Humidity issues

I could really use some advice on the best way to maintain my bp's humidity levels. During the summer, it's not so bad but now that we have the furnace cranking, the air in our house is so dry I'm having to spray my bp's tank like 5 or 6 times a day. Is there anything I can do to correct this problem? I thought about putting a humidifier by his tank but I'm worried that the condensation on his heat lamp will cause bulbs to blow out all the time. I thought about getting one of those automatic misters for inside his tank, but he's very active and would probably pull it down or any number of other problems. I'm at my wit's end. Also, for the first time in over ten years, he's not eating (I figure due to the humidity problem). You have to know this particular python to know how unusual this is. I can usually barely get the top back on his cage before he's struck his meal. I need help. Thanks in advance.

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Originally Posted by bsumpter

I could really use some advice on the best way to maintain my bp's humidity levels. During the summer, it's not so bad but now that we have the furnace cranking, the air in our house is so dry I'm having to spray my bp's tank like 5 or 6 times a day. Is there anything I can do to correct this problem? I thought about putting a humidifier by his tank but I'm worried that the condensation on his heat lamp will cause bulbs to blow out all the time. I thought about getting one of those automatic misters for inside his tank, but he's very active and would probably pull it down or any number of other problems. I'm at my wit's end. Also, for the first time in over ten years, he's not eating (I figure due to the humidity problem). You have to know this particular python to know how unusual this is. I can usually barely get the top back on his cage before he's struck his meal. I need help. Thanks in advance.

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Let's start out slow.
1. What kind of enclosure? How big?
2. UTH and lamp?
3. Temps and humidity? What are they?
4. Substrate?

Is the screen foil treated? If not, there's your problem. :)

In order to keep humidity stable in a tank, you need to cover the screen with 3 layers of foil. I have a tutorial I can PM you if you'd like.

Also, using substrate like Aspen or twice-kilned Cypress will help hold in humidity, as will adding some spagnum moss during shed times.

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Originally Posted by Melicious

Let's start out slow.
1. What kind of enclosure? How big?
2. UTH and lamp?
3. Temps and humidity? What are they?
4. Substrate?

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1. Glass terrarium 40 gallon with foil treated top
2. yes small uth under hide on warm side and lamp just off center for "cooler" side as well as ambient air temps.
3. 81.4F cool side and 93F warm side. humidity is currently about 55% but I just misted him an hour or so ago.
4. I have never used anything but aspen for substrate because I'm still kinda new to this and am afraid of the oils I've read about in other types of substrate.

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Is the screen foil treated? If not, there's your problem. :)

In order to keep humidity stable in a tank, you need to cover the screen with 3 layers of foil. I have a tutorial I can PM you if you'd like.

Also, using substrate like Aspen or twice-kilned Cypress will help hold in humidity, as will adding some spagnum moss during shed times.

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I have foil treated the screen top and I misted more frequently during his shed about a month ago. I need to come up with a way to keep his moisture up because I'm not going to be home to mist him as often at starting in Jan.

You could try getting a brand new sponge (can't have any dish soap, bleach, anything in it) and wetting it and putting it into his enclosure. Keeps the humidity up and they hold a lot of moisture so you wouldn't really have to worry about misting.

I've heard that sea sponges work the best.

Aspen, reflectix, sphagnum moss. Works on my cage. Has a lamp, mist 3-4 times a week. Ambient and humidity correct; house very dry 32%; Humidityty allways above 50% will go to 70%, but I use a humid hide and humidity in the 60's; Has two UTH's, two temps/hydro's, two t-stats. You will get it, just have to tweek or change homes. PM me if you want.

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Originally Posted by ohyeahnow

Aspen, reflectix, sphagnum moss. Works on my cage. Has a lamp, mist 3-4 times a week. Ambient and humidity correct; house very dry 32%; Humidityty allways above 50% will go to 70%, but I use a humid hide and humidity in the 60's; Has two UTH's, two temps/hydro's, two t-stats. You will get it, just have to tweek or change homes. PM me if you want.

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Hey, thanks alot for your help. I've been wanting to get a new enclosure for him but there are so many to choose from, vision cages, animal plastics, etc... Any suggestions? I've just been leary of doing this because I did a lot of research to find out just how to set him up the way he is now, 2 uth's, the lamp, dual zone thermostat. Those other enclosures have so many other options as far as things like heat go. For instance, one talked about infrared panels mounted inside the cage. Another showed both the notch for the uth and the the notch for the heat lamp on the same side (which, to me, seems redundant and silly, not to mention that would seem to make it much more difficult to deal with ambient air temps as well as cool side temps. I'll gladly take any advice you could offer.

It all depends how much yoy want to spend. I had your problems and bought reflectix and wrapped my tank. Some pics are in my photo section. Using that which cost under $20 a roll I wrapped five tanks. I wraped my BP's top, cut a whole for the lamp. Cut flaps to help control humidity and added a little sphagnum to wach corner. It was taped with foil tape.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ctixvents.jpeg

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...ctix_top1.jpeg

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._humidity.jpeg

I saw a post on here a couple days or so back with a link on how to make a homemade humidifier using a small gatorade bottle I can't find it now though, also I've heard that natural sea sponges work well also with increasing humidity levels, or you could look into getting a fogger I've read they work well also

I forgot to ask what is the humidity level in the room you are keeping you ball in?

DIY humidifier

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=53

Being wintertime in the Northeast, my bedroom (which is where my snake's enclosure is) remains between 40% and 50%. In the summertime though it's usually between 60% and 75%, depending on whether the AC is on or not.

That humidifier looks like a good idea but the typos in the instructions could confuse people. He mixes up the two hoses when referring to them. He calls the one with the airstone the hose which goes to the enclosure and vice versa.

He also doesn't really mention what exactly to do with the hose coming back out of the bottle. I assume direct it into the enclosure somehow. I guess if it was me I'd melt a hole into the side of the tub (or screen top) and then tape it in place.

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Originally Posted by llovelace

I forgot to ask what is the humidity level in the room you are keeping you ball in?

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I honestly have no idea. It's really dry though. We have a gas furnace so the air in the whole house is really dry. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say like 25% or close to it.