Humidity and activity relation

ideal ranges are 40%-60% humidity normally, 60%-80% during shed

Hot side temperature should be between 88-92 degrees, cool side temperature between 78-82 degrees.

give this a read: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BPro927

Ohhhh something Aaron doesnt know! Pet Smart has them foggers for like 60 bucks. If you make a really detailed tank, you can make a fog fall. It looks amazing!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/benm135/3411733643/
the only fog waterfall i could find.

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lol, there are tons of things I don't know... I learn new things about reptiles everyday :D

My guess is your hygrometer is stuck. Unlike the average I prefer the analogue dial type I have found them to be far more accurate than the digital ones. There is a caveat however they would need a METAL face card AND a calibration screw. The stick on pet store ones have neither and are simply not reliable as the movement gets stuck.

Your original question no I have not either but what I do notice is if something changes I have a number 8/12 that will explore the new thing. I have a number of elaborate set ups and I periodically add and subtract items from the enclosures. The majority of the snakes are interested in the changes and explore immediately (usually make changes after supper) The others all do but some wait till the dead of night. I would expect that the fog being intermittent yours is jus investigating the change. They are exceptionally inquisitive animals and will be interested in new things.

I got that exact one from walmart tonight:) its nice I like it

Christian

I'd give it a crude test for accuracy just to be sure. Take a damp (very damp but not dripping) cloth and lay the unit on it and cover it with a piece of saran wrap (just lay it on) digital units take up to 20 min to stabilize so give it some time. It should be in the 90s if it is not return it and get another. There are more precise tests but the test is hard on digital units. The accuracy of that model is 20% up or down unless they changed it in the last five years. Most digitals are better around 10% but when I spoke to Cheney they stated 20%. It is cheaper than the good analogue ones however.

So thay are only accurate to 20%? So it could say 40% humidity when its really 50% or 60%? Am I understanding that right?

Christian

Yes, that is correct. The way units like this work is they measure micro changes in resistance on usually a carbon pad. There are so many things that changes that resistance during manufacture it is hard to control. The manufacturer issues specs based on the anticipated error due to the defects. The error is quoted for both temp and RH and is designated +/- a given amount. To cover the defects if any. This means a good unit could be bang on but a poor one could be at the edge of the error and still be acceptable. A bad unit will be returned if it is over the amount stated. I have own three of them two were worse than the specs stated and were returned at no cost (no hassle either) The third was just inside the specs for both RH and temp and I ended up keeping it but I gave it to my father as I am unwilling to accept 17%rh and 1.8ºF in error.

Calibrating RH is easy and cheap the problem is digital units often cannot be calibrated at all. and b the salt tests used for it are quite hard on digital circuits and the carbon pads. So the calibration test is likely to alter the calibration. Catch 22, For RH I use analogue they are massively more robust as they relay on changes in humidity based on a bi metal spring. (I have dunked one and it still is accurate after 6 months.)

My pref is these.
http://www.cheaphumidors.com/p_analo...CC-ANALOG.html

Temps are very hard to accurately test. Very specialized instruments are needed to do so. There are VERY accurate digital analogue and LC thermometers on the market. The sad part is they cost for the most part. (digital units for 0.5ºF error run from 200$-5000$) Analogue are less but not really useful and LC although accurate and cheap not functional. The only reasonable way to test a thermometer is to measure an draft free area with a know accurate one and check the reading against each other. Or average a bunch of cheap ones and only used the ones that read the same as the majority. LC thermometers can be used to determine a base reading and check less accurate digital units against them.

Digital hygrometers often become fouled on the sensor pad and usually drop the reading (water decreased resistance so higher reading dust and dirt in crease resistance lower reading) so even over time it drops. I have never had a bad shed at 60%RH nor at 50% but I calibrate my hygrometers every 6 months. I believe many whom claim you must increase RH for a shed have old digital hygrometers that are reading low and this is leading them to state 60+ for good sheds. Pet theory...

So I did that damp towel test and it jumped to 99% but now it wont drop back down to normal. Does it just take a little while or did it die?

Christian

Nevermind I guess it just takes time. But thank you for all the useful info
Much appriciated

Christian