The Battle for Humidity!

[cutemouse]

Hello all. I just posted this problem I'm having in another thread about tubs, but I figured I had better just make a new post instead and be specific.

The humidity in my tub is about 85%. I know that is way too high. I have about 10 1/4 inch drilled holes in both the long sides and about 5 in each of the short sides of a 32-qt tub. I am afraid if I drill more holes that too much heat will get out. I have one water bowl on the cool side. Temps are exactly 90 on the hot and between 78-80 on the cool side. I'm using cypress as a substrate, which I know holds in a lot of humidity. I just don't wanna waste the mulch because I have enough of it to fill a small bomb shelter >.<

Is there a way to reduce the humidity without changing to newspaper, or am I just gonna have to toss out all my cypress?

Thanks for any and all help!

[Figure8]

Since you don't want to waste your substrate, I would try drying out the mulch before putting it in the tub or using water bowls with a smaller diameter.

[missi182]

Has the humidity been at 85% for a long time? If you recently misted the tub it will hold that for quite a while.

Leave the top open for a bit then put it back on and measure again. Do this a few times and if it still doesn't stay down then you may have to reduce the amount of cypress and put newspaper under it so it still looks good, or reduce the size of the water dish.

The dish does not need to be so big that your bp can soak in it because they do not require to unless something is wrong.

[starmom]

Send that nasty cyprus to me and use paper...
<heh heh heh, my cages will love it...heh heh heh>

[missi182]

Send that nasty cyprus to me and use paper...
<heh heh heh, my cages will love it...heh heh heh>

You can have my cypress Comes complete with little bugs!! mmm tasty...

[cutemouse]

Thanks for the posts everyone. I tried the idea of completely drying out the mulch over the weekend and that seemed to work fine. I was worried that my water dish was too big, but in order to make sure which thing was the problem (the substrate or large bowl) I left it in. The humidity is now between 60-65%.

I am now, however, having heating issues. I'm worried that my UTH may be malfunctioning, because it was working perfectly since I got it, for about 5 days, until today. Grrrr.

At least Squiggles will be fine in her tank until I get the tub working well.

[boost3d05]

whats wrong with the UTH?

[cutemouse]

whats wrong with the UTH?

Honestly, I'm not totally sure. I have it hooked up to a rheostat which works fine, as I tested it on a light fixture to make sure. For the last few days I've had it hooked up to that, keeping my temps at the ideal amounts for the duration until today. Now it is a boiling 100F+ at the lowest setting. It was 109F at medium when I first noticed the issue.

I am thinking that it's just a malfunction since it was working fine for days. It's a Reptitherm heater if that matters. I'm just going to take it back to the Petco and order a new one off of Reptile Supply Company because I have had great experiences with them.

[missi182]

Many rheostats (including my own) do that and it sucks. I have given up on them and am getting a few thermostats from ebay.

My rheostat can be at 90 when I leave and at 98 when I get home 5 hours later, so I worry while Im at school and work and as soon as I walk through the door I check it. Its not worth the worry or the potential burn to your snake if you can spring for a thermostat such as a ranco or johnson or even better a herpstat or helix.