Small-ish low humidity-loving species?

[Snagrio]

I'll co-sign the suggestion for one of the smaller Antaresia like a Children's Python. A male Hognose would also be fine - they are really great little snakes.

Editing to add: the humidity levels you mention are very concerning for a Ball Python. Do you need a little help brainstorming solutions?

I have a solution, the aforementioned tub setup (which he is not moved into yet). Problem is due to some snafus (was switching from coco powder to coco chips for the first time and added way too much water) I've run into the opposite issue where the humidity is so high it goes beyond what my hydrometers can read. Even leaving the lid off and periodically sifting the substrate around to expose all of it to the CHE hanging above hasn't really done anything, it's still so soaked almost a week later that squeezing any given chunk produces entire droplets of water.

Really don't know what I can do to dry it out. Bake it or something?

[Bogertophis]

I have a solution, the aforementioned tub setup (which he is not moved into yet). Problem is due to some snafus (was switching from coco powder to coco chips for the first time and added way too much water) I've run into the opposite issue where the humidity is so high it goes beyond what my hydrometers can read. Even leaving the lid off and periodically sifting the substrate around to expose all of it to the CHE hanging above hasn't really done anything, it's still so soaked almost a week later that squeezing any given chunk produces entire droplets of water.

Really don't know what I can do to dry it out. Bake it or something?

Add more dry substrate to it, mix very well, & take some out if there's too much. Sure, you can also bake it, but that's more hassle.

[Snagrio]

Add more dry substrate to it, mix very well, & take some out if there's too much. Sure, you can also bake it, but that's more hassle.

There's already a little too much (again, never used it before so it was very trial and error on my end). If I add anymore there's basically no room to fit amenities since the tub is rather shallow.

I could take most of it out and mix in dried chips, but then I don't know what to do with what would be taken out. None of the other animals I have would have a use for it so it'd essentially be wasted unless I can just set it out somewhere to dry out over a longer period of time and "reuse" it when the substrate needs to be changed out for cleaning.

[Bogertophis]

Set the excess out to dry (& humidify your house, lol), or bake it. Your choice. It will dry faster in a shallower layer- buy a new kitty litter box or a laundry tub- or a new large lasagna pan? -something inexpensive but with future multi-purpose uses- to spread it out in.

[Snagrio]

I'm flabbergasted at this point. Couple days ago I removed well over half the oversoaked substrate and replaced it with bone dry chips (put the rest in another tote) and it's STILL too humid. Not quite outreading the hydrometers now but still 80's-90's in percentage. Bored a bunch of holes in the lid earlier to see if that helps but this is just crazy. Worst thing is even if it lowers to acceptable levels soon the addition of his water bowl is probably going to shoot it right back up again.

Well, at least if I ever get something like a Brazilian rainbow boa I know exactly what to do.

[Bogertophis]

Congratulations, you've derailed your own thread. Whatever happened to the "small low-humidity-loving species" you were looking for?

[Snagrio]

Congratulations, you've derailed your own thread. Whatever happened to the "small low-humidity-loving species" you were looking for?

Realized that a while ago. It was either derailing this thread, making a new one or necroing an old one from the caging section. Eeni minni minni mo.

[Bogertophis]

Couldn't resist teasing you...