Dehydration...

Just curious, how do you know if your snake is dehydrated? Damn glass tank anyways but I am really struggling with humidity for our rtb. I have nailed it for our bp. Go figure. I mist 3 times a day and have a towel draped over 2/3 of the top. It raises with misting and the towel then drops back down to 30-40%. I don't want to mist more in fear that it will be wet all the time. I am
debating a switch to cyprus mulch. He has fresh water available at all times. Eating great, so far two hoppers for us every 7 days. I don't see him drinking water but one or two times since we got him on the 24th. He has been thermoregulating. I'm pretty sure he's fine but I would love to have this tidbit of knowledge in my head.

Do you have a water dish in the tank? A big water dish will help with humidity. I have heard alot of members on hear say that cypress does work well to keep up the humidity. I use repti bark for my ball python and it works very well, I dont think he's ever had a bad shed. :)

I do. It's pretty big in comparison to the tank. I even placed it on the warm side to help with humidity.

http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/t...m/d2a8b243.jpg

Adding live plants also helps with humidity... just gotta make sure the plants stay healthy with lighting, heat, and water - make sure no chemicals in whatever you have the plant potted in.

You can also add a humidity hide - box, rubbermaid container, anything that won't rot with damp moss inside. If it's not humid enough in the tank, the snake will move into the hide... just have to watch for scale rot, but the snake should be able to regulate itself being able to leave the hide.

What size tanks is that?
You could move him to a 20gallon long tank, and give him another hide on the warmer side. Also like bioteacher said add some live plants into the bigger tank. I would definetly switch to cypress or repti bark too for the substrate. If a bigger tank isnt possible then just change the substrate and see how that helps.

It's a standard 20 gallon. At this point I want to totally ditch the tank and go to a tub. Luckily this tank is not new to us, originally for a pet rat and then our bp a couple of years later, so it's not like we wasted a bunch on money other than lights and one new reflector. What size tub should I get? He likes to perch on his hide and wood.

I will try a new substrate for sure. His favorite hide is actually his wood. lol He likes to perch on things. If I do switch to a tub I will be getting him another hide. Another tank is an expenditure I don't want to make because I am officially fed up with glass.

The problem has nothing to do with glass (water can't get through glass last time I checked) the problem is the heat lamp and the screen top. A UTH will help a lot. Also if you can I would get a sheet of polycarbonate and drill a few air holes in it. This will keep humidity in and not using beat lamps will keep the humidity that you have from evaporating.

Will a UTH keep the ambient air where it should be? This guy really does like to climb up on things and hang out.

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Originally Posted by WifeOfSlasher

Will a UTH keep the ambient air where it should be? This guy really does like to climb up on things and hang out.

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No a UTH won't drastically impact the ambient air temps. But I have a snake that uses that fact as another way to thermoregulate.

It all depends on the room temperature. If your room stays below 74 a lot of the time you might have an issue with only using a UTH.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

No a UTH won't drastically impact the ambient air temps. But I have a snake that uses that fact as another way to thermoregulate.

It all depends on the room temperature. If your room stays below 74 a lot of the time you might have an issue with only using a UTH.

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Okay, thanks! The room does tend to stay around the 72 level. Use a lower watt bulb correct?

In conjunction with a UTH? If so yes that will help some.

Yes, in conjunction with. Thanks again!

No problem make sure if you get a UTH to have it regulated by a thermostat. Even a cheap one like a hydro farm or Zoomed will keep your snake from getting life-threatening burns from a UTH malfunction.

I was leaning towards these supplies. We are planning on making this purchase next weekend.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER x2

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER x2 in the appropriate sizes for both snakes

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...A1FWOG4NHCL26V

I would prefer to stick to mid range, reliable products from Amazon so we can take advantage of lower prices and free shipping. Any other thoughts from there?

The hydro farm will work, as will the accurite. Though you can get the accurite thermometers from Walmart. I would look into flexwatt. It is very cheap ($1-$3 per foot). You can get it from reptile basics.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WifeOfSlasher

Just curious, how do you know if your snake is dehydrated?...

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Hi All,


Just searched the archives for "urates" in "titles only" and found the last post to be 2008. Moderators have given me flack for reviving old threads, so I left it. Then searched "dehydration" and found the last post to be this one. Is this one too old? If so, moderators just please go ahead and delete this.


Last week I brought a snake to an "exotic vet". While the snake's cloaca was being probed it defecated, passing stools and urates. The vet told me urates were a sure sign of dehydration. Urine should be excreted in a liquid form not as a solid. So this, along with skin appearing "loose" (juveniles mostly), and dimpled eyes, are some indicators of dehydration. Just my $0.02