High Humidity Issues

[Carl]

This summer in Ohio is really bad. For some reason the humidity is really high. I have done everything in my power to lower the humidity inside my enclosures. In my Balls and Boa enclosures the humidity goes from 61% to 67%. I always try to aim for the 50's. Ive always had problems with low humidity but now im having problems with high humidty. Ive made ALLOT of ventalation, removed water dishes from the flexwatt and quickly spot clean. Will the 67% harm any of them?

[Neal]

The thing about humidity that you want to avoid is the growth of bacteria and mold. If you're humidity is that high then you want to spot clean quickly like you say you do. How are you measuring your humidity, different ones have different accuracy. The humidity being in the 60's isn't going to harm anything so you don't have to worry about that, though the thing about humidity is it raises the heat index. I always try to keep that in mind when adjusting my temps. You sound like you've pretty much done as much as you can aside from going with more holes but if the humidity lowers too much those holes become an issue. You can try to put smaller water dishes, but still the appropriate size.

Also what type of bedding are you using?

[Carl]

Aspen.

[Carl]

My main concern is URI. Ive been through it once but it was from a rescue that ive done. So far there is no condensation in the enclosures. The room humidity is at 60% itself atm. Im also a little worried because of the new hatchling ball that I just got 3 days ago.

[kitedemon]

There are a lot of misunderstanding with humidity. High humidity is always an issues as long as there is correct ventilation.

What is the humidity in the room? it is difficult to get below thing as it means reducing the air as it enters the enclosure. very difficult. Usually this problem isn't actually an issue it is when you have high humidity far above the rooms norm that issues can develop (poor ventilation sign) not always but often. The sick building or petri dish syndrome.


Accuracy of many hygrometers is suspect. Many very poor analogue ones have paper face cards which can swell and hinder the movement. Digital ones are very very sensitive to dirt and dust on the resistor sensor (they work by measuring the micro resistance of wet air against dry air.) Any dust will through them off a hard knock can as well. Anything that changes the tiny resistance will change the reading. They are only reliable for a few months then start to read incorrectly. Some (accurite for example) have a HUGE range of accuracy out of the box I have been told 10% up or down from correct (the worst I have ever seen specs for) that means readings of 60% could actually be as low as 50% or as high as 70% and be working correctly according to the manufacturer. This indicates the manufacturer know the production line is inconsistent.

The best solution I have is easy but a good quality analogue that can easily be re calibrated and is tolerant of dirt and dust. (I have fished them out of water bowls and dried them to find they were still spot on.)
Things to look for:
METAL face card,
calibration screw
metal housing
*make sure is is not a hair tension types they are very very fragile*

Ones like this,
http://www.amazon.com/Brass-Hygromet...gue+hygrometer

Salt tests can calibrate one digitals you need to buy a test kit (about 8$ per hygrometer, per test) I check mine every 6-8 months although every year is likely ok.

[grcforce327]

My room has always been in the 58% to 68% range. As for using the same abbreviations for different things.......... ATM, if I need quick cash, I use an ATM!

[Carl]

There are a lot of misunderstanding with humidity. High humidity is always an issues as long as there is correct ventilation.

What is the humidity in the room? it is difficult to get below thing as it means reducing the air as it enters the enclosure. very difficult. Usually this problem isn't actually an issue it is when you have high humidity far above the rooms norm that issues can develop (poor ventilation sign) not always but often. The sick building or petri dish syndrome.


Accuracy of many hygrometers is suspect. Many very poor analogue ones have paper face cards which can swell and hinder the movement. Digital ones are very very sensitive to dirt and dust on the resistor sensor (they work by measuring the micro resistance of wet air against dry air.) Any dust will through them off a hard knock can as well. Anything that changes the tiny resistance will change the reading. They are only reliable for a few months then start to read incorrectly. Some (accurite for example) have a HUGE range of accuracy out of the box I have been told 10% up or down from correct (the worst I have ever seen specs for) that means readings of 60% could actually be as low as 50% or as high as 70% and be working correctly according to the manufacturer. This indicates the manufacturer know the production line is inconsistent.

The best solution I have is easy but a good quality analogue that can easily be re calibrated and is tolerant of dirt and dust. (I have fished them out of water bowls and dried them to find they were still spot on.)
Things to look for:
METAL face card,
calibration screw
metal housing
*make sure is is not a hair tension types they are very very fragile*

Ones like this,
http://www.amazon.com/Brass-Hygromet...gue+hygrometer

Salt tests can calibrate one digitals you need to buy a test kit (about 8$ per hygrometer, per test) I check mine every 6-8 months although every year is likely ok.

My room humidity is 55%-60%

[Carl]

My room humidity is 55%-60%

The problem is my ac is out until later today. Once the ac starts working the humidity should drop. I am at 60%-61% atm. It was a little cool so I turned my ceramic heater on and it seems to have lowered the humidity by 5%. So now im at 81 degrees and 60%

[kitedemon]

RH = relative humidity right? relative to... temperature.

The ratio of the amount of water vapour in the air at a specific temperature to the maximum amount that the air could hold at that temperature, expressed as a percentage.

The CHE increases the air temp with increases the saturation density of the air changing the RH. The tricky bit is the amount of water in the air remains the same.

Ball pythons need about 15.5 gm/m3 of water in the air to shed. (know you know you are concerned with boas... I don't have that info on hand)

That means different RH at different temps.

at 5ºF (for dramatic example) 15.5 is 1600% clearly not possible but it demonstrates the situation.
@ 70ºF 15.5 gm/m3 is 84%RH
@ 75ºF 15.5 gm/m3 is 71%RH
@ 80ºF 15.5 gm/m3 is 60%RH
@ 82ºF 15.5 gm/m3 is 57%RH
@ 85ºF 15.5 gm/m3 is 52%RH

You see the point. All you need to know to work it out is the temp and RH% that is good shed level, then a chart for Saturated Vapour Pressure (water). It will tell you what the gm/m3 is and then take your %rh and take that of the Saturated Vapour Pressure.

If you want PM me the correct %RH at the correct ambient air temps and I can work out the shifts for you.

[Carl]

Finally got everything fixed. As soon as my ac kicked back on im at 82 degrees f and 53% - 56% for all enclosures. The Boa takes the same ammount of temp and humidity as the Ball's. only difference is I have to drop the temps down to 78 at night which will not affect my Ball's.