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Feeling frustrated

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  • 04-14-2013, 08:34 AM
    lisafoster2510
    Feeling frustrated
    So I decided I would go the tub route so I would not stress so much about the humidity. My tub is I believe 41 qt 34x5". My snake is easily 3 feet. I have two identical hides , water bowl, cypress mulch. His basking spot is 90 I am definitely struggling to get the ambient temps up. I am using a different uht it is a flukers it is thin plastic and does not adhere to the bottom like a zoomed. it is for 20-30 gallons. i putbthe tub in my bed room it stays much warmer. also the accurite is saying my humidity has not gone up at all. i misted the tub but it is not drying out and there is some condensation on the sides. shouldnt that mean the humidity is up? is the condensation bad? He refuses to go in the hide. I saw him on top of it last night I figured he was out exploring like he did in his enclosure . He is still there this morning. is he stressed from the move?
  • 04-14-2013, 08:38 AM
    Luciferskeeper
    What is the humidity percentage reading? Withbthat much condensation its got to be sky high. What's the ambient temp reading? How thick is the substrate? Thermostat on the heat pad?
  • 04-14-2013, 08:41 AM
    lisafoster2510
    Re: Feeling frustrated
    Weird thing is the humidity is reading 38 the condensation I think if from me spraying I made sure not to soak the substrate and only in certain areas. The temp on the Uth is reading from 85-90 this is when I move the substrate. There is maybe an inch of cypress .ues there is a hydro farm on the Uth. I am using a temp gun and an accurate to measure the temps. I am struggling to get the cool side above 84. The Uth is 11x11 of course the bigger one i just bought is stuck to his old enclosure.
  • 04-14-2013, 08:44 AM
    lisafoster2510
    I made a total of 12 holes two rows of six down the tub. Perhaps that is to many.
  • 04-14-2013, 08:55 AM
    Luciferskeeper
    Are you sure the hygrometer your using is accurate because 38 % sounds really low for any tub. Also I wouldn't worry about getting the cool side above 84 id keep it at 80, but I would try to get the hot side to a constant non fluctuating 90. I use a certain size water bowl to get the right humidity you may have to play with a few sizes to find what size works for you. I use paper towel to line my tubs and the only misting I do is during shed cycle and I only mist one of the front corners of the tub. Works great for me.
  • 04-14-2013, 09:41 AM
    lisafoster2510
    The accurite is new but it does seem weird it is now showing a humidity of 25. I am having trouble getting the cool side over 74. I don't know why the basking spot varies in temp maybe it is the Uth. My room temp is 70. I won't mist anymore I was trying to raise the humidity. Do you think he is sitting on top of the hide on the warm side because he is stressed he feels cold to me.
  • 04-14-2013, 09:57 AM
    Luciferskeeper
    Yeah the accurite sounds like its got to be off I can't see the humidity going down with misting. One reason for the temp swings is probably your ambient room temps 70 is low youll have to raise the room temp to get your tub ambient up. Id just keep checking my temps over and over. Best thing to do if possible is to move him back to his original enclosure if it was maintaining good numbers. That way you can get your new tub dialed in. Its good to run new enclosure, racks etc a week or two to get temps and humidity dialed in.
  • 04-14-2013, 11:02 AM
    martin82531
    Feeling frustrated
    I'm not sure if this would work with tubs, not sure if the magnets are strong enough to hold the humidity gauge in place but might be worth a shot.

    http://bit.ly/1156jRX

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0007VWEQA

    The hydrometer can be calibrated using a salt test. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Ap96SlGZA

    Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk


    Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
  • 04-14-2013, 11:54 AM
    lisafoster2510
    No way I can raise the room temps I am already spending $700 a month on oil plus it gets so hot I can't stand it. My house is 200 years old so the heat just flies out of it. maybe i will raise the tubs the floors are cold they are over a unheated granite basement. I peeled off the other Uth which is larger and put it on the bottom of the tub see if that helps. The accurite has to be off. I will be checking the temps constantly I have been doing it for days probably not helping with my snake's stress.
  • 04-14-2013, 01:30 PM
    Luciferskeeper
    Getting it off the floor may help a good bit, I had a friend build me a nice box type stand to put my rack on. I keep my room warmer though approx 75 so tups stay at 79-81. Thats the thing about racks and tubs you gotta have the room warm.
  • 04-14-2013, 01:40 PM
    TheSnakeGeek
    is the accurite actually inside the tub or just the probe? the accurites, or at least the one i have, measures the humidity from the actual box and not the probe. the probe is only good for the "outside" temperature, and the "indoor" temp and humidity are measured from the actual unit itself.
  • 04-14-2013, 01:41 PM
    JLC
    I wouldn't fret so much about the humidity. It's entirely likely that the accurite is off. Rather than try to aim for some specific number on a questionable device...just watch your snake. Use your eyes and your own senses to judge the humidity. If the substrate is a little bit damp in areas, you're golden. If there is condensation on the sides of the tub, you KNOW you have a high relative humidity. If everything in the tub seems bone dry, then mist it more regularly. Watch the snake and see how it does with sheds. So long as it always has water available, and moderate humidity levels, it should be just fine. Some extra spritzing if you see it in blue is fine, too.

    This is not to say that I think accurite thermometers are no good. The dual-temperature zones it measures is very useful. But the hygrometer on those things is not that great. If yours is giving you wonky, unexpected readings, then I would disregard it entirely and just use it as a thermometer.
  • 04-14-2013, 02:04 PM
    lisafoster2510
    The hygrometer box is outside I will put it in and see. I am just worried because he is hanging on top of the hot hide since last night so I figured he is unhappy. When he was in the other enclosure he stayed in his hot hide all day then came out at night to explore. I think I will do what someone suggested and put him back in the enclosure where he was happy and not get so crazy over the humidity especially since I did not have the accurite set up correctly. I know I need to chill out :)
  • 04-14-2013, 02:19 PM
    Luciferskeeper
    Yes id go back to original enclosure dial in your tub temps, etc then you'll be good to go!
  • 04-14-2013, 02:22 PM
    satomi325
    Re: Feeling frustrated
    Acurites are highly inaccurate. I've only had a 50% success rate with them being spot on. And I've had a couple of them.

    The display portion of the unit is what measures humidity. Not the probe.
    Humidity percentages isn't a huge deal as long as your snake is shedding in one whole piece or there's no standing moisture/condensation in the tub. If your snake goes in/out of blue or looks particularly dry, act accordingly(larger water bowl over heat source, mist, humid hide, whatever). But overall, I wouldn't fret too much. Temp is more important.

    I haven't looked at my humidity % in over a year. My natural local environmental humidity is at least 50%, so I know my tubs are higher than than that thanks to the water dish.


    Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
  • 04-14-2013, 02:53 PM
    kitedemon
    The first thing is you get condensation when a wall is at or below the dew point for a given humidiy level it does not tell you much about the amount of humidity and more about the ambient air temps. They are clearly too cool. The isse with tubs is the only good safe way to raise ambient air temps in them is to raise the room temp. UTHs are radient heat sources and heat objects not air. The gain is very very small a few degrees at best. The best bet is to give up on the tub. There are plenty of options that allow for covection elements to be added that will actually heat the air. The best option on a budget is a side turned tank. With the addition of lighting mine easily hold 15ºF over ambient room temps. The very best I can manage from a tub is 2-4ºF over room.

    http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...arium-Solution

    http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...ylid_thumb.jpg
  • 04-14-2013, 03:12 PM
    lisafoster2510
    Re: Feeling frustrated
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by creepin View Post
    is the accurite actually inside the tub or just the probe? the accurites, or at least the one i have, measures the humidity from the actual box and not the probe. the probe is only good for the "outside" temperature, and the "indoor" temp and humidity are measured from the actual unit itself.

    I put him back in his other enclosure. You were right now the humidity is reading 63. Figures I was doing it wrong the whole time. It will probably drop a bit with the infrared but it is high now. Temps are back where they should be. Snake is happy back in his hide.
  • 04-14-2013, 04:59 PM
    lisafoster2510
    Re: Feeling frustrated
    His enclosure is a custom one with a birch frame all the sides are plexiglass including the door except the top and the bottom. Now that I have the accurite inside the humidity is much better. I could not figure out the issue with the humidity because the enclosure is all enclosed there is no screen top. I got him at NeRD in NH and he was in a similar one there. I am glad to know it was my error. I do need the infrared bulb this time of year hopefully it will be warmer soon.
  • 04-14-2013, 05:05 PM
    Kodieh
    Get something different to measure your humidity. Double checking the acurite is a good idea, because while some people love them others have had them malfunction right out of the package. Condensation forming means the humidity is in the 80% or higher range.
  • 04-14-2013, 05:33 PM
    lisafoster2510
    Whoops I meant birch frame.
  • 04-14-2013, 05:37 PM
    JLC
    Re: Feeling frustrated
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by lisafoster2510 View Post
    Whoops I meant birch frame.

    LOL...I was trying to figure out what that was supposed to say! I'll edit it for ya. :)
  • 04-15-2013, 09:22 AM
    kitedemon
    Before you go with an IR bulb (which will need an opening in the top for) try a 2 foot (longer or shorter not a spiral bulb they get really hot) fluorescent light inside the enclosure. They run in the mid to high 90s and will usually heat the air in the enclosure 5-10 degrees. Cheap and safe. Over night if you find the temps dropping you can add a deep blue led bank they are in the poor visual range for a python an kick low 90s for heat. It will let the temps drop some but not too far. The two together are less operational cost and initial cost of one fixture and bulb.
  • 04-15-2013, 09:27 AM
    kitedemon
    Oh remember as the ambient air temps increase the relative humidity will drop. Relative humidity is relative to temperature.
  • 04-15-2013, 07:12 PM
    lisafoster2510
    Re: Feeling frustrated
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kitedemon View Post
    Before you go with an IR bulb (which will need an opening in the top for) try a 2 foot (longer or shorter not a spiral bulb they get really hot) fluorescent light inside the enclosure. They run in the mid to high 90s and will usually heat the air in the enclosure 5-10 degrees. Cheap and safe. Over night if you find the temps dropping you can add a deep blue led bank they are in the poor visual range for a python an kick low 90s for heat. It will let the temps drop some but not too far. The two together are less operational cost and initial cost of one fixture and bulb.

    I always thought LEDs run cool. Where would I find a bank of deep blue? Just a regular flourescent fixture with the standard light it comes with. Since I put the accurite in the enclosure my humidity stays close to 60.
  • 04-15-2013, 09:56 PM
    kitedemon
    Feeling frustrated
    The LEDs themselves don't get hot just a bit warm (the Cree super brights get really hot but they are only in flashlights) the eletronics that set the power from 110 to 12v do give off lots of heat however. Low to mid 90 is also by human standards not hot at all. :) I use submersible ones intended for aquariums you don't need super bright one so cheap ones from eBay work fine. I paid like 8$ I think .

    I use the under counter fl lights I think mine were like 20$ I got some little bulb one the T4 but I like the sleek look the regular ones were less.

    It has world for me I'd suggest a dual outlet timer to control it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 04-16-2013, 07:28 AM
    lisafoster2510
    Re: Feeling frustrated
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kitedemon View Post
    The LEDs themselves don't get hot just a bit warm (the Cree super brights get really hot but they are only in flashlights) the eletronics that set the power from 110 to 12v do give off lots of heat however. Low to mid 90 is also by human standards not hot at all. :) I use submersible ones intended for aquariums you don't need super bright one so cheap ones from eBay work fine. I paid like 8$ I think .

    I use the under counter fl lights I think mine were like 20$ I got some little bulb one the T4 but I like the sleek look the regular ones were less.

    It has world for me I'd suggest a dual outlet timer to control it.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Would a 12" strip of LEDs work or should I get more?
  • 04-16-2013, 10:08 AM
    kitedemon
    mine is 18 but not huge numbers too many variables to say for sure. mine is something like this one.

    http://www.ebay.ca/itm/69-LED-Aquari...1#ht_50wt_1259
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