Humidity Control (or not!)

[ssomerford]

Looking for some simple advice on keeping humidity up. I have a glass viv. FINALLY got temps regulated. For those of you who haven't tried glass DON'T. But, thought is was pretty and it is that - just not the easiest to regulate.
So cool side temp stays 80-82 and warm side 90-93. I use a cypress substrate which has kept us mite free, clean and healthy. Another trial and error effort! But, I will be darned if I cannot for the life of me keep the humidity much over 31% - unless I am misting like 5 times a day. Regrettably I usually only do it twice and realize after about year here - that is most likely the reason his sheds are hard. Like really hard. I have the viv covered on the back, one side and the top with black fabric covered cardboard. Just enough opening on top for red light which stays on all the time. Has too to keep temps up. Already have two UT heating pads and the combination of all three keeps temps right. Tried on the advise of pet store (I know, I know....) a fish tank water thingy that bubbles and supposedly would push humid air up. Tried for a couple of months. Didn't work and stressed poor Squeezer pretty bad. I knew I shouldn't have tried it -
Any ideas?

[Ginevive]

Hm.. have you tried covering the screen lid with saran wrap instead? (of course, not letting it get too close to the light, which could melt it..) I would advise scrapping the lamp; they dry things out.. is there any other way you could heat the room around the cage, like with a space heater? It is a bear, getting temps in glass tanks to be right, I know.. maybe set up a tub and sell the tank? Tubs hold humidity like a dream.. even too much sometimes so that holes need to be melted into the sides.

[Drew]

ditch the lamp as previously said, I have a 30 gallon tank that i keep mine in and the substrate temps in my snakes hides are perfect using a thermostat. The ambient temp is lower but that isnt as important as far as i know. My snake is healthy and humidity is at 50-60%.

That lamp is your problem, also like previoiusly said try covering your screen with something, I use a towel, keeps heat and humidity in.

[bhmorrill]

Good advice so far. I would for sure lose the light and get a under the tank heating device (human heat pad, or whatever), and FOR SURE keep the lid covered most of the way.

[Nate]

when i used a tank with a screen lid, I soaked a towel in water every day and put it on half the tank. it did wonders for the humidity.

[ssomerford]

Alright - ditch the light. Got it. As previously stated - already have two under the tank heat pads. A smaller one on cool side and then bigger on warm side. Screen is covered with black cloth covered cardboard, except for light hole. Go ahead and cover whole screen area? Of course plenty of air still - but, you don't think taking the light out will plummet the temp? You know I'm a little leary because it took sooooo long to finally regulate temp! If I take the red light out - then should I replace with any other type of day/night lighting. He is in a room where day and night are conspicuous....

In the midst of all this - and many mistings a day - he has shed. Of course. I do have to say this one went easier - he lost the back 2/3 of body and then eye caps, head and neck - in one day. That has never happened. But, I have never misted so much either.
I'm going to try removing the light tomorrow evening, so if anyone has any final words of warning or wisdom speak now. I think I hate change as much as Squeezer does. Tomorrow is feeding day too ...

[bhmorrill]

In the wild ball pythons spend the majority of their time curled up in a dark hole...I wouldn't worry at all about not having a light. My oppinion anyway. I have around 30 or so bps at my place along with a bunch of carpet pythons, and I only have a couple of lights in my snake room that are on automatic timers to be on during the day. Other than that they all just have UTHs and of course get a little light from the room lights. With this set up over the last few years I have gotten MANY clutches from both the carpets and the balls...so it seems to be fine. My .02 anyway.

[ssomerford]

Thanks everyone - I'll let you know how the weekend goes!!!