I want to stop using my heat lamp but...

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Originally Posted by Brstin2flames

I have been putting damp towels over the screen but its just a real pain to have to do that several times a day, plus no one is home during work hours to check it. My BP shed a few days ago and it wasnt in one piece (about 3 large pieces and a few small) even though I tried my hardest to keep the humidity up during his shed. So now I'm looking for a better alternative/more permanent alternative.

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Uhm, try dumping water in the bedding and then mix the bedding around, don't use to much water though. Also there are ways to mod the screen tops so you can keep humidity in and its a permanent solution. There is a Tut on it here but I can't find it.

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Originally Posted by hunter94

Uhm, try dumping water in the bedding and then mix the bedding around, don't use to much water though.

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I would think that dumping water and mixing it through the substrate would be a bad idea because it would be a breeding area for bacteria and mold.

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Originally Posted by Brstin2flames

I would think that dumping water and mixing it through the substrate would be a bad idea because it would be a breeding area for bacteria and mold.

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You would be surprised how fast it drys up also I don't dump that much water in.

I used to use a couple of 20 gallon longs for QT tanks. The best way i found was to put a UTH on the bottom of the hot side and another UTH on the side of the tank on the oposite end. The one on the side of the tank doesn't need any temp controlls and it will give it a nice ambiant warm area. Just use the little Zoo med one.

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Originally Posted by Brstin2flames

I would think that dumping water and mixing it through the substrate would be a bad idea because it would be a breeding area for bacteria and mold.

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When i notice my snakes getting ready to shed i dump a cup of water into the substrate right aboce the UTH. They have perfect sheds every time and the water dries in a couple days.

This is the set up that I have found works the best for me:

1) My house stays in the 70s year round.
2) I have my hot side with a UTH set to 96 degrees (never raises above 93 at the substrate) and a 40watt heat lamp set on a dimmer which switches on for 2 hours and off for 1 throughout the day (same with a night bulb). I worry about my bedding soaking up too much of the heat so I supplement with the heat lamp to warm the hide.
3) I have a Fluker's mini dripper on my cool side which SLOWLY drips into a tiny serving cup filled with spahgnum moss which I change weekly.
4) I have spahgnum moss also in clumps throughout the cage over my aspen bedding which I spray down 2x daily and change weekly (the moss, not the bedding, which gets changed when needed).
5) I have 5-6 foil covered cardboard panels on the top of my screened tank cover which help to hold in heat and humidity.
6) I mist the edges of the glass 2x daily with a spray bottle making sure to get my fake plant and mopani wood which will hold the water a little while longer than the glass.

It sounds like a lot, but I got all of my supplies cheap and I only futz with the tank when I get home from work (about noon) and before I go to bed (about 8pm). My ambient temp is in the high 70s, low 80s; my hot side is low 90s; my humidity is 50s without extra spraying and higher when I adjust for sheds (more moss, foil, and drips). Hope some of this helps!

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Originally Posted by bpqueen

This is the set up that I have found works the best for me:

1) My house stays in the 70s year round.
2) I have my hot side with a UTH set to 96 degrees (never raises above 93 at the substrate) and a 40watt heat lamp set on a dimmer which switches on for 2 hours and off for 1 throughout the day (same with a night bulb). I worry about my bedding soaking up too much of the heat so I supplement with the heat lamp to warm the hide.
3) I have a Fluker's mini dripper on my cool side which SLOWLY drips into a tiny serving cup filled with spahgnum moss which I change weekly.
4) I have spahgnum moss also in clumps throughout the cage over my aspen bedding which I spray down 2x daily and change weekly (the moss, not the bedding, which gets changed when needed).
5) I have 5-6 foil covered cardboard panels on the top of my screened tank cover which help to hold in heat and humidity.
6) I mist the edges of the glass 2x daily with a spray bottle making sure to get my fake plant and mopani wood which will hold the water a little while longer than the glass.

It sounds like a lot, but I got all of my supplies cheap and I only futz with the tank when I get home from work (about noon) and before I go to bed (about 8pm). My ambient temp is in the high 70s, low 80s; my hot side is low 90s; my humidity is 50s without extra spraying and higher when I adjust for sheds (more moss, foil, and drips). Hope some of this helps!

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Wow definitely!! Thanks so much for sharing you're setup. Looks like I'll be busy this weekend messing around with my setup :)

Also, where did you get you're dripper? That sounds like a great idea. The humidity in my house can be super low sometimes with our AC and heat going, that would probably help a lot!

Here's the closest thing to a pic that I have of my 40 G setup now...

http://adventurousguy.com/other/rack.jpg

I'll try and get an up close pic Friday. And since I anticipate comments, her matching hide is in the dishwasher, my ball is in the blacked out 10 G upper right, yes I use non-toxic no-fragrance wipes to spot clean, I need to learn cable management, mealworms/superworm colonies in the drawers........think that covers most of it.

I found the mini dripper at a local pet store, but ReptileSupply.com has it as well for a good price plus shipping. I try to order many things from them at once to offset the shipping. The link would be http://www.reptilesupply.com/product...oducts_id=1283

You also can get a foam core back board at a craft store and cut it to fit 3 sides of the tank to help insulate and make it seem a little more secure and sightly. I live in FL, so I have a cardboard one for now, but may upgrade it in the winter if I need a little better temp regulation. Good luck!