steamy tubs?

So I've been sloooooowwwly constructing my first set of DIY breeding racks, and I've gotten far enough along that I could move my pairings out of the big Exoterra tank and into the tubs. And so far, so good! We had one escape the first night... but everyone's back in place, the tubs are secured (now with extra duct tape!) and the black pastel and pied have been going at it non-stop since Saturday.

But today when I went to check on everybody, I could barely see the black pastel & pied because the inside walls of their tub were COVERED in swirls of condensation. What's going on? They did spill their water bowl, but that was several days ago. Is it just because the humidity higher in there and the house has gotten cold? But I've never seen anything like that before.

Should I take them out? Or switch out the wet substrate? Or just leave it alone?

Condensation is normal when the humidity is high in tubs, i wouldn't worry about it too much. I you used cypress mulch, your pretty much going to get it no matter what.

My tubs steam up every time a female scents and I pull my water bowls :)

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Originally Posted by steveboos

Condensation is normal when the humidity is high in tubs, i wouldn't worry about it too much. I you used cypress mulch, your pretty much going to get it no matter what.

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I'm actually using paper substrate. Part of why I'm so surprised, I guess?

(And I'm trying really, really hard not to make any jokes about my steamy mating tubs. Everyone just go ahead and make them for me.)

Can't too much condensation(high Humidity) cause RI in our balls?

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Originally Posted by NNJExotics

Can't too much condensation(high Humidity) cause RI in our balls?

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Your more likely to get an RI from cool temps and low humidity from my understanding.
Steamed up tubs won't hurt them a bit for a few days.

Solution - more holes .. some people use fans on front of rack us well..

I use RBI rack.....and because where i live humidity is high and I use big ceramic water bowls.. i have 2 rows ('.'.'.'.'.'.' like that) all around every tube..

I use sanichips as substrate and now My humidity is around 60 % lvl.. I like too bump it to 75% if i see my Ball going to shed but i dont have problem with condensation anymore.

Hope this helps.

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Originally Posted by Aes_Sidhe

Solution - more holes .. some people use fans on front of rack us well..

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I would think that even if you have 50 holes in the tub and the female scents the tub up it would still cause condensation on the sides of the tubs.
My tubs don't have that many holes and they always steam up during intimate times :)

I used to have condensation on my tubs even when i used paper towels, so no worries. I'm glad you came here to ask though, rather than changing up your whole setup just from a little moisture!

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

I would think that even if you have 50 holes in the tub and the female scents the tub up it would still cause condensation on the sides of the tubs.
My tubs don't have that many holes and they always steam up during intimate times :)

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Yeah, I actually already have a pretty insane number of holes. I'll put a humidity gauge in there next time, so I can give you numbers--but usually in Phoenix this time of year the humidity is around 20%. Which is why I was so shocked at the condensation.

Why does the female "scenting up" the tub provide extra humidity? Is she actually secreting fluid?

Okay, I am just going to speak from experience. Condensation is BAD. Solder as many holes as you can until it is GONE. Keep temps high just in case. I thought condensation wasn't a bad thing so I left extra hole-punching for the following week on one of my new racks. Mistake, someone got an RI. Just not worth it... poke more holes.

Good luck.

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Sarin
Okay, I am just going to speak from experience. Condensation is BAD.

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Condensation is an awesome thing when it comes from a female scenting the tub up.
You could put 100 holes in the tub and it would still condensate on the walls of the tub when she does this, it's just part of the process.

She pee's when she scents and therefor it causes condensation on the side walls of the tub, no worries it will happen and you can't change that, nor do you want to :P

When the tub steams up because the female is scenting then you leave them alone till the male gets pulled and her tub gets cleaned, at least I do :)

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

Condensation is an awesome thing when it comes from a female scenting the tub up.
You could put 100 holes in the tub and it would still condensate on the walls of the tub when she does this, it's just part of the process.

She pee's when she scents and therefor it causes condensation on the side walls of the tub, no worries it will happen and you can't change that, nor do you want to :P

When the tub steams up because the female is scenting then you leave them alone till the male gets pulled and her tub gets cleaned, at least I do :)

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Either way I would not leave a snake in a tub full of condensation for more than a day. I'd at leas whipe the walls/top of the rack/enclosure so no cool moisture falls on them.

But everyone does things differently. I am just a very unlucky person and don't want to see it happen to someone else. :gj:

They're both out now. But I might put one of problem shedders in there, because it's so dry out HERE that I'm starting to peel...

Oh, I took a picture. This is what happens when I leave them in there for more than a day:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1g-0d-dBQWk/TQ...0/IMG_3486.JPG

I don't actually know what the humidity is in there, though. It's very low out here--10-30%. I'll have to buy some extra hygrometers for the tubs.

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Originally Posted by loonunit

Oh, I took a picture. This is what happens when I leave them in there for more than a day:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_1g-0d-dBQWk/TQ...0/IMG_3486.JPG

I don't actually know what the humidity is in there, though. It's very low out here--10-30%. I'll have to buy some extra hygrometers for the tubs.

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Second it looks wet near the water bowl and I see a urate. I would guess someone is spilling the water or they are peeing. My little 16 qt fogs up every time my lesser pees (which is every other day, maybe more) but that tub has a lid on it. It seems that once the lid is removed and allows a even ventilation system over the whole top of the tub it doesn't seem to fog that bad, like tubs in racks.

So moving to a rack should help it out? Even if it's a pretty tight fit between shelves? (I don't want them escaping from the racks, either...)

I've had condensation in my tubs for almost 2 years and no ill effects. Just depends on the difference in humidity in your house. My house is very low around 12-16%, so when the tubs are 60 and 70% humidity, condensation is going to form.

Just check your snakes often and you wont have any issues.

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Originally Posted by steveboos

I've had condensation in my tubs for almost 2 years and no ill effects. Just depends on the difference in humidity in your house. My house is very low around 12-16%, so when the tubs are 60 and 70% humidity, condensation is going to form.

Just check your snakes often and you wont have any issues.

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i concur