgpython]

I have two different types of hides (Show in pics). Now I think she just favorites the stone one, but we will see tonight if she goes to the other side. But basically what I have is a stone and a wood hide, and when we first set up the terrarium, we had the stone one on the warm side and the wood one on the cool side. I noticed the next day when I took her out, she had a few droplets on her and so I realised it was getting really humid inside the stone hide despite humidity levels in the tank being only 50-55% (measured with analog hygrometer. Will get digital in a couple days). So I ended up switching the two hides from fear that the humidity in the stone hide being on the warm side is too much, and she for the past couple of days has only been in the stone hide still which is on the cool side.

So anyways today I decided to switch them back because she was a bit cold to the touch even though temps are fine in the tank.

So I guess my main question is, even though it gets pretty moist inside the stone hide, is it bad if she gets wet? and if it is how can I make her stay on the warm side with the wood hide. The wood hide doesn't get too humid because it has an opening on both sides. I think she just likes the stone hide, its a bit bigger, as you'll be able to see. I just want to make sure that if she does stay on the stone hide on the warm side, that she wont get a respiratory infection from it being too humid and wet.



if pics dont show heres links
http://tinypic.com/r/b7kzki/8
http://tinypic.com/r/2v13n01/8

[SRMD]

You should probably get more secured hides that are the same, otherwise your snake may choose security over warmth.

[John1982]

Condensation builds on the ceiling of the hide and drips back down - it's not a bad thing. As for temperature, you are 98 degrees give or take. If you ever pick her up and she's warm check your enclosure temperatures and then your pulse cause one of the two is probably on the fritz.

[KMG]

Half logs are not very good for snakes but they can be used. Its good how you have it pressed against the wall but you could make it better by stuffing the front opening with moss so the snake feels secure inside by getting rid of the large opening.

Like SRMD94 said your snake could pick a favorite hide because one feels more secure than the other. This may not be the best if your snake decides to stay in the chosen hide instead of thermo regulating as it should.

If your using a moist substrate the condensation inside the hide should reduce as the substrate starts to dry out.

[Sauzo]

My humid hide had condensation when I first filled it with moss but after a few days it will slowly dry out. Of course my bp actually likes to burrow under the whole humid hide and just use it like a regular hide

[Borgpython]

So the condensation is fine and will go away you think?
It does soak up the substrate inside with all the condensation going on and I'm worried the snake laying on wet substrate will give her scale rot.

Right now the snake is ofcourse on the cool side inside that stone hide, she just favors it much more and sacrifices warmth for feeling safe.

I'm ready to put the hide back on the warm side if you guys say the condensation is fine.

[SRMD]

So the condensation is fine and will go away you think?
It does soak up the substrate inside with all the condensation going on and I'm worried the snake laying on wet substrate will give her scale rot.

Right now the snake is ofcourse on the cool side inside that stone hide, she just favors it much more and sacrifices warmth for feeling safe.

I'm ready to put the hide back on the warm side if you guys say the condensation is fine.

Log hides are not that great it would be best to have two identical hides, like you've just said your snake is giving up warmth for the more secure hide which is something you don't want, you don't him to have to make a choice.


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[Sauzo]

So the condensation is fine and will go away you think?
It does soak up the substrate inside with all the condensation going on and I'm worried the snake laying on wet substrate will give her scale rot.

Right now the snake is ofcourse on the cool side inside that stone hide, she just favors it much more and sacrifices warmth for feeling safe.

I'm ready to put the hide back on the warm side if you guys say the condensation is fine.

Yes the condensation will go away as the substrate dries out. Also the snake isn't forced into the wet humid condition so if he wants the moisture, he goes in. When he has enough, he can come out and be back on dry substrate so he wont get scale rot. Scale rot is mostly from being stuck on nothing but wet substrate, unable to escape to dryness.

I really wouldn't worry too much, snakes will create their own hides. My little BP made a warm hide out of the bottom of her warm side humid hide. She didn't want to sit in her warm hide so she dug under the aspen under her warm side humid hide and pushed the aspen out from under it and decided this was her new warm hide. Now this morning I found her relaxing on top of the moss in her cool side humid hide. One thing though, if you use those half logs, make sure one side is pressed against the glass to help it feel more secure, preferably against the back which should have a covering on it anyways as most people cover 3 sides of a glass tank. I personally don't care for those logs and I just the plastic bowls for my dry hides and the Tupperware bowls with a hole cut in the side and a lid for humid hides.

[Fireproof]

You just want to make sure you give your snake adequate choices and they don't have to make a trade-off.

For example - you don't want one very enclosed hide on one side and then a very open hide (like a half log) on the other side. Because they may pick the enclosed one for security, but then be forced to go to a temperature they would prefer not to.

Ideally - both hides would offer similar security because they are roughly the same size with similar entry. Then the snake can choose based on temp or humidity, without feeling "over exposed" in one versus the other.

As to too much humidity - don't worry about it. They can leave it if they want. Think about your water dish. That's 100% humidity, LOL. And sometimes they choose to soak in it, and sometimes they do not.

I personally keep a humid hide filled about 1/2 way with Sphagnum Moss and keep it fully saturated and almost dripping. The snakes love it and they go in and out periodically. And their sheds are always perfect even though the overall humidity in the tank drops to about 45-50% in the winter time due to heating the house.