Mixing Substrate....Need Help Please

[trevo]

Hi Everyone,

I have been having humidity issues with my setup. I have a 2' x 2' PVC cage, lots of hides a small water dish, sorry no pics of the tank.

Anyway, I tried using cypress at first but the Humidity shot up in the 90's and that didn't seem very good. So i switched to Aspen and it seemed to be fine Humidity wise, meter was reading between 60 - 65 but then he had a HORRIBLE shed.

He's been eating no issue, so I'm not sure if the shed is a stress related issue, or a humidity related issue.

In case it was humidity I went back to the Cypress but again Humidity is shooting in to the 90's. Can I mix the Cypress and aspen so the aspen levels out the moisture in the cypress?

Maybe its just best I dry out the cypress a little before I put it in the cage? How long is too long to be in that high of humidity if it just takes a few days for the cypress to dry some? Any help would be appreciated. I don't want to harm my little buddy.

Also, can I run an osculating fan in the room my snake is in for better air flow? I thought I read somewhere that that is a bad idea.

Thank in advance for the help.

[KMG]

You just need to let it dry out. I keep my cypress in a big vented tub so it dries out some before I use it. Then if it dries out to much I add water and stir. Just keep turning the substrate and once it dries a bit you will love it.

A fan is fine just don't have it directly hitting the cages.

[trevo]

Thank you. He'll be fine in a semi sauna till I get home right? It was sitting at 90% this morning but I had no time to mess around before work. Should I be panicking a little or just relax?

[KMG]

Relax. When you get home wipe down any built up humidity and let it air out a little. Its no different than your snake experiencing a good rain shower in nature. The fan should help too.

[Rickys_Reptiles]

If your humidity with aspen is showing RH between 60-65% and his shed was poor, Then perhaps your humidity guage is off. At 65% humidity his shed should be perfect.

[bcr229]

Cypress does well in high-humidity enclosures because it doesn't mold like aspen does, and I love using it in the winter for my boas, rainbow boas, and ball pythons as my house gets very dry. Fortunately over time it does dry out, and as you spot clean and replace small amounts of it, your humidity should stabilize.

If you need to dry some out quickly, spread it onto a large baking pan and put it in the oven at 175*F for a few minutes, then turn the oven off and leave it in there while your oven cools. Repeat as needed until you have enough dry mulch. I also have some that's been airing out in a tub ready to go to replace mulch when I spot clean.

[trevo]

If your humidity with aspen is showing RH between 60-65% and his shed was poor, Then perhaps your humidity guage is off. At 65% humidity his shed should be perfect.

How can I find out if my Hygrometer is off?? If it was reading at 65% but was less maybe now its Reading 95% when in fact it is less.

Here's what I am using

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en

as well as

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=18375

The exoterra reads lower than the honeywell.

[Rickys_Reptiles]

How can I find out if my Hygrometer is off?? If it was reading at 65% but was less maybe now its Reading 95% when in fact it is less.

Here's what I am using

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en

as well as

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=18375

The exoterra reads lower than the honeywell.

Try these tests: http://www.wikihow.com/Test-a-Hygrometer

I use the same hygrometer from Canadian Tire - they are normally very accurate. Odd!?

[trevo]

One more Question.

I fed him last week on Saturday and I didn't notice he was in shed, but he still ate no problem, then Friday night when I took him almost none of his skin came off except for his face. So over the weekend I put him in a critter container with a damp towel to help work it off. Got about 90% of it off.

Do you think the digestion during the shed could have had an hand to play in this?

[Rickys_Reptiles]

One more Question.

I fed him last week on Saturday and I didn't notice he was in shed, but he still ate no problem, then Friday night when I took him almost none of his skin came off except for his face. So over the weekend I put him in a critter container with a damp towel to help work it off. Got about 90% of it off.

Do you think the digestion during the shed could have had an hand to play in this?

nope.