black light ?

is it ok to use a black lightbulb? its 75watt. i heard that its just like a red bulb.

I have one - they don't get as hot as red but if you sleep in the same room as you snake it's easier to ignore than the red. I have a 100 watt red and a 75 watt black because the temp in my place varies so much between winter and summer (and Chicago and Nashville). I try when i can to use the UTH alone because the humidity stays higher

I am havin a WICKED time keepin my humidity up! I swear that I must mist the tank 4 or 5 times daily. My apartment has always been really dry. But, I have to use an overhead lite cuz my UTH only keeps the tank around 82 & HIssy likes it up in the high 80's. I tried using one of those humidifying pads that has the time release thing going with the water but it is only keepin the humidity like 5% higher. It stays at 37% if i don't stay on the misting & that is a bit too low for my angel! Any ideas!? I can't put another water bowl in there cuz there is already SO MUCH in her tank as it is.

Eddie -- build this! http://ball-pythons.net/Sections+ind...41-page-1.html

Very simple and works wonders! I think I'm the queen of promoting this thing today (ok so I've only done it twice so far... but I think it's great!) Good luck :)

And if ya dont feel handy with tools you can buy something similar called a TropicAire humidifier and air exchange.
I have a screen top so i duct tape all but about 1/2" wider than I need for my light and run the Tropic aire and they get fresh humid air.
My tank stays right at 50-60% humid.
They cost about 10-20 dollars depending on where you buy.

Jotay, I am not real good with my hands but i would be iterested in finding out where you got yours because it might be an option for me. Curiously enough tho, perhaps my humidity mat just needed a couple of days to start working. Before i had the mat, without regular misting the tank would stay at about 31%. I put the mat in wednesday morning & by wednesday the tank was staying steadily at 36%. That 36% carried into all day yesterday. However, the last time i misted the tank was about 10 hours ago, or so, & it is staying steadily at 42% right now. So, I think that before making anything or purchasing anything, i am going to give a try to seeing if the mat starts to raise the humidity a bit more. The other nice thing is that Hissy likes to rest her head on the mat when she sits inside of her cool side hide!

eddie, seriously, that home made humid is very easy to build and works wonders. You should really check it out before you spend a fortune on one. This is so cheap to build too.

i had the same problem with humidity and i built the humidifier and it helps but didn't get the job done so i bought four paws terrium stuff and this stuff is like a big sponge and it keeps my humidity at 70% which is were i like to keep it i just have to poor a can of water on it like every 3 days it doesn't get drenched like news paper thats another reason i like it were ever i poor the water it stays there. And i use a heat pad and a red bulb which doesn't affect my humidity at all.

OK, I am a heating and a/c technician, and it is always, ALWAYS going to be too dry in your living space, even with a whole house humidifier the humidity will only be about 40%rh And that is ok for humans. the humidity in the snakes enclosure will be even dryer if you are using lights. I stopped using a light about a week after i got Samson, and use only a ceramic heater and heat pad, and bought one of those Tropicaire humidifier setups for $19.99, you have to buy an air pump if you don't have one, $13.99. Or make one like the others said, and cover the top with plastic or tape. If you don't put some kind of humidifier in his tank it will always be too dry, even after misting, trust me. Remember this FACT "the air in 99% of homes is dryer than the Sahara desert". It will be much healthyer for your snakes lungs if you get a humidifier.

Or simply house in a Rubbermaid/Sterilite type setup like I do and just watch to make sure your humidity doesn't get too HIGH instead. ;)