Tub Humidity Problem...

I just got a new albino and spider ball pythons on sunday. I bought a 1.5 gallon rubbermaid for the female spider(shes larger than male albino) and a smaller 1 gallon rubbermaid for the male. I have both tubs in a 20 gallon long aquarium and a Reptile basics 6"x11" heat mat underneath. Thermometer reads 86 at center and only one end of both tubs is on the head pat. I used a soldering iron to first make at least 15-25 holes in lid, but humidity is too high. I then tonight took my other extra tubs and put 10 holes on each long side and 4 holes on the ends that are approximately an 1/8th inch in diameter. I am still getting condensation and among other problems. The new arrivals went through an almost 2 hour drive from the expo and a new home change, the Spider regurged yesterday and i believe the male did just a few moments ago, how many damn holes do i need to put in these things or is the aquarium killing me?

It very well may be the tank. I do not put my tubs in anything but a rack and I have no holes at all in any of them, they are not air tight, and I get no condensation on them at all.

I would take them out of the aquarium, and use the tubs stand alone. BTW what substrate are you using? What is the temp on the hot side?

Well the aquarium in on one of those wire selves that you would findin a closet, cause its in my closet. I am just using newspaper for right now.

Again get rid of the tank it is doing you no good at all.

I just took them out of the aquarium and have the heatpad, then a tin sheet of aluminum foil then the tubs. Temperature was between 84 and 86 on the hot side. Should i rearange this somehow? I know they are stressed out and i want to keep it consistent.

I run the hot side temps in the mid 90's in my racks. What type of thermostat are you using?

I am not using a thermostat at all the pad was getting it to 86 through the glass so it must be around 90 in the tub now. I place my hand on the pad and its really not that hot i have felt some pretty hot UTH's but this one seems fairly consistent around 92 and its been on for 2 days straight.

Oh yeah, after taking them out of the tank the condensation is clearing up and they are both laying out on the heat pad side. The water bowl is on the side with no heat pad. I think that tank was a killer, but it was mostly for security but these lids seal pretty damn good.

No thermostat and you can feel how hot it is??? Good rule is never guess or go by feel when it comes to these things ok. The animals life is at sake here. Please get a thermostat and use it correctly.

Now to the regurge they need to see a vet asap this could be more than just high humidity. I have not seen a single BP regurge from high humidity. These little guys might need alot more help than you think if they do regurge. You do need to get them to a vet asap and get a thermostat for the tubs.

Steveyboy...you may not like Big Gunns third person talk, but it looks like you need it.

Since it seems that it was your husbandry(not the breeders fault) that led to the regurgitation, BG doesn't think you need a Vet visit.....yet. You do need to wait at least ten days....2 weeks would be better.... before giving them a small meal. This can be critical. Don't feel the need..... like some weak people do..... to prove that you're smarter than Big Gunns and feed them earlier....this could lead to a big problem. Wait...or you may really regret it.

What kind of substrate are you using...and where is the water bowl? The condensation is not necessarily a problem. You'll get that a lot in a small tub if the snake goes in the water bowl, or the water bowl is on the heat pad.

BG doesn't necessarily think the aquarium is a problem either....BG tells people to use them instead of just tubs in a room when people have no rack system. The tanks hold a leeetle more heat. You do need to make sure they don't get too hot though. Animals will most often regurge when they are exposed to extreme temps(too hot or cold). There are other things(handling after feeding...etc) that can cause it, but it's usually temps if they were healthy.

You need to make sure your temps are correct...not just they are "around 90". You need to know exactly. If a heat pad feels warm to you, it's probably at least 98 degrees....your body temp. Get all your temps straight for sure....make sure they are well hydrated because they gurged...don't mess with them at all....and feed them a very small meal in two weeks. Wait for them to digest it before feeding them another small meal.

Balls are much hardier then boas, but it's best to baby them back after they regurgitate. If they regurgitate a second time, you may have real issues and need a Vet visit.

You just bought two very nice animals, you really need to make sure they're set up properly. Some people are suggesting a thermostat, which may not be a bad idea, although your heat pads might be the ones made specifically for use without one.

Good luck

ps. Remember this. There are three kinds of people.

1. The ones that listened to Big Gunns and were glad they did.
2. The ones that didn't and regretted it.
3. The ones that thought they were smarter than Big Gunns and didn't listen...and of course....regretted it.:D

I actually have to lay some blame on the seller for the regurging in this case. What kind of fool feeds the snakes he's planning to sell right before the expo? Since both of them threw up, you know they had to have eaten pretty recently.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I actually have to lay some blame on the seller for the regurging in this case. What kind of fool feeds the snakes he's planning to sell right before the expo? Since both of them threw up, you know they had to have eaten pretty recently.

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Could have been fed the day the OP got them home. This has not been made clear as of yet.

No i am in contact with the Breeder i got them from. He has made it very clear that if they are not doing well for any reason he will take care of it, plus he lives in the same city as me. I am a thermometer on top of the heat pad itself and its no more than 87 so it can't be more than 89 on that part of the tub.

I didn't feed them when i got them, i haven't even held them. The breeder told me he didn't feed any of his snakes a week before the show to make sure they can be handled and that they don't poop in the displays.

The albino calmed down he is just curled up right now and breathing normally, he was breathing a litter harder yesterday, but after taking him and her out of the aquarium, condensation is gone and heating is better. My Spider is just roaming around in the tub. I was going to buy a ranco, but the seller of the heat pad said it would be fine to just plug in with no thermostat and after going through the plastic and such it wouldn't be a problem and should be perfect temperatures.

I know i'm going on a lot of what people say but if worse comes to worse i'm going to give the snakes back to the breeder untill i can get the housing situation properly fixed. Breeder said it would be fine to do this and he would get them feeding, situated, etc.

Alright temperature in the tubs is 83 at 60 % in both with no thermostat. The only thermostat i have that i can buy locally is a POS Zoo med that i use with my 55 gal tank, its a piece of crap. Honestly this heat tape doesn't get too hot at all, i think its pretty good without a thermostat, but i will need to buy one anyhow so why not get a ranco.

Also, i want to note that although the Spiders was clearly a regurg or vomit sicnce i could make out the outline of the body and skulls were separate. There was 2 full bodies and another almost full one so i would imagine the breeder fed her 3 rat pups. The Albino just had 2 little brown logs that look like tootsie rolls and i couldn't really figure out if it was poop or a regurg. I don't really know what else a snake could make come out of their body but this puzzle me. I would have taken a picture but i have no camera.

Stephen.