Dehydration...

[WifeOfSlasher]

Just curious, how do you know if your snake is dehydrated? Damn glass tank anyways but I am really struggling with humidity for our rtb. I have nailed it for our bp. Go figure. I mist 3 times a day and have a towel draped over 2/3 of the top. It raises with misting and the towel then drops back down to 30-40%. I don't want to mist more in fear that it will be wet all the time. I am
debating a switch to cyprus mulch. He has fresh water available at all times. Eating great, so far two hoppers for us every 7 days. I don't see him drinking water but one or two times since we got him on the 24th. He has been thermoregulating. I'm pretty sure he's fine but I would love to have this tidbit of knowledge in my head.

[Mike41793]

Do you have a water dish in the tank? A big water dish will help with humidity. I have heard alot of members on hear say that cypress does work well to keep up the humidity. I use repti bark for my ball python and it works very well, I dont think he's ever had a bad shed.

[WifeOfSlasher]

I do. It's pretty big in comparison to the tank. I even placed it on the warm side to help with humidity.

[WifeOfSlasher]

[bioteacher]

Adding live plants also helps with humidity... just gotta make sure the plants stay healthy with lighting, heat, and water - make sure no chemicals in whatever you have the plant potted in.

You can also add a humidity hide - box, rubbermaid container, anything that won't rot with damp moss inside. If it's not humid enough in the tank, the snake will move into the hide... just have to watch for scale rot, but the snake should be able to regulate itself being able to leave the hide.

[Mike41793]

What size tanks is that?
You could move him to a 20gallon long tank, and give him another hide on the warmer side. Also like bioteacher said add some live plants into the bigger tank. I would definetly switch to cypress or repti bark too for the substrate. If a bigger tank isnt possible then just change the substrate and see how that helps.

[WifeOfSlasher]

It's a standard 20 gallon. At this point I want to totally ditch the tank and go to a tub. Luckily this tank is not new to us, originally for a pet rat and then our bp a couple of years later, so it's not like we wasted a bunch on money other than lights and one new reflector. What size tub should I get? He likes to perch on his hide and wood.

I will try a new substrate for sure. His favorite hide is actually his wood. lol He likes to perch on things. If I do switch to a tub I will be getting him another hide. Another tank is an expenditure I don't want to make because I am officially fed up with glass.

[The Serpent Merchant]

The problem has nothing to do with glass (water can't get through glass last time I checked) the problem is the heat lamp and the screen top. A UTH will help a lot. Also if you can I would get a sheet of polycarbonate and drill a few air holes in it. This will keep humidity in and not using beat lamps will keep the humidity that you have from evaporating.

[WifeOfSlasher]

Will a UTH keep the ambient air where it should be? This guy really does like to climb up on things and hang out.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Will a UTH keep the ambient air where it should be? This guy really does like to climb up on things and hang out.

No a UTH won't drastically impact the ambient air temps. But I have a snake that uses that fact as another way to thermoregulate.

It all depends on the room temperature. If your room stays below 74 a lot of the time you might have an issue with only using a UTH.