Humidity too high?!?

The humidity in the tank is around 77%. Tank is fairly well ventilated, has a small water bowl, and the correct temp. I have no idea how to lower the humidity. The humidity in the room is about 49%.
Could it be the substrate? I'm using "rainforest bark", which looks like orchid bark. Am quite worried so please help

That's not too high. Is this a glass tank? It probably is the substrate and it will dry up over time and the humidity will go down. What you don't want is excessive humidity that leads to condensation, as that can foster mold growth.


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I have a glass tank and when I first set everything up my humidity was around 75% and I was pleased as could be. Within a week I got the temperatures set and the high temps of 80/90 dried things out quickly.

I now average around 50% I say average because without regular misting the humidity drops to 45% and for a couple hours after misting it hits 60+%

it's a plastic container inside a larger wooden vivarium with glass sliding doors. BP's still only 3 months, so the breeder recommended keeping him in the smaller one for a few more months. The temp is already at around 81, with 90 in the hot spot, and has been for about 4 days. So should I be patient and wait for it to dry? I really dont wanna move the BP as I had to shift him around in the first few days so I need him to relax and get to know the enclosure

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I'm using a heat lamp as well (infrared) which i though was supposed to dry the enclosure out :confusd::(
and the humidity is now at 85

This is much more anecdotal than sage advice, but I'd say give it time, it will dry out. Your setup sounds like it is more apt to hold humidity than mine, but regardless it should go down with time. From my research, unless you start to see condensation, your humidity is ok.

the substrate is piled quite high, and the only condensation is between the substrate and the plastic, rather than the air and the plastic.
Could it have anything to do with the fact that every night when exploring the bp soaks itself and then spills water onto the bark?

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thank you so much for helping by the way

From what I've read, the substrate should only be between 1 and 2 inches deep. If there is much more than that, that is probably why it is holding the moisture and potentially preventing proper under belly heat. Not sure how big your bowl to cage ratio is, but I know I have a huge water dish and if I took the whole thing and turned it upside down, it still wouldn't soak all his substrate.

yeah it's probably at 1 inch, so not too deep
the hygrometer is now saying 92 and i am so confused

ok surely if the humidity was 93 then it would be super loads of condensation? I'm beginnning to think the stupid thing is broken (even though it's reading the temp correctly)

hey guys really hoping someone can help me out here as its quite late and the shops have closed so cant call the breeder
when i put the hygrometer under the heat lamp it went to 57 (and was still falling) then when i shifted it literally 15 cm to the right it went to 96
does this just mean it's faulty or is that possible. pleeeeease help me out i'm literally freaking

Humidity is dependent on air temperature. If you put the hygrometer next to the heat lamp, the air temperature is much higher so the humidity reading will be lower.

Humidity is the ratio between the water vapor in air vs the maximum water vapor the air can hold before the water condenses. The higher the air temp, the more vapor the air can hold, thus a lower humidity.

Not sure if this helps, but the humidity down where your snake is what's important, not near the lamp.


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Is the substrate wet ? or is it absorbing the condensation on the bottom of the tub ? I would imagine that if you do have condensation then your probably at least above 65 % humidity. Im only guessing though I have no evidence that is the case. But I would think opening the enclosure and either swapping some of the substrate out with some dry if possible substrate would bring it down. Or it is a faulty hygrometer. Im very new to this forum and being a bp owner so this is all just in my opinion. But either way sleeping over night I would think is going to be fine till you can get you another meter tomorrow or a different substrate. I doubt mold is going to take over in a matter of 8 to 10 hours if the reading is actually correct. Do you have another tub comparable size that you can either lay some paper towels on and put a water bowl in it and let it sit in the same conditions as the tub its in and see if the meter shows a different reading ? These again are all just suggestions popping into my head as I type :D I hope they help in some capacity

digital hygrometer? or one of them dial types?


get you a digital one

Sorry to leave you hanging yesterday, OP, I had to leave quickly! Just to add to what was said already, the humidity will drop closer to the lights and further from the substrate, but all that really matters is the humidity around ground level where you little guy is at. Your hygrometer should be digital (even those can be funky) and placed at substrate level. Personally, I've got a digital one at substrate level on the hot side and an analog one on the cold side a little higher.

I would also say, maybe just feel with your hand or a paper towel to see if the substrate is dry, moist, or straight up wet and use your judgement as to the "correct" humidity.

Most importantly, don't freak out! Humidity is important, but temperature is more important. If your temps are fine, a day or so with higher humidity isn't going to produce mold or scale rot.

I'd try a new hygrometer. I had 2 faulty digital signage that kept reading 99. I got a different brand and now it reads normal.

As long as the enclosure itself is dry, you should have nothing to worry about.