Humidity and Comfort

[DarrinLowe]

Hey,

I have been looking around for quite a bit, and I was having struggle keeping humidity up for sometime. Now I've switched over to cocohusk and there is.. too much humidity, or so I think..

The humidity is at 80% and right now to keep it at 60 i turn on my infrared for 5 mins every 6 or so hours..

Im just curious if 80 is harmful?

I was reading somewhere that it isnt bad unless there is condensation on the windows, which there is not.

But im not out to give my snake a RI.

Also,

my male is kinda shy and were trying to help him become a little more trusting.
My gf held him for 30-45 mins yesterday, and he slowly.. and I mean SLOWLY. came out of a ball. Eventually she moved and sat on my bed then he started racing away in her hands and almost flew off my bed. After that we put him back in his cage.

What more can we do to help him become comfortable with us?

Keep in mind he is just over 3 months old, but is a good eater.

[gardenfiend138]

I think 80 is a tad high, but that coco will dry out quick... if you're using a screen top you can wet a towel or t-shirt and ring it out till it's damp and place it over most the screen and cover it with foil to decrease evaporation from above, this keeps mine right around 60-65%. It's easier than daily misting--you only have to re-wet every 2 days or so.

And time helps with shyness, my adult male has really come out of his shell in the past year or so. Just don't handle multiple times a day; I handle my adult every other day (more on weekends), and my new girl (who is also about 3 months old) about twice a week for now. I'd say you're doing fine, it's just not natural for them so it does take a while! Good luck and happy keeping!

[kitedemon]

80% isn't a problem as long as you have good ventilation the real trouble is high humidly and no air flow is a breeding ground for nastys. Coco will dry out quickly if you want to drop it quickly manually with no water break up some and mix completely dry in to the damp it will drop it by 4-6% if you have enough.

The fearful snake is a real complicated issue, I usually start slow, frustrating but just reach in a slowly touch the sides of the animal for a few seconds then slowly with draw try that once or twice a week, and slowly increase the time and frequency best also to do so in the night when the snake is alert. Hopefully the reaction to your hand will be less and less. try to hold him on your hand still in the enclosure and do the same thing. Then a few minutes at a time until it gets 'used to you' the problem is so never do. Some adjust really quickly and some don't. They are each different.

Also this sounds odd but wash a bit of cloth in your laundry and then carry it close to your body for a while a few days say, (I were it tied around my ankle at night...) and then place a bit in both hides. The idea is that the animal will become accustomed to your scent and will associate it with the security of the hide and hopefully will not have as strong a reaction. I have tried it twice and maybe it worked maybe not in either case I have one snake that was totally freaky about being held whom is not now and a second who was absolutely crazy when being held and even doing simple tasks in the enclosure now ignores me in the enclosure but still doesn't take well to handling.

[DarrinLowe]

What would you consider good ventilation? I have a fan on in my room almost 24/7 but its on the other side of the room pointing at my bed xD.

I do have quite a bit extra husk, I am still converting the 2nd cage over

[Zayra]

We brought him out again last night to see how how he was doing, he didn't ball up or ever get aggressive once, instead he wrapped around my wrist and got really curious.

I don't know what I did but it looks like it's working.

[kitedemon]

that is where it gets hard every enclosure is different. I like to cheek check the vent holes and see if I can feel some movement if I can't then I'd say 80% is too high. If I can I'd not worry about it. I also like low/high vents low over the heat source and high on the opposite side.

[DarrinLowe]

I managed to get it down to the 60 range. I had some tin foil covering 4/5 of the screen top.. I took it off and put a piece of dry cloth over 3/4 instead. this seems to be doing the job.

and we did make pretty good progress with the male yesterday, he didnt freak out and try to high tail it off the bed this time. He started getting curious and flicking his tongue.

It seems that once he noticed me holding the female he loosened up and got a little more friendly.