Please urgent! Help with humidity in terrarium

[Edea_Tsuki]

Hi, some days ago I changed the substrate with coconout fiber in the terrarium. Unfortunately I could buy only the dryed type, so I reidratate it with less water than the instruction but despite that some days later I start to notice a lot of condensation. I'm really worried about it expecially because I'm worried about mold and other skin problems for the python. It is better to leave the fiber in this way and maybe take away the condensation with tissues or stress again the snake and change all the fiber with another more dry?
A note: my python is actually in a provvisory terrarium that I hope to change as soon as possible.
https://ibb.co/bmfC8gG
https://ibb.co/cvYxXPS
https://ibb.co/74vGJ36
https://ibb.co/2Kg5bBv

[Hugsplox]

A little condensation especially in the areas that your photos show I think is fine. What I would be more concerned about is what your actual humidity readings are in the tank, and even more so, how wet your substrate is. Are we talking sopping wet or just a little damp? I would focus more on how wet the substrate is versus how high this is raising your humidity, because it seems like you're keeping in a glass tank, so really the humidity should be dissipating pretty well especially if you have good ventilation in the tank.

[Erie_herps]

I agree with everything that Hugsplox said. However if you decide that you need to lower humidity there's a few things you can try. You could increase ventilation, if you can't physically increase ventilation in the tank (by adding more holes) then you could run a fan over the enclosure which should air it out quicker. You could also put a bag (onion or burlap) inside the enclosure with either moss or rice in it, it should absorb humidity and you could replace it and repeat the cycle.

[Edea_Tsuki]

The fiber isn't wet, just a bit humid at the touch. I'm worried for the condensation under the heating cables, because it seems to remain there without pass on the substrate.
I put a forex slab (2mm) on the cablet to separate the fiber and prevent that my python can get burned.

[JacksReptiles]

Get you a temp/humidity gauge and put it inside the tank. Try to keep it at 55 percent humidity. I have had my snakes go above that but dont let it stay there for along time. A couple days of high humidity has been fine for my snakes. If it stays than you need to rethink your habitat. Can you post a pic of your entire enclosure? I want to see what it looks like at the top. What do you have covering it? What kind of room do you have your snake in? How are you keeping the humidity? Are you running a humidifier? Or is the room just always humid? You might need a dehumidifier for the room. I have a weeping foundation so I have to have a dehumifier or else I would get sick. You got to remember about your health and the snakes health. If your living in a room above 55% humidity you can get mold problems and thats not good for your health or the snakes.

[Edea_Tsuki]

I had ordered a very cool smart/wifi temp/humidity before take the python but unfortunately in my country we have some problems with delivery caused by covid... So it is in shipping yet.
I have the snake in my room, I have a very small house so it is the only place in which I can put him but sincerely I have no idea of how much humidity I have in this room... I never had humidity or mold problems in the room, I think it's just the terrarium that isn't good for a snake (I didn't buy it, the old owner gave me with the python). In any case I buyed the materials for build a better terrarium but for now I have to do all with the old.
I have a air conditioner in the room with dehumifier, tell me if I can use it.
It's just an idea, but I leaved in the sun (i put on it an insect screen) the rest of the coconout fiber that I buyed for the terrarium. I think that in a week it should be dry. It is better to change the old humid fiber with this more dry? It's the only solution that I have in mind, for now.
In any case here some terrarium photos.
https://ibb.co/yNWft51
https://ibb.co/Vqx484n

[Bogertophis]

I think it's just fine to use your dehumidifier in the room.

About leaving the coconut fiber in the sun, that's fine too- I'm assuming you're talking about just the fiber, not the tank with the snake & all, as sun can easily overheat any enclosure & kill your snake. (I'm just making sure we're on the same page. )

Some people also bake substrate or small branches & wood furnishings in a "low & slow" oven too -but do be careful not to set anything on fire- you'd only use 150* F. for about 45 minutes, & well-supervised; some also do this as needed to kill harmless insects (or potential pathogens) that sometimes 'invade' products.

It's possible that the coco. fiber in the cage got too damp-? If it's still clean, you could scoop some out (to dry it out), & replace it with the dryer coco. fiber. It's hard to say what's really needed without an accurate humidity gauge- the pandemic has messed up plenty of commercial shipments & other business dealings.

We typically see glass tanks with screen tops- in looking at your photos, it's hard to see where the ventilation is? Maybe that's why you're getting so much condensation?

One more suggestion: You've done an attractive set-up, but I only see one hide: your snake needs at least 2, one on the warmer side & one on the cooler side, so he can "thermoregulate" (ie. choose the correct temperatures for his needs at all times). All snakes need options for hides: if only given one hide, they'll choose to hide in it, instead of choosing the correct temperature, so if (for example) they've just eaten, they might be too cool to digest well if the hide is on the cool side; it's no better if there's only one hide on the warm side either- they shouldn't stay the same warmer temperature all the time. A snake's metabolism depends entirely on their temperatures & their needs change frequently; in shed, they usually prefer to be cool.

[Hugsplox]

Or is the room just always humid? You might need a dehumidifier for the room. I have a weeping foundation so I have to have a dehumifier or else I would get sick. You got to remember about your health and the snakes health. If your living in a room above 55% humidity you can get mold problems and thats not good for your health or the snakes.

I'm not sure there needs to be concerns with the entire room. The most obvious issue here is not letting substrate dry out a little before putting it into the enclosure, Occam's razor and all.

I had ordered a very cool smart/wifi temp/humidity before take the python but unfortunately in my country we have some problems with delivery caused by covid... So it is in shipping yet.
I have the snake in my room, I have a very small house so it is the only place in which I can put him but sincerely I have no idea of how much humidity I have in this room... I never had humidity or mold problems in the room, I think it's just the terrarium that isn't good for a snake (I didn't buy it, the old owner gave me with the python). In any case I buyed the materials for build a better terrarium but for now I have to do all with the old.
I have a air conditioner in the room with dehumifier, tell me if I can use it.
It's just an idea, but I leaved in the sun (i put on it an insect screen) the rest of the coconout fiber that I buyed for the terrarium. I think that in a week it should be dry. It is better to change the old humid fiber with this more dry? It's the only solution that I have in mind, for now.
In any case here some terrarium photos.
https://ibb.co/yNWft51
https://ibb.co/Vqx484n

I'm glad you're planning on building a new enclosure. Not to jump down your throat, but looking at these pictures there are some serious short comings in your current set up. Rather than type a novel out for you to read through, I highly recommend you dive in to the pinned threads in the BP Husbandry section and take a look at some of the information there. Right off the bat I only see one hide, and to be frank that enclosure looks small so I'm not sure what kind of temperature gradient you have going on. There's a ton of great information in those threads, so take some time reading through them and feel free to ask questions, that's what this site is here for.

[Bogertophis]

One more option- IF there's enough room for 3 hides (& you could remove or re-install the fake plants over or between the hides): you might consider just using a dry substrate, and adding a good humid hide, which you can either buy or make one yourself, easily. The humid hide would be placed in the "middle", not the coolest & not the warmest part of the enclosure. And most snakes seem to love the option- it really helps their shedding & they seem to know when to use it, but instead of keeping the whole enclosure so moist, the humidity is contained.

In the past, I've used some of the same product as you did, & in order to rehydrate it, it gets awfully moist & it's very hard to control that. No wonder you have so much condensation.

[Edea_Tsuki]

About leaving the coconut fiber in the sun, that's fine too- I'm assuming you're talking about just the fiber, not the tank with the snake & all, as sun can easily overheat any enclosure & kill your snake. (I'm just making sure we're on the same page.)

I buyed 70l of dryed coconout fiber and I rehydratate only 18l of that but I used only 1/2 of that, so half of this 18l is in the terrarium and the other 9l is in my balcony. I try to dry the fiber that is in the balcony

Some people also bake substrate or small branches & wood furnishings in a "low & slow" oven too -but do be careful not to set anything on fire- you'd only use 150* F. for about 45 minutes, & well-supervised; some also do this as needed to kill harmless insects (or potential pathogens) that sometimes 'invade' products

One more suggestion: You've done an attractive set-up, but I only see one hide: your snake needs at least 2, one on the warmer side & one on the cooler side, so he can "thermoregulate" (ie. choose the correct temperatures for his needs at all times). All snakes need options for hides: if only given one hide, they'll choose to hide in it, instead of choosing the correct temperature, so if (for example) they've just eaten, they might be too cool to digest well if the hide is on the cool side; it's no better if there's only one hide on the warm side either- they shouldn't stay the same warmer temperature all the time. A snake's metabolism depends entirely on their temperatures & their needs change frequently; in shed, they usually prefer to be cool.

Personally I'm a bit worried to use the oven, I prefer to dry the fiber in another ways (unless you guys tell me that the situation with humidity is truly an emergency, in that case I'll try to not burn all my house hahaha)
I have some cork wood that I wanted to use as multiple hide in the new terrarium but I'll post photos tomorrow because in my country it's night at this hour
I have a vaporizer and I would use to sterilize that wood, you guys think that I'll can use that instead of the oven? Obv I'll leave those to dry on sun, I don't want to do the same mistake more times...

We typically see glass tanks with screen tops- in looking at your photos, it's hard to see where the ventilation is? Maybe that's why you're getting so much condensation?

I try to explain it in these images:
https://ibb.co/ZMywNjj
https://ibb.co/bdDmVSd
https://ibb.co/XY7kctS
https://ibb.co/WGHKk5C