Substrate/Humidity Issues (Glass Tank) (99%) - New BP Owner

[iddah]

Everything I've heard or read about glass tanks for bp's is that they suck at maintaining temps and humidity, but I seem to be having issues with too much humidity lol.


I'm trying to get my setup ready for my 1.0 baby spinner bp. He's going to be in a 10 gallon tank for now, I'll upgrade as he grows. I'm using a Microclimate 13W heat mat, hooked to a Microclimate Evo Lite Thermostat, and I also use a digital hygro/thermometer. Warm side/hot spot is set to 33C, the cool side is around 26C, so my temperatures should be on point, I'm only having issues with the humidity using cypress mulch. I have the thermometer probe on the cool side, hanging between the glass and the cool hide, close to the substrate (roughly 2 cm of substrate; Zoo Med Forest Floor). It was the only place where I could get it partially hidden and out of his way as well so he doesn't get tangled with it or anything like that.


In an empty enclosure (no bedding, no water bowl, no hides, etc) the humidity went from 62% to 66% (EDIT: yesterday, when it was humid, the humidity of the empty tank right now w/o substrate is at 50%) according to my hygro/themormeter. When I put the substrate and water bowl in along with the hides and turned on the UTH/heat mat and t-stat, humidity went up to 99%. At first I thought the L size water bowl was upping the humidity, so I removed it from the enclosure to see if it made any difference, it dropped to around 80% for a moment but climbed back up to 99%.


The tank is currently situated on the floor but it will be placed on top of a shelf unit, so it's not going to stay on the floor, I'm wondering if this might have an effect on the air flow and being on the floor makes it more humid inside the tank?


The tank has a glass top with a metal grate/metal mesh on the middle, providing ventilation (when I first saw the tank I thought I'd have to cover half of the top with foil to /prevent/ loss of humidity and temps but I guess I don't lmao).


It's currently unusually humid where I live (like 87%) because it has been raining and thundering for a couple of days, I'm wondering how much the high humidity outside is affecting the humidity in my apartment and inside the tank?


As of right now, I'm thinking it may have something to do with insufficient air flow, and the humidity might drop after I put the tank on an elevated surface?
Or then my thermometer probe placement is off and giving me false readings? Or it's simply due to the weather.


I know 50 to 60% is recommended, but I would be happy to get the humidity down from 99% to even 70% or 80% since bp's (especially babys) are known to be healthy even in slightly higher humidity, considering 70% and 80% is more realistic and closer to the actual humidity found in their habitats in the wild, and higher humidity ensures a successful/healthy shed as well. I've read they favor termite mounds in the wild where humidity is also closer to 90%.

My tank isn't wet or fogged up, Forest Floor is retaining moisture just a bit at the bottom of the tank; but there's no condensed glass or wet (just damp/slightly moist) substrate. I am replacing the water dish regardless and going for a M size instead of L, though I don't think it was the water bowl causing the humidity since the hygro/thermometer still showed 99% humidity after I took it out.


I'm concerned about RI, I don't want to introduce my baby to an enclosure that could potentially make him sick, and I don't want to bring him home until my setup's correct.


If anyone has any advice or insight, I'd love to hear you out. Is there anything I can do, other than change to a drier substrate (newspaper, paper towels)? Thanks.


NOTE: This was also posted last night at the ball python subreddit. I was told to dry out the cypress mulch, which I'm currently doing, however I'm going to switch substrates and ditch the Forest Floor since it seems to retain too much humidity in my case. I'm considering two other options, Reptibark and Exo Terra Forest Bark. I don't want to use Aspen because I don't like how it looks visually/aesthetically, and I also don't like the texture of it. Which of those two would be more optimal for a baby bp? I'm looking to get the humidity around 60% to 75%. Some bp owners seem to think there is no thing as too much or too high humidity, as long as the snake is not being housed in a wet/fogged up/condensed enclosure. Again, my tank was not wet with the cypress mulch, it only felt slightly damp to the touch, but then I was informed it could still lead to scale rot if the snake is consistently laying upon even slightly moist substrate. Being a novice, and with so many different opinions (and options), I'm not really sure how I should proceed, but right now I would like to hear more experienced people's opinions on what substrate I should use instead of Forest Floor/cypress mulch. Exo Terra Coco Husk was also recommended, I could get it online and it seems like a good choice, but to my knowledge it comes in bricks that you need to soak and let dry before use, and that seems too complicated for a first time snake owner.

I just want a substrate that is functional and doesn't up the humidity too much. I'd like the humidity to be around 65% - 70% at all times inside the enclosure. I just don't feel comfortable putting my baby in a tank with 99% humidity even if the tank isn't wet or condensed and supposedly wouldn't cause any problems.

[Sunnieskys]

Pics would be great so we can see placement. Usually the probe is just for temps and the humidity is gauged from the gauge itself. Upload some pics if you can.

[iddah]

I took the cypress mulch and hides out of the tank so it's empty again, the UTH is also turned off, but this is what my current setup looks like.

The thermometer probe was placed between the cool side hide and the glass, almost touching the bottom of the tank, just dangling from the corner, and the gauge was kept outside, on top of the tank.







I'm going to go pick up a different substrate (probably Reptibark) later today and test the temps and humidity again tonight since I'm pretty sure the substrate was the problem.

[KMG]

I use Forest Floor and love it. I've used it for years. If you don't need it moist put it in a tub and let it sit out for a few days. But adding it to the cage and letting it dry out there should not present any issues.

Glass tanks usually do suck at holding humidity but that is because of the large screen top. Not having one you are holding more humidity.

To drop the humidity a bit you can add a oscillating fan on the other side of the room from the tank. I have to use one in my snake room too.

[Craiga 01453]

While the humidity is high right now where you live, it will affect the humidity inside the enclosure. A fan in the room will help, but as the humidity drops in your area the humidity in the enclosure should as well.

How does the top stay secured? It's tough to tell in the pics. Just want to make sure your new snake can't escape.

[iddah]

Outdoor humidity is 52% right now, compared to the 87% it's been for the past few days due to heavy rain and thunder. I live in a country where the humidity ranges a lot indoors because it fluctuates so much outdoors. During the summers, the humidity outside can be anywhere between 50% to almost 90%. The humidity in my apartment at the moment is at 41%. I think with a drier substrate + smaller water dish it'll balance out inside the tank.

You can slide the top to either left or right, it's not really secured to the tank in any way, you just lift the glass panel off (the metal grate is attached to the top). I think it's pretty heavy for a baby snake to be able to push it off because you have to slide it open first before you're able to lift it.

[MasonC2K]

Well, if you are hitting 50-60% without substrate like mulch then why have it? Just for aesthetics?

If so, just expect they to be a high humidity bump when fresh is added. If it is consistently high after a couple days then the fan suggestion will help. The suggestion of pre-drying the substrate should work too.

[iddah]

Reptibark was sold out, I'm using a mix of Komodo Coconut Terrain and Exo Terra Jungle Earth. The cypress mulch is still drying out on my balcony, if the mixed substrates make the tank too dry, I'll just go back to the pre-dried Forest Floor, and hopefully that'll fix my humidity issues. I'd hate to go from extremely humid tank to extremely dry tank lol.

I put the size L water dish back in now that the substrate's a lot drier. So far, humidity's at 50% and still climbing, so I'm hopeful.

Thanks to everyone so far for comments and advice.

[Craiga 01453]

Outdoor humidity is 52% right now, compared to the 87% it's been for the past few days due to heavy rain and thunder. I live in a country where the humidity ranges a lot indoors because it fluctuates so much outdoors. During the summers, the humidity outside can be anywhere between 50% to almost 90%. The humidity in my apartment at the moment is at 41%. I think with a drier substrate + smaller water dish it'll balance out inside the tank.

You can slide the top to either left or right, it's not really secured to the tank in any way, you just lift the glass panel off (the metal grate is attached to the top). I think it's pretty heavy for a baby snake to be able to push it off because you have to slide it open first before you're able to lift it.

Ok, sounds like you may just need to do some trial and error with the humidity and make some seasonal adjustments.

As for the lid to the enclosure, you'd be surprised how good snakes are as escape artists. If they can find a way out, they will. If there head fits, they can fit. Just want to give you the heads up and hope to avoid another lost snake thread.

[iddah]

After the substrate change, the tank seems to be holding humidity at 70% - 75%, so I think I'm in the clear.

As for the lid, I think I might just place some lightweight books on either side of the glass on the top so he won't be able to slide it off if he goes exploring when I'm not at home. I live in a studio apartment and there's nowhere he could really go even if he managed to escape, as in he can't leave my apartment through a hole in the floor or anything like that, the only places he might go under is my bed or my TV stand. I'll take precautions if I have to to prevent any break-outs, but for now I think we'll be good.