Who says they don't appreciate height?!

[Mike41793]

Even though I spend 80% of the time in the pictures section .

Yea agreed, the female keepers thread is such a distraction.

[h00blah]

Yea agreed, the female keepers thread is such a distraction.

Yeah, I initially wrote 95%, but I had to change it up before posting it

[snakesRkewl]

Low humidity is not likely a cause of RI bacteria do not generally same for spores thrive in low humidity conditions. That would leave only viral RI which thankfully is the rarest form. High humidity and poor air circulation promotes bacterial growth, and can absolutely lead to RI.

I guess my vet lied to me then.
Look at all of the RI's that people come to this forum asking for help on, to a T almost every single one of them are in tanks with low humidity issues and low temperature problems.

[satomi325]

Don't you roll your eyes at me mister! :p

I seriously didn't know that. I always thought 50-60% was best for them (except when in shed). This thread has taught me a lot of new things I didn't know. Dream vacation would be to go to Africa and study these guys in the wild!

Personally, I always thought 50% was too low despite the care sheets for the same reasons Jerry posted.
My humidity is 60-70% normally.

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[Marrissa]

Personally, I always thought 50% was too low despite the care sheets for the same reasons Jerry posted.
My humidity is 60-70% normally.

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Me too. It ranges from 60-80 depending on if I just wet the eco earth. He had his first shed with me and it came out all in one piece. I didn't even get to see the peeling stage because he got it off so quickly.

[kitedemon]

I guess my vet lied to me then.
Look at all of the RI's that people come to this forum asking for help on, to a T almost every single one of them are in tanks with low humidity issues and low temperature problems.

Low temps absolutely, low RH not so much. I have never seen good information on low RH linked (do you have a link to a published paper in a journal or like document? I would love to read it) , only high RH. J Rossi and R Klingenberg not to mention the Barkers, warn about the issues of high RH and with poor ventilation. Low temps are the biggest issue and I believe poor ventilation joined with high RH to be a contributing factor. I have kept a snake at 40% with dips to 30% for years she is healthy and 100% fine, your vet would say she should be sick? Then humid hides would not work, the animal would be sick and shed would not be concern. I seem to remember a few posts of a number of snakes in a rack with high RH and no ventilation holes at all all with Bacterial RI. The petri dish syndrome at work.

[Raven01]

I guess my vet lied to me then.
Look at all of the RI's that people come to this forum asking for help on, to a T almost every single one of them are in tanks with low humidity issues and low temperature problems.

The reason humidity is an issue is different.
Low humidity dries out mucous membranes. A physical barrier against bacteria and viruses.
So, you are absolutely correct that low humidity can contribute to infection risk, especially if the animal is not getting fresh clean water every single day.

High humidity by itself shouldn't be much of an issue but when combined with a dirty environment (food source) this enables bacteria population to explode increasing a snakes exposure.

What works in the wild does not always work in captivity, atleast in the limited living quarters and controlled environments we are talking about.

Tempurature is likely the most critical as the animals proteins(including antibodies) are designed to function in a certain range. Too high or too low and those antibodies cannot do their job.

[Skiploder]

So the claim is that ball pythons have adapted in such a way that their protection against pathogens is related to humidity? Or do members now have access to some research that shows that ball pythons desiccate easily? More forum hokum and heresay? While I no longer keep ball pythons, I did and did so successfully - all at an ambient humidity of about 35%. Never an RI did we endure.

Now there are animals that have been documented to do very poorly at low humidity - balls just aren't one of them.

Ball pythons select micro climates in their zones that provide higher than ambient humidity during the day. Humidity numbers throughout their range are all over the board.

I agree with Alex - I'd be more concerned about reaching some artificial ambient humidity via misting, excess water and bad circulation. You feel the need to bump up humidity? Create and maintain a humid hide.

[danojeno]

But they don't live "in" swamps, as in the don't live in the water. They will live in holes in the ground or in tree stumps, but not in damp swampy areas. I do believe they can be occasionally found in those swampy areas. They are probably found there looking for prey items.

How in the world do you know this? Do the BPs go to the swamps to hunt, then return to the ever-necessary grassland surrounded termite mound when they are full? The fact is, these animals are extremely adaptable in the wild and in captivity. Here is a study that shows this, but people still don't believe it, or they think it must be extreme behavior found in a fringe environment. Think about BCI and the incredibly diverse conditions they are found, from rainforest to desert, and everything in between. These things are only fragile in a 20 long.

[OsirisRa32]

I don't know Skips? Please have them email me his experience. As I said, if a snake were to climb in the wild, it would be temperature related. Curious who said they climb trees for food and who has actual experience in the bush to share with me or if this was just an assumption. Ball pythons actual act the exact opposite when searching for food in the wild since their primary food source is underground.

So your saying the ONLY reason ANY snake would climb in the wild is ONLY for temperature?!?!?! You do realize many snake species feed on birds....and birds live in trees....-_-