Substrates - can't get the right humidity!

In an attempt to "naturalize" the enclosures, I moved Cu back into her 40gal breeder. With newspaper and aspen, I couldn't keep the humidity above 40% for more than an hour. I recently picked up a brick of Eco Earth, soaked it, and put it in the enclosure. Now, almost 24 hours later, the humidity is still at 80% and when I pulled Cu out from her hide, she was damp. I'm not putting her back in there; I have seen to many pictures of scale rot.

What can I do? I followed the instructions with the Eco Earth. Has anybody tried putting a thin layer of aspen over Eco Earth?

I liked eco-earth for my scorpions, not for my snakes though. They have a different kind of bedding, it's coco husk or something, it comes in a brick like the eco-earth and that holds humidity well, and doesn't stay soaked like the eco earth. Also after a few days the eco-earth will dry up.

Have you tried cypress mulch?

I've always had good luck with carefresh and humidity.
It's clean and safe for the snakes, but it is (more) expensive.
It's good if you have a few snakes, but not very economical if you have a lot.

Repti Bark works for me very well. A huge bag of it is the same price as the same size of aspen at my Petco.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Repti Bark works for me very well. A huge bag of it is the same price as the same size of aspen at my Petco.

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Yea, I was going to say repti bark/cypress mulch. Coconut husk (the expandable brick stuff) works well too I think.

Thanks everybody! PetCo was closed when I went to pick up something else to put over the Eco Earth, so for now I put some thick construction paper over it.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Repti Bark works for me very well. A huge bag of it is the same price as the same size of aspen at my Petco.

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I totally agree I use it as well
Looks very natural and if you use heat lamp covering 50 % of screen top with piece of plexiglass should give you perfect hit if u use only uht I don't think that I need cover

I agree, the answer is covering more of the cage rather than using a damp substrate.

Place the water bowl over the heat pad--that raises the humidity nicely, as long as there's not excessive ventilation.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I agree, the answer is covering more of the cage rather than using a damp substrate.

Place the water bowl over the heat pad--that raises the humidity nicely, as long as there's not excessive ventilation.

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Would you want to drink hot water?

Not that it will get too warm from being over and UTH with substrate, but still.

I've tried everything. :( Plexiglass, saran wrap, even damp towels (which I decided not to use due to possible mold growth). I've tried various UTHs, bulbs, positioning of the water dish... And it's a very large water dish. I do live in a very dry climate. Substrate is the only hope I have left.