Struggling with Humidity In PVC Enclosure / Stuck Shed

Hey everyone,

I am struggling hard to keep humidity levels stable in my enclosure. I am using Ecoearth coconut fiber substrate and sphagnum moss that is spread through out and I mist from a spray bottle while I am home multiple times a day when humidity drops. I am assuming that my Ceramic Bulb is sucking out any moisture that might be in there. I recently switch water dishes since my old one was smaller and would become empty due to the bulb. But I would think that if the bulb is evaporating the water from the dish my humidity should be fine, but even with the larger dish it doesn't stay above 60%. I witnessed my first snakes shed yesterday, but found that it was a bad and stuck shed so I am trying to keep humidity in the 70's , but only lasts that high for 10 minutes if I'm lucky. I through some moist moss into one of her favorite hides so help with this, but I still don't feel comfortable going to work knowing the humidity is going drop to 40% by the time I come home. Please any help would be appreciated, I will try to add some photos of what I am working with and some more info on my husbandry. Thank You!

Husbandry Info:

I currently have my ball python in a pvc enclosure that is 36in w,18in l,18in h

Here is a link to the one I got (Large) : https://undergroundreptiles.com/prod...luxe-pvc-tank/

I have a hot side using a UTH and a ceramic bulb (60w) to help with ambient temps (Both on thermostats).

EcoEarth Coconut Fiber Substrate with Sphagnum Moss

Here are images of her setup : https://imgur.com/a/Dr2lL8Z

I don't trust Underground Reptiles with anything, haha. That's been my experience. So if you are measuring humidity using that meter that comes with the cage, I would buy a humidity gauge to confirm if that is accurate.

Once you had double checked your meter, you don't need a constant 70% humidity. The enclosure has some air flow but the slits on the sides are not that big. You don't want to risk mold growing in there or bacteria infection on your snake. A 50-60% constant humidity is fine, bumping it up during shed time. CHE are very hot and seemingly sucks moisture out of any cage they are in. Try a different bulb like red bulbs, radiant heat panel or heat mat. Due to how much dry heat CHE throws out, I don't recommend them for cages smaller than 55 or 75 gallon. They work great for desert species but a pain for the humidity type.

Lastly, a bad first shed isn't a big deal. That's pretty common. A lukewarm bath for 10 min supervised. You can peel the shed off by using a towel and letting your snake move around in it and/or using rubber gloves gently rub from head to tail (not the other way around). The shed pieces should fall off easy. Do not force peel the shed if it is stuck. Also, don't do this before a shed or too soon after a shed. Make sure there are items in the enclosure for him to rub against, like a rock or brick. Bad sheds become serious when it repeats numerous times without removal, stuck shed on the eyes (multiple stuck eye caps. Do not attempt to remove on your own. A vet will be needed to help you), stuck shed wrapped tightly or squeezing the tail or cloaca area or neck. Usually it gets this bad due to severe neglect which is not the case here. If you can't get it all out this time, it will probably come off next time.

I'll echo what Cheesenugget said. CHEs work great for ambient heat but they do suck your humidity out of anything you put them on. For me part of what sold me on PVC was the fact that I could use a RHP instead of a CHE so I could avoid the problem you're having right now. If I were you I'd look into an alternative, especially in the size enclosure you're using.

I have zero experience with Underground Reptiles, so I can't speak to the quality of the enclosure, but just at first glance I would point the finger at your CHE for your issues. Especially if you're using a typical on/off thermostat. I found that even though your CHE is controlled by a thermostat, it still heats up to wide open to get to whatever temp you set it to, and it stays hot for awhile even after the thermostat turns it off. I had much more luck switching to a proportional thermostat, but the most luck came from just swapping to something else all together.

As the previous replies mentioned, the Ceramic Bulbs suck the humidity out of the air but according to your gauge, the humidity levels seem fine. You should get a second humidity gauge to verify the accuracy of it. You don't need an expensive one for this, just something to verify your results.

If humidity is correct, I wouldn't do anything just yet in terms of changing the heat source. Soak the Ball Python in warm water for a while to help it get any of the stuck shed off. It should peel right off after a warm bath. I would then wait for the next shed to see if it comes off in one piece. If humidity is too low, try change the bulb, spray down the enclosure a bit and keep a closer eye on the humidity with a different gauge.

Hope this helps.
Liam.
Reptile Range.

P.S. Love how you decorated the enclosure.

Put the damp moss in the hides. This will give the snake the humidity it needs in the place it stays most of the time without having to keep it up in the entire enclosure. The moss will also make the hide feel that much more secure.