The temp and humidity balance during shed.

[Midwest]

I have a 20 gallon long tank with my 6 month old male. I weighed him tonight and he is at 276 g. He was 215 when I got him on Nov. 10 (hatched in July). My setup consist of 2 UTH's that cover a majority of the bottom of the tank. The glass surface on the cool side of the tank is at 80 and the floor surface on the hot side is between 88-90 depending on where I shoot it with my temp gun. The first month and a half I had him I did not have any other heat because several people have told me with the surface temps being 80 or higher throughout the entire tank and with the ambient temps in that room at 70 degrees the temps would be fine. Others have told me I still need the ambient air temps in the tank warmer even if the floor temps are warmer. I added a small CHE last week and now the ambient temps are showing 78 degrees but my humidity has taken a big hit. I am spraying several times a day and it will go up to 70 but 4-5 hours later it will be back down to 45. Tonight I added some moist sphagnum moss inside each hide and while doing so I noticed his eyes are blue so we are getting ready for the first shed since I have had him. Would it be better to turn off the CHE for the next couple days until he sheds and get the humidity up higher? The last day or two I have not seen him leave his hot hide so I assume at this point the humidity would be more important then the higher ambient temps. I know both being perfect is ideal. I have about 90% of the tank covered with plexi glass and before adding the CHE I had no problems keeping humidity up. I am using forest floor for substrate.

I've received feedback from multiple people on here, some saying the humidity is not as important as the temps and just keep the temps up and others have told me that since my floor surface temps are all above 80 that ambient temps are not as important as the humidity.

[wnateg]

Have you tried insulating the sides, back, and top with something like styrofoam or that reflective material? That may help raise the ambient without needing a CHE.

[Midwest]

Yeah, three sides of the tank are wrapped with insulation board. The room temp is 70 and when I check the temps inside the tank, the glass, the wood, the water bowl etc. they were about 72 (this was before the CHE). With the CHE everything is around 78.

[Midwest]

I decided last night that since he is cooped up in the hide now that he is in shed to shut the CHE off for the next couple days. The humidity has stayed at 80% all day today. I am hoping that the higher humidity the next few days is better then keeping the temps a few degeees warmer. Floor surface temps are all above 80 and when I shoot his branches and stuff they are about 72-73 degrees.

[Spicey]

Horticultural misting systems can help keep the humidity up without so much effort; just don't forget to monitor!

[Zincubus]

I decided last night that since he is cooped up in the hide now that he is in shed to shut the CHE off for the next couple days. The humidity has stayed at 80% all day today. I am hoping that the higher humidity the next few days is better then keeping the temps a few degeees warmer. Floor surface temps are all above 80 and when I shoot his branches and stuff they are about 72-73 degrees.

Sounds promising


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[Midwest]

Came home tonight and Dexter was out cruising in his tank so I figured he had shed. His skin was in his hot hide so I am not sure if he came out to get it started and then just ended in the hide or managed to snake around and get it all off while in the hide. I didn't get him out to check him over but the shed was pretty much all intact with the eye caps and there is nothing on his tail. As expected he also pooped a small amount so I spot cleaned that. He was woven around a branch and some of the fake leaves, but I didn't see any stuck shed on the parts of his body I could see. Ill get him out tomorrow and give him a good look.