Longest holding humidity substrate?

What is the longest holding humidity substrate?

I live in arizona... i currently use a mix of forest floor and cocohusk... but still dries out quickly and even with heavy misting still just drys right out by night time... just wondering if there might be a more humidity holding substrate out there?

Forest Floor cypress mulch and cocohusk are already some of the best humidity holding substrates around. Some other ways to boost humidity are scattering damp sphagnum moss (soak with water, then squeeze out the excess) throughout the enclosure and increasing the size and number of water dishes.

The type of enclosure you use also makes a big difference. Plastic Sterilite containers with holes drilled in the sides work best for maintaining humidity because there is much less humidity escaping compared to the screen top of a glass tank. That said, glass tanks can work too if you block most of the screen top with tin foil.

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Originally Posted by Luvyna

Forest Floor cypress mulch and cocohusk are already some of the best humidity holding substrates around. Some other ways to boost humidity are scattering damp sphagnum moss (soak with water, then squeeze out the excess) throughout the enclosure and increasing the size and number of water dishes.

The type of enclosure you use also makes a big difference. Plastic Sterilite containers with holes drilled in the sides work best for maintaining humidity because there is much less humidity escaping compared to the screen top of a glass tank. That said, glass tanks can work too if you block most of the screen top with tin foil.

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about 95% of the top of the enclosure is covered with foil (screenside) and painters tape on top of that... my temps are perfect... its just holding humidity in this arizona dry weather ughh... they are in my walk in closet to keep humidity in a little longer.. in my bedroom the humidty lasts even less.

Their sheds are perfect.. its just alot of daily work to keep humidity in... i was hoping maybe to get it to every other day lol

I used a mix of Orchid bark and Eco Earth very successfully years ago ..


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Cypress mulch and coconut cheap (not husk) will be the beddings that hold humidity the best.

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Originally Posted by rockmissjess

What is the longest holding humidity substrate?

I live in arizona... i currently use a mix of forest floor and cocohusk... but still dries out quickly and even with heavy misting still just drys right out by night time... just wondering if there might be a more humidity holding substrate out there?

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I live in AZ also. Tucson. I use Cypress Mulch and I still have to spray it 2x a day. I haven't tried anything else yet.

There are lots of tricks you can use to keep humidity up.

Are you using a glass tank with a screen top? If so, I'd be happy to help you out. I've been successfully using glass for many years.

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

I live in AZ also. Tucson. I use Cypress Mulch and I still have to spray it 2x a day. I haven't tried anything else yet.

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I havent either which is why im curious.. im up by prescott

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Originally Posted by Craiga 01453

There are lots of tricks you can use to keep humidity up.

Are you using a glass tank with a screen top? If so, I'd be happy to help you out. I've been successfully using glass for many years.

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yes, I have two 40 gallon breeders with screen tops... tops are foiled with painters tape over the top.. about 95% covered... i thought about getting the clear plastic sheeting (thats like glass but not glass) instead... and just cutting it to fit each to hold humidity better... if I run a humidifier in the snakes closet i can get up a little (i have a small humidifier) i was also thinking of investing in a bigger humidifier that can run longer times...

Covering the top with aluminum foil or aluminum foil tape is a must. I think you already said you do that. Cypress mulch is the best I've found, but even in Florida which is very humid, the humidity only holds for a couple weeks. Don't bother misting with water. Instead, when your humidity drops pour a couple cups of warm water over your substrate and mix it in very well with your hands. Much more effective than misting.

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Originally Posted by Wharf Rat

Covering the top with aluminum foil or aluminum foil tape is a must. I think you already said you do that. Cypress mulch is the best I've found, but even in Florida which is very humid, the humidity only holds for a couple weeks. Don't bother misting with water. Instead, when your humidity drops pour a couple cups of warm water over your substrate and mix it in very well with your hands. Much more effective than misting.

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I might have to do that daily cause misting isnt helping but for like a hour or two.. arizona is sooo dry.. Im thinking i might get the plastic sheeting (that looks like glass) and cut it and put it on the top to keep even more moisture in than the foil is doing..

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Originally Posted by Wharf Rat

Don't bother misting with water. Instead, when your humidity drops pour a couple cups of warm water over your substrate and mix it in very well with your hands. Much more effective than misting.

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I'm sure it was just an oversight, but I wanted to follow up just to clarify...

If using this technique it's important to make sure you're not adding too much water and leaving the substrate wet.
If there's too much water bacteria begins to breed and scale rot becomes a concern.

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Originally Posted by rockmissjess

yes, I have two 40 gallon breeders with screen tops... tops are foiled with painters tape over the top.. about 95% covered... i thought about getting the clear plastic sheeting (thats like glass but not glass) instead... and just cutting it to fit each to hold humidity better... if I run a humidifier in the snakes closet i can get up a little (i have a small humidifier) i was also thinking of investing in a bigger humidifier that can run longer times...

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Since you have 40 breeders you definitely have room for a second water dish. I have one of my BPs in a 40 breeder and I actually use plastic dog bowls from Walmart for hides/water bowls. They're square and hollow underneath. Just big enough for the snake to soak if it chooses, holds plenty of water and doubles as a hide. I just elevate the dish using flat rocks when the snakes get big enough and need more room. And they're like 88 cents. I just put one on each side as if they were hides.

Using a humidifier will also help a lot. I started using one this past winter and it definitely helps.

I just recently converted an Exo Terra Large-Wide: replaced the four screen panels on the top with Lexan. The frog guys/gals convert a lot of the smaller sized Exo Terra tanks. I went with the Lexan because the polycarbonate is much easier to drill than glass or acrylic. It's not quite as arid here in Colorado as Arizona, but it certainly isn't Florida or Alabama. It is retaining humidity even better than I expected...and I expected a big improvement. I'm only using newspaper at this point, but a light misting is good for 2 days. So...not a direct answer to your substrate question, but as others have said, working with the screen top can do a world of good.

I'm in AZ myself but using a plastic tub at the moment. Inside the home humidity is ~30% and I was actually getting my humidity a little too high in enclosure using cypress mulch. I did some testing with my ceiling fan and found even though my tub has ventilation holes on side, the fan on LOW would considerably affect humidity in tub over course of day. So I would definitely look at what kind of air you're pushing around the room as well!