Substrates - can't get the right humidity!

In an attempt to "naturalize" the enclosures, I moved Cu back into her 40gal breeder. With newspaper and aspen, I couldn't keep the humidity above 40% for more than an hour. I recently picked up a brick of Eco Earth, soaked it, and put it in the enclosure. Now, almost 24 hours later, the humidity is still at 80% and when I pulled Cu out from her hide, she was damp. I'm not putting her back in there; I have seen to many pictures of scale rot.

What can I do? I followed the instructions with the Eco Earth. Has anybody tried putting a thin layer of aspen over Eco Earth?

I liked eco-earth for my scorpions, not for my snakes though. They have a different kind of bedding, it's coco husk or something, it comes in a brick like the eco-earth and that holds humidity well, and doesn't stay soaked like the eco earth. Also after a few days the eco-earth will dry up.

Have you tried cypress mulch?

I've always had good luck with carefresh and humidity.
It's clean and safe for the snakes, but it is (more) expensive.
It's good if you have a few snakes, but not very economical if you have a lot.

Repti Bark works for me very well. A huge bag of it is the same price as the same size of aspen at my Petco.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Repti Bark works for me very well. A huge bag of it is the same price as the same size of aspen at my Petco.

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Yea, I was going to say repti bark/cypress mulch. Coconut husk (the expandable brick stuff) works well too I think.

Thanks everybody! PetCo was closed when I went to pick up something else to put over the Eco Earth, so for now I put some thick construction paper over it.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

Repti Bark works for me very well. A huge bag of it is the same price as the same size of aspen at my Petco.

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I totally agree I use it as well
Looks very natural and if you use heat lamp covering 50 % of screen top with piece of plexiglass should give you perfect hit if u use only uht I don't think that I need cover

I agree, the answer is covering more of the cage rather than using a damp substrate.

Place the water bowl over the heat pad--that raises the humidity nicely, as long as there's not excessive ventilation.

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

I agree, the answer is covering more of the cage rather than using a damp substrate.

Place the water bowl over the heat pad--that raises the humidity nicely, as long as there's not excessive ventilation.

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Would you want to drink hot water?

Not that it will get too warm from being over and UTH with substrate, but still.

I've tried everything. :( Plexiglass, saran wrap, even damp towels (which I decided not to use due to possible mold growth). I've tried various UTHs, bulbs, positioning of the water dish... And it's a very large water dish. I do live in a very dry climate. Substrate is the only hope I have left.

Like I said, go with cypress mulch. You will achieve the necessary humidity. I use a UTH & a ceramic heat bulb for my anaconda tank, what I do, is I mist the tank once, sometimes twice a day, and when I see the substrate start to dry out ill pour water over the substrate to dampen it, which it will keep the humidity good for a day or so, if you have an UTH with a really good 2-3 minute misting on the UTH side, you should get 60%+ humidity.

With my Repti Bark, I don't even have to mist anymore. Which I'm glad of - I hate the water stains that end up on the tank.

Try a tub. :) I think having proper environmental conditions comes before a "more naturalistic enclosure".

Try Repti-Bark. It keeps the humidity pretty well for my glass tank and I put a damp cloth over the screen top for a few days each week.

goodluck on getting it all worked out, idk what to tell you. im just glad i live in texas lol. very humid. and i think ill stick to tubs. i hear to much trouble from tanks.

I used to have the same problem with humidity. So i went to home depot and bought a small pond tub and put a fountain in the middle. Now everything is perfect.

you can always just add a humid hide and your snake will use it as they see fit. I just use a ice cream tub with a hole in the side and i filled it with moist but not soaking spahgnum moss.

I use the Forest Floor cypress mulch; similar to the repti-bark and it works fine for me and i dont have to mist it...about once every 2 weeks I pour water on it and mix it up then replace it after 1-2 months.

Thanks for the input everybody!

I did have her in a tub, and I will by all means move her back if I can't get this worked out soon. The sheets of construction paper lasted through the night without soaking through, so she's not in danger of scale rot at the moment.

I will go to PetCo today and pick up cypress mulch or repti bark.

Have you thought about putting a humidifier in the room?

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Originally Posted by hud556

Have you thought about putting a humidifier in the room?

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Works too. I was doing that when I was using a 40g tank. Unfortunately I had to keep it running 24/7, so it was loud and wasted electricity.

Neal, my snakes think a water bowl over the heat rope is a jacuzzi. I do not think a reptile would enjoy drinking cold water anyhow. It works well to elevate the humidity. Some of my snakes move their water bowls around their bins all the time on their own. ^_^

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

Neal, my snakes think a water bowl over the heat rope is a jacuzzi. I do not think a reptile would enjoy drinking cold water anyhow. It works well to elevate the humidity. Some of my snakes move their water bowls around their bins all the time on their own. ^_^

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Room temperature water isn't cold water, lol.

As far as the posts about repti bark, I tried that and I didn't like it. I find I get better humidity with the cypress mulch, reason I have to mist is because of the heating fixture I have on top of the tank, that stays 90% powered to keep the hot side 87-89 degrees.