having issues with humidity with aspen shreddings

ok i was using cypress mulch cause i believed i was having humidity issues. i was finding out that i put my humidity meter on the glass and about middle of the tank both ways. i was misting cypress mulch all the time and it was damp misting even her hide. i know now this was wrong and she started to develop scale rot from it. i quickly switch to aspen shreddings and now i cant keep the humidity levels about 50 they seem to float around 40's. im using glass 40 gallon cage and i have 60% of the tank top covered with plexiglass. soon as i mist its get to 55 and gone in like 20 minutes. the meter is now located right against her hide where she spends alot of the time. for heat im using a UTH on a thermostat and a 75w red infrared bulb. i dont have the options to change the cage right now so i need to figure this out. i even have 2 small dishes with moss in there to try to help and its not working

should i go back to cypress mulch and just be more careful?

what else can i do

My bet is the the bulb is absolutely destroying the humidity.

ive hurd that also but how do i get around not using the bulb i have a 100w heat edmitter ceremic one would that be better? the UTH even though its for 40g tank doesnt seem to heat the tank enough

so i put the heat emitter in and i put it on the thermostat that the UTH is on so now it shuts off and on instead of using the infrared lamp 24/7 i changed this and left it along for oover 4 hours now and the humidity is holding at the mid 50s i think this might be working now for me or least going in the right direction

I'm not an expert but I have been told by multiple people to use mulch; aspen is horrible for humidity. That is only what I was told. However, I have pretty good luck with mulch so to answer one of your questions with experience and advice I've gotten, ditch the aspen. Also I have a Repti Rapids waterfall and it keeps the humidity up consistently, plus it looks lovely.

Yea i think i will but i have to use this aspen up. If u only knew how many different substance I've used its dumb. Ive bought bags changed it in a day. Throw it away try something else. So I'll try it after this is gone

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Originally Posted by m1lkhoney

I'm not an expert but I have been told by multiple people to use mulch; aspen is horrible for humidity. That is only what I was told. However, I have pretty good luck with mulch so to answer one of your questions with experience and advice I've gotten, ditch the aspen. Also I have a Repti Rapids waterfall and it keeps the humidity up consistently, plus it looks lovely.

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The repti rapid one u got. For a 40 gallon tank what would u suggest and what one do you have. Also is ur snake weireded out by the moving water or the lights?

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Responded to your pm :)

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Originally Posted by Lacey

ok i was using cypress mulch cause i believed i was having humidity issues. i was finding out that i put my humidity meter on the glass and about middle of the tank both ways. i was misting cypress mulch all the time and it was damp misting even her hide. i know now this was wrong and she started to develop scale rot from it. i quickly switch to aspen shreddings and now i cant keep the humidity levels about 50 they seem to float around 40's. im using glass 40 gallon cage and i have 60% of the tank top covered with plexiglass. soon as i mist its get to 55 and gone in like 20 minutes. the meter is now located right against her hide where she spends alot of the time. for heat im using a UTH on a thermostat and a 75w red infrared bulb. i dont have the options to change the cage right now so i need to figure this out. i even have 2 small dishes with moss in there to try to help and its not working

should i go back to cypress mulch and just be more careful?

what else can i do

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I have a 40 gallon tank and I use Eco-earth for my substrate and I mist once or twice a day and my humidity stays at 55% - 60% and I don't have the screen covered but I also live in Wisconsin that may make a difference.

You could also try covering more of the top part. You said originally about 60 % is covered and then there's the light, but could you try covering more of it

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Yea. I have it covered with plexiglass. It's about 80% now all doesn't hold above 50% im just going to have to get rid of the aspen and use cypress

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Exchange the bulb for a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) or RHP (radiant heat panel). That will help a bit with your humidity dropping.

You can also mix your bedding... half cypress/half aspen or any mix in between to get desired humidity.

I have a che. But ive hurd there just as bad. It's that not true?

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Originally Posted by Lacey

I have a che. But ive hurd there just as bad. It's that not true?

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I want to say I had some improvement in using the CHE over red bulbs.. but I've since moved on to an AP with RHP. In doing so I went from having a humidifier piped into a screened tank with much of the screen covered, to not using anything to supplement humidity at all.... with the AP enclosure I had to start mixing my substrate to keep the humidity down. It ran like 98% for days if it was straight cypress... Now I do 50/50 cypress mulch and reptibark. My humidity is staying in the 60's easily, and to bump it I can just put a handful of mulch in or spray/mix in some water.

You can possibly try using cling wrap instead of the plexiglass for a tighter seal. I'd also switch to a RHP with a reliable thermostat and consider keeping about 75% of your screen covered. I personally used laboratory grade shredded aspen and the humidity in my tubs rarely drop below 60%

You can also add a larger water dish as well. My adults and sub adults get 4" wide, 16 oz deli cups that sit on PVC couplers, so they can't knock them over.


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I have a 12 inch diameter 3 1/2 deep bowl. It's pretty big for her lo.

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