So in taking my new snake to the vet, I was in for a few surprises. Nathan Scott Phillips is indeed Nathanita Scotticia Phillipa, and rather than being a couple of months old, he-to-she is 181g (i think i remember that number?) and between 6mos and a year. I had her in a rubbermaid container, but that wasn't working out because it was either too humid and warm enough or cold but the right humidity. So, I moved her into a 30g aquarium. She has heat tape and a ceramic heater connected to a helix thermostat, which keeps the warm side between 91-93. The cool side is around 85. I've blocked off half of the screen with a towel (draped over the front half as well to give her privacy and hopefully keep my cat oblivious to her existance), but the humidity is still really low--35%. I know the ceramic lights suck out moisture, but I can't keep the heat up ambiently without it. And it isn't on full force due to the thermostat. My plan is to foil&tape the screen tomorrow, so other than misting and taping the screen, any way increase humidity? I am wondering if I should maybe switch substrates. Do the coconut bark types really hold in moisture better than newspaper? Would one be DRAMATICALLY different in terms of cleaning, smell, upkeep, etc?
In the meantime, I am going to soak her tomorrow. When I picked her up today (first time since her feeding monday night) her skin looked paler, like her eyes were about to cloud up. She was also much jumpier and seemed annoyed, so I am thinking she is about to shed (she's yet to in the month I've owned her). Any tips on minimum size of soak box? I have the little critter carrier that i used to take her to the vet in, and it has holes and etc, but it's only 5inches wide by 7inches long by 5inches high. Seems too small for a 45minute soak. Or is it too late to soak?

Jesus christ. Why can't snakes talk? It'd be soooo much easier if I could just let her tell me

Anyway, thanks.


Rachel