Stuck in bad situation!

A friend of mine, who is very experienced with snakes, checked on my girl today and said to get her out immediately. There was mold EVERYWHERE from the moss even though it was only a light mist. Her hide is ruined, her cage gave out, and she's about to shed. I threw aspen in the sterilite tub we use for feeding and put her water dish and a branch in. That's all she has! What can I do? I don't have any money and I'm freaking out. http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...2c1a8f3c50.jpg

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Humidity is always a balancing act between moisture and ventilation, if I'm adding moss to make a humid hide I do it inside a tupperware container with a hole cut in for access.

What state is the old enclosure actually in?

Depending on what it is constructed from we might be able to give advice.

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Originally Posted by dr del

Humidity is always a balancing act between moisture and ventilation, if I'm adding moss to make a humid hide I do it inside a tupperware container with a hole cut in for access.

What state is the old enclosure actually in?

Depending on what it is constructed from we might be able to give advice.

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It is a wooden cage with plexiglass front view and mesh ventilation on two sides and lid. Currently there are spots of mold spread along the bottom and the bottom has turned black and soggy.

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Keep her in the feeding container. You don't need a feeding container. Just feed your Bp in it's cage. You should be able to clean the mold with a bleach solution. After cleaning the cage let it dry and air out.

This is the fear that made me dump my custom wood cage idea. The only way I can see it working is to line and seal the interior of the cage with some kind of easy to clean surface, like expensive plexi or acrylic >.<

If it's mold in wood... I'd dump the cage and start with something new.

The types of wood used for constructing enclosures and hides tend to mold easily unless they are sealed. This is why most enclosures and hides are made from synthetic materials like PVC and plastic.

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Originally Posted by SnakeBalls

This is the fear that made me dump my custom wood cage idea. The only way I can see it working is toline and seal the interior of the cage with some kind of easy to clean surface, like expensive plexi or acrylic >.<

If it's mold in wood... I'd dump the cage and start with something new.

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The wooden enclosures I have built, I lined the inside with FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic). This is the white bumpy stuff
that you see on the restroom walls in gas stations. It is waterproof, and easy to clean. A 4x8 foot sheet only costs about $25.

I would ditch the old setup. Mold is super hard to get rid of completely in my experience. What are you currently using to keep her temps ok? To provide a hide you can use a tupperware container propped open on the log. She can live in that tub, it looks big enough for awhile. Merely temps and humidity that are an issue at that point.

Mold is super easy to kill..... Hold on to your pants. A mild solution of plain ol bleach and water will kill all mold and spores. For larger things soak for 20 min in a bathtub of said solution. A nice warm bleach bath should not be waited till you get mold but often to prevent it
microwave your cleaning sponge with a dab of anti bacterial soap to clean it

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Originally Posted by SnakeBalls

This is the fear that made me dump my custom wood cage idea. The only way I can see it working is to line and seal the interior of the cage with some kind of easy to clean surface, like expensive plexi or acrylic >.<

If it's mold in wood... I'd dump the cage and start with something new.

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I was just getting things yesterday and a 2foot square of lexan was around 15 bucks others similar $ but on the isle with astro turf of all thigks was rolls of clear vinyl nice heavy gauge wide roll only $1.69 a foot by 4 wide and perfect for what I needed

I would personally just toss it. The tub will work fine. Then either save up for a premade PVC or HDPE cage like Animal Plastics, Pro-Line, Boaphile, Vision or anything like that or get a Melamine cage or make your own using Melamine if you want wood but I would opt for PVE or HDPE. I'm using a Pro-Line HDPE cage and its a ton lighter than wood and easier to clean. You can get a size for a ball python for pretty cheap, like around $200 since they don't need big cages. Ever since PVC cages came out, I just skip wood altogether.

You could also hit up craig's list. I got a 20g, 2 hides, dual lamp ballast, 3 different temp/humidity readers, 2 water bowls, UTH, and the aquarium wallpaper was still on it for $100. Bought bulbs and substrate and I was set. Usually glass tanks go for $1 a gallon. The reptiles usually a little more. I wouldn't expect to pay more than $40 for a screen top locking lid on CL. I know you said money's tight, sometimes DIY can turn expensive real quick afer a few runs to the hardware store. Don't ask how I know :gj:

When building vivs and racks I use the plastic coated MDF and then seal the joins inside with aquarium sealant.

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Originally Posted by Tigerhawk

Keep her in the feeding container. You don't need a feeding container. Just feed your Bp in it's cage. You should be able to clean the mold with a bleach solution. After cleaning the cage let it dry and air out.

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Actually, I have always fed separate from her habitat. Better safe than sorry lol

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Originally Posted by bcr229

The types of wood used for constructing enclosures and hides tend to mold easily unless they are sealed. This is why most enclosures and hides are made from synthetic materials like PVC and plastic.

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I didn't know this...it was a gift...

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Originally Posted by anicatgirl

I would ditch the old setup. Mold is super hard to get rid of completely in my experience. What are you currently using to keep her temps ok? To provide a hide you can use a tupperware container propped open on the log. She can live in that tub, it looks big enough for awhile. Merely temps and humidity that are an issue at that point.

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I see that x.x I don't have anything to monitor temps due to my MIL...long story. ..

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Originally Posted by Joe balls

Mold is super easy to kill..... Hold on to your pants. A mild solution of plain ol bleach and water will kill all mold and spores. For larger things soak for 20 min in a bathtub of said solution. A nice warm bleach bath should not be waited till you get mold but often to prevent it
microwave your cleaning sponge with a dab of anti bacterial soap to clean it

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Even my manager said it was best to throw it out. She said unfortunately if I bleach, it will not get rid of 100% of the mold and it will linger and regrow.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

I would personally just toss it. The tub will work fine. Then either save up for a premade PVC or HDPE cage like Animal Plastics, Pro-Line, Boaphile, Vision or anything like that or get a Melamine cage or make your own using Melamine if you want wood but I would opt for PVE or HDPE. I'm using a Pro-Line HDPE cage and its a ton lighter than wood and easier to clean. You can get a size for a ball python for pretty cheap, like around $200 since they don't need big cages. Ever since PVC cages came out, I just skip wood altogether.

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Well supposedly we are building a snake rack...we will see lol until then I will utilize the tub to the best of my ability.

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Originally Posted by SnakeBalls

You could also hit up craig's list. I got a 20g, 2 hides, dual lamp ballast, 3 different temp/humidity readers, 2 water bowls, UTH, and the aquarium wallpaper was still on it for $100. Bought bulbs and substrate and I was set. Usually glass tanks go for $1 a gallon. The reptiles usually a little more. I wouldn't expect to pay more than $40 for a screen top locking lid on CL. I know you said money's tight, sometimes DIY can turn expensive real quick afer a few runs to the hardware store. Don't ask how I know :gj:

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Our CL here is limited but I will check again lol I do love checking it out

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Originally Posted by SCWood

.Even my manager said it was best to throw it out. She said unfortunately if I bleach, it will not get rid of 100% of the mold and it will linger and regrow..

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I don't think it's so much that the bleach doesn't kill the mold and it lingers, but that mold spores are everywhere and eventually more will find their way into the enclosure and start growing.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I don't think it's so much that the bleach doesn't kill the mold and it lingers, but that mold spores are everywhere and eventually more will find their way into the enclosure and start growing.

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True lol

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