Help with Humidity!

First post :bow:

But I got my first ball python 2 weeks ago and he is such a fun lil guy, but having trouble keeping the humidity in the tank at 70%+. I have to spray the tank every 2hours to keep it above 50% and its very tedious.

My tank setup:
30 Gallon Tank
- 50w "Sun"/Basking bulb for day } using a clip on lamp shade from home depot
- 50w Infrared night bulb

- Astroturf flooring
- Half gallon water bowl
- 1 Fake/Plastic bush
- 1 XL Half rock for hiding

- Wiremesh screen lid

He seems happy with the setup, but I am worried that the humidity is to low for him.

My average temps
- Day: 90F with 50% Humidity (if I dont stay ontop of the humidity)
- Day: 85F with 80% Humidity (20minutes after a spray)

- Night: 95F with 80%
- Night: 95F with 40% (while Im sleeping)

I keep the water bowl full at all times, and I focus my light onto the bowl to try to help keep the humidity up. I have the tank setup in my room with average temp at 74F. I have a ceiling fan that runs while I'm in the room, but I turn it off when I leave to help keep the humidity in the tank and not in the air.

I'm clueless as to any tricks "of the trade" since this is my first reptile and snake. Any help is appreciated!!

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/4189/snakeyc.jpg

Ok, this is gonna be a long list. :D That tank is WAY too wet and doesn't have some of the things it needs to work as an enclosure.

First, get rid of the carpet. Even if you bleach it all the time it can still harbor bacteria and mold and be heck to keep clean. Aspen bedding is best, followed by cypress mulch, plain newsprint paper, and paper towels.
Next, cover the screen top using the foil treatment or plexiglass with holes. Regular screen holds in Nothing.
Lamps only sap humidity and aren't the best heat source for snakes as it is. You need to heat that tank with UTH pads or flexwatt heat tape on a good Thermostat.
I can't tell if the back and sides are covered with a background. If not, then do so ASAP. If they are, then add foam insulation board to the outside. That helps keep things stable in a glass tank.
1/2 gallon is a bit large for a water bowl. Once you get the foil on the top and change the bedding your humidity will be high enough to use a cat bowl. :) Ceramic is best unless you always want to clean up spills.

Those are the basic things I can tell you off the bat. I'll send you the link to the foil treatment how-to, as well as a list of basic things needed to make a tank a working snake home. :)

It really only needs to be 50-60% humidity, unless its about to shed then you can bump it up to upper sixties or so. An under tank heater would be better- those heat lamps will dry up the air a lot. Also, are those gauge-type thermometer/hygrometer? If so you definitely should get a digital one, Acu-Rite makes a good one, get it at wal mart or lowes for around 13 bucks

EDIT Argentra ya beat me to it hahaha

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Ok, this is gonna be a long list. :D That tank is WAY too wet and doesn't have some of the things it needs to work as an enclosure.

First, get rid of the carpet. Even if you bleach it all the time it can still harbor bacteria and mold and be heck to keep clean. Aspen bedding is best, followed by cypress mulch, plain newsprint paper, and paper towels.
Next, cover the screen top using the foil treatment or plexiglass with holes. Regular screen holds in Nothing.
Lamps only sap humidity and aren't the best heat source for snakes as it is. You need to heat that tank with UTH pads or flexwatt heat tape on a good Thermostat.
I can't tell if the back and sides are covered with a background. If not, then do so ASAP. If they are, then add foam insulation board to the outside. That helps keep things stable in a glass tank.
1/2 gallon is a bit large for a water bowl. Once you get the foil on the top and change the bedding your humidity will be high enough to use a cat bowl. :) Ceramic is best unless you always want to clean up spills.

Those are the basic things I can tell you off the bat. I'll send you the link to the foil treatment how-to, as well as a list of basic things needed to make a tank a working snake home. :)

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Thank you very much for your constructive criticism. I had just sprayed the tank right before I took the photo, thats why it looks so wet. I got a 30g tank because my snake is already a year old and about 2ft long. I plan to get this fixed tomorrow with the list you just wrote up for me. Hopefully things will be better

Get rid of the heat lamps, they dessicate.

If you are seriously concerned with humidity, I highly recommend switching to tubs.

You need alarge but shallow water dish to help with humidity. You need to cover the screen asap! That allow should keep the humidity up to 58%-60%! Also those hides look too large! A 30 gallon should have tons of space!

following up on the other responses, ball pythons never really need a large hide. they seem to enjoy small and very snug hides. the usual advice is to have two identical hides- one on the warm side and one on the cool side. also, just as the other guys suggested, the humidity should be between 50% and 60% being measured with some kind of digital thermometer/ hydrometer. I believe lamps are fine IF temp and humidity requirements are being meet. I would also recommend reading through the site's care sheets for further info.

I see analog temp meters. Go to wal mart and get an accurite digital thermometer, it also tells you the humidity, accurately.

Is it neccessary to use a red/night bulb at night? I have the tank setup in my room, and I finally got the humidity perfect with perfect temp. But this bulb ontop isnt exactly the most cosmetic option. I have an UTH with a thermostat and would like to remove the bulb option.

Do i NEED a nightbulb/Red bulb?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ksaul

Is it neccessary to use a red/night bulb at night? I have the tank setup in my room, and I finally got the humidity perfect with perfect temp. But this bulb ontop isnt exactly the most cosmetic option. I have an UTH with a thermostat and would like to remove the bulb option.

Do i NEED a nightbulb/Red bulb?

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I only say this because I sleep with the lights off, in complete darkness, is this good or bad for the snake?

if your looking for a quicker an somewhat easier way to cover the top, use a towel. spray the towel (alot) when it needs an that sould be good. i had the same problem and this has been working great. But you needa under tank heater like they say. :)

ohhh and you dont need any type of bulb. the uth does fine on its own if you cover the top :))

believe it or not i have a trouble keeping humidity out i have to put i big thing of water in the coolest part of tank to keep my humidity down with out is my humidity is 80%-90% with the water in the coolest part its 55-68 any way i can bring it a lil more down

btw i don't think that's a 30 gallon i have a 30 myn is way bigger that looks like a 20 u only have 2 things in it and looks cramped

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ksaul

Is it neccessary to use a red/night bulb at night? I have the tank setup in my room, and I finally got the humidity perfect with perfect temp. But this bulb ontop isnt exactly the most cosmetic option. I have an UTH with a thermostat and would like to remove the bulb option.

Do i NEED a nightbulb/Red bulb?

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If the temps are fine with just the uth than you can remove the light! Bps don't need light, they like total darkness too!

for humidity problem,i have a waterfall in my tank and i have a fogger in it.with my screen top covered and the fogger going my humidity stays between 50 to 70%.you can run the foggers in water bowles,you dont need a waterfall. as for heat,i live in canada,i have a uth and a ceramic heating element in a light fixture ontop of the sceen.i also have a daylight bulb i use for 12 hours day and a moonlight bulb for 12 hours at night.i need the lights ceramic heater and uth to keep my temps where they should be,but my tank is alot bigger than it needs to be thats why i need the lights to keep the temp where it should be.the moonlight bulb doesnt give off much light so it shouldnt disturb you when you sleep. oh yeah my fogger is a exo-terra and i dont run it in the summer,it gets pretty humid where i live in the summer.hope this helps,good luck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thekid93

btw i don't think that's a 30 gallon i have a 30 myn is way bigger that looks like a 20 u only have 2 things in it and looks cramped

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it most definitely is lol i had very large objects in it making it look small, but I replaced a lot of that setup. I added smaller more tight caves, a smaller water dish, aspen bedding some drift wood and more horizontal vines. I added a jungle background and did the toil foil treatment using a red 50w bulb at night on the cool side of the tank (hangs 10" above the opening).

I purchased a UTH from ZooMeds (fit of a 30g tank, about 1/3 of the tank) and the ZooMed Rheostat.

(Q1) Id rather have a thermostat that automatically adjusts to the floor temp but not sure what I need..
(Q2)I have the tank sitting ontop of my dresser with the UTH on the underside (obviously), but how much clearance does the UTH need below it? I dont want it to stain my dresser..
(Q3)Also Ive yet to get the probe/thermostat/humidistat controller & guages. Whats the best combo deal on the market for the best price?

Ive been reading the caresheets and FAQs but looking for what the community uses that I know has good results, not sure when the last time they were updated..

Thanks ladies & gets! :snake:
(Still using the old-school gauges and its reading at 78F with 62% Humidity)