Humidty problems

Hello So I bought my first ball python 2 months ago at a local pet store, its roughly 8 months old and it had its first shed and it was incomplete, so i took it and put it in a container like the forum says and soaked it and it all came off. I went to the pet store and bought repti-bark so that I could retain some humidity hopefull and a hydrometer/thermometer. I can only get the humidity to 45% at most. I misted it like crazy and even soaked the bark a little bit so it was pretty moist. Is there anything else I can do to keep it humid in the tank. I also have the right 1/3 with a heating pad underneath.

The tank is 48" L 20"H 12"w


http://i43.tinypic.com/6fqo0p.jpg

What kind of thermo/hygro do you have? Digital?

Today I cleaned my carpet cage and I washed the Repti-Bark, and now it's back in the cage humidity is 90%.

Do you have any insulation around your tank? Do you cover the screen top with aluminum foil or something else?

I have a towel over the top on the left side like in the pic and its a digital therm/hydro

The tank you have the wee snake in is really really big. I have my largest snakes 2200g+ in 3x2x1 cages and that is plenty of room. The height of your tank and the lights you have are going to make keeping humidity up really very difficult.

Keeping the substrate too wet could lead to scale rot so be careful of that.

Do you have a smaller tank that could house the snake until it grows some? Also, do you have a thermostat controlling the UTH?

If you want to keep that tank, I would insulate the sides and back, fill it to the max with foliage and more hides (do you have 2 hides in there?) Also, maybe a huge water bowl might help with the humidity.

Laying a towel across the top is a good breeding ground for bacteria. Also, when the towel starts to dry out, it actually begins to pull moisture back out of the tank.

Can you get another UTH and thermostat for the other side of the tank? This might take away the need for the lights.

You need to cover the screen top with foil and duct tape to keep that moisture in.

Also, the rope, while nice to look at, could pose a danger to your snake as it grows. Ball pythons are not great climbers, especially when they get older and heavier.

I would also put the thermometer down lower, closer to where the snake lives.

Like mentioned by Starmom lights are a humidity killer as well a huge tank is already difficult to control. I would go smaller enclosure and UTH and radiant heat panel for heat.

i also am having problems with humidity are you saying i should use a ceramic heating element in the lamp instead of the light? im not really sure what to do

the ceramic heaters i think are the best way to go.. i have one for my bp and it greatly increased the temp in his tank.. the temp is usually between 85-90.. as for keeping the humidity up, i'm still playing around with diff things.. i saran wrap 3/4 of the top and i have a UTH.. it wont go above 25% humidity unless i mist it.. so any ideas would be greatly appreciated =]

put the water bowl directly under the ceramic heat emitter that will bring the humidity up

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Originally Posted by jason79

put the water bowl directly under the ceramic heat emitter that will bring the humidity up

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That would work if there is a heat emitter.

I have my water bowls directly on the glas of the tank, above a part of undertank-heater. This way humidity is around 55% in my tanks, which is enough, never had an incomplete shed. Also, the bigger the water bowls (more surface), the better...

CHE's and bulbs will both drain the humidity from the tank. Like other people have mentioned, it would probably be best for the snake and the humidity for it to be in a smaller enclosure.

I am trying to use a CHE for one of my enclosures now. I feel like I am constantly attempting to fix humidity and temperature problems. I really think it would be best to use 2 UTH's and thermostats rather than continually investing money and time to make a bulb/CHE work. That's just my experience, some people might tell you they have no problems with a CHE or bulb, it depends on the fluctuation of temperature and humidity where you live as well.