Humidity Help

[Krystique]

1. How long have you had your ball python?
A little over a week now.


2. How old (or how big) is your snake?
8 months, still a baby.


3. Does it eat on a regular schedule?
Have gotten him to feed within the first week of getting him, and was fed once a week before that, so yes.


4. How long since its last meal?
4 days


5. What type/size prey is being offered?
I offered him a fuzzy the last time, but he's thick enough around the middle that the next feed will be small mice.


6. How often do you offer food?
I've only offered the one so far-will offer again on Thursday.


7. What type and size of enclosure does it live in?
15 gallon glass tank with mesh lid.


8. What are you using as substrate? If it has depth, how deep is it?
Reptichip I think it's called. We put about an inch and a half or so on average (he likes to burrow in it)


9. What type of heating do you use?
2 source-the heating pad underneath and the lamp on the one side of the cage during the day time.


10. Do you use a thermostat to control temperatures?
Yes.


11. What do you use to measure/monitor temperatures?
It's a double thermostat that keeps track of temp and humidity.


12. What are the surface and ambient temperatures in the enclosure?
I'm not sure.


13. What is the average humidity level?
It fluctuates quite a bit (what I'm wanting to ask about is how to control it-more details soon)


14. How many and what type of hides does the snake have?
Just one at the moment-don't have a lot of room for 2 (we're looking into getting a larger tank for him very soon).


15. Is water readily available at all times?
Yes-cleaned daily and I try to keep the substrate moist and spray lightly twice a day or more thoroughly once a day.


16. Does the snake live alone or does it share the enclosure with anything else?
Alone.


17. How often and for how long is the snake typically handled?
He's been really good for us the few days we've had him-handle him almost every night for 30-60 minutes with no problems (only been a few nights he doesn't get handled because of being fed or not enough time).


18. Does the snake have any medical history (old injuries or illnesses)?
None that I'm aware of and the breeders (was referred to them by friends) didn't mention anything.


19. Do you have any other reptiles? Have you brought in any new reptiles recently?
No. Just this guy-he's my first snake and reptile.


20. Is there anything specific or unique about your situation that we should be aware of?
We have 4 dogs and his tank is currently on the overlook next to our kitchen sink (we're moving soon to our den that is more warm even during the nights to help control the warmth of the tank as well).

So like I said, first time reptile owner but have a great support group of friends that are cool to help out with things, but not close enough to see and be hands on type of helpful. That being said, we're having issues keeping the humidity regulated. I have the reptichip that was recommended by the breeder and worked really well the first few days. I noticed that it kept drying out so bought a squirt bottle to try and keep the moisture level in there higher, along with a piece of moss (which he occasionally uses as the cooler hide as well). I've seen it as low as 20% and directly after remoisturizing the substrate, it'll spike to 70%. But I'm having a hard time keeping it between 50 and 60%. He's got a decent sized water dish (not overly heavy or super deep, but there's enough water in there that it's not anywhere close to being gone even in 2 days time). We spent more than we planned on spending on him, and want him to be comfortable and happy, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
-Kris

[melcvt00]

Get some heavy duty foil and cover the top completely, except a circle just a smidgen larger than the heat lamp. Screen tops let out all the humidity.

You need to know what the temps are on your hot and warm side. Depending on what they are, and if they change at night, you may need to be leaving the lamp on top on all the time. A ceramic bulb provides heat without light. It can cause things to dry out a bit, but if the top is covered with foil, that will slow it down.

I am glad he is eating with all that handling - that long every night is a LOT for a snake that prefers to hide most of his life.

Is what you are using to measure temp and humidity with digital? It should be, and if it is on the hot side, it will always read low, even if the warm side is dripping wet.

Is there a thermostat probe between your heat pad and the bottom of the tank?

[Kaorte]

What kind of hygrometer are you using? could be that it is very inaccurate. More than likely, the lamp + screen lid is killing your humidity. You can put some foil over the screen like melcvt00 suggested, or you can put a piece of plexiglass over the screen if you want it to look a little nicer. You can buy a thin sheet of plexi at home depot and cut it with an acrylic cutter to fit the lid. Make sure to leave room for your lamp.

Something is throwing me off a bit here.

9. What type of heating do you use?
2 source-the heating pad underneath and the lamp on the one side of the cage during the day time.


10. Do you use a thermostat to control temperatures?
Yes.


11. What do you use to measure/monitor temperatures?
It's a double thermostat that keeps track of temp and humidity.


12. What are the surface and ambient temperatures in the enclosure?
I'm not sure.

I think you might be confused about what a thermostat is. A thermostat controls the temperature of the heatpad, while a thermometer measures the temperatures. You need both, especially when using a heating pad. It concerns me that your snake is burrowing to get closer to the UTH(under tank heater) that is unregulated. Please unplug the UTH until you can get it regulated with a thermostat. There are some good budget options out there if cost is an issue. Also please get some digital thermometers with probes so you know you are getting accurate readings. You don't want a cooked snake!

[Krystique]

Get some heavy duty foil and cover the top completely, except a circle just a smidgen larger than the heat lamp. Screen tops let out all the humidity.

You need to know what the temps are on your hot and warm side. Depending on what they are, and if they change at night, you may need to be leaving the lamp on top on all the time. A ceramic bulb provides heat without light. It can cause things to dry out a bit, but if the top is covered with foil, that will slow it down.

I am glad he is eating with all that handling - that long every night is a LOT for a snake that prefers to hide most of his life.

Is what you are using to measure temp and humidity with digital? It should be, and if it is on the hot side, it will always read low, even if the warm side is dripping wet.

Is there a thermostat probe between your heat pad and the bottom of the tank?

Gotchya. I may try the plexi glass instead honestly though-I'll keep it in mind as a temp use though.
I'll keep the ceramic bulb in mind if needed-knowing the temps is the first step.
I've heard different variations on how much snakes are handled. Obviously those with more, may not have the same amount of time dedicated to theirs. But we leave him be if he's startled or just wants to chill and have had no problems thus far about it otherwise-he's got impressive temperment and that was even noted from the breeders and friends that helped me get him.
It isn't digital. It's a piece that's just attached to the side of the tank in the middle (again, it's only about 2-3 feet long).
If I understand better of what that is (still getting used to all these new terms and pieces that are required), then yes, I do believe the heating pad we got for him came included with it.

To Karote...
I don't remember specifically the type or have the name of it, but it was one of the options at Petsmart. Measures temp too with needles and isn't digital. I definitely think the screen is causing issues keeping the humidity (we put a cloth over it more recently, but that's still going to absorb that moisture a bit anyway so isn't a solid fix to it by any stretch).

I think you're definitely right-again, my apologies, very new to all of this (so terms and items are still a bit rough for me); also a little nervous and read to quickly. But yes, there is a thermostat on the heating pad (we put it at about 90 cause it seems to shut off after a few degrees higher than that and turn back on a few degrees cooler than that).

If he's burrowing like this, does it mean the substrate is too thick for the heating pad? When I remoisturize it in the morning and evenings, I make a dip in it for him so he is a little closer naturally.

In terms of the probe(s), do I need a separate one from the heating pad to keep up with the cooler side of the tank?

Thank you guys, very much. I know I'm still new, and I feel guilty in hindsight for purchasing so quickly, but I wanna make it right. I'm already addicted to the community and my little boy.

[Kaorte]

I think ball pythons do really well when handled a lot compared to other species. As long as the snake eats regularly, you can handle it that much without issue.

First off, don't feel guilty. These are common mistakes for new keepers. Mistakes I made myself when I got my first snake. I got her from petsmart. I had her in a vertical glass tank with an unregulated heat mat and a lamp. I had one enormous hide and no digital thermometers. Finding this community really helped me fix my husbandry. I thought I did all the research I needed to before bringing home the snake, but there is just so much bad info out there.

Glad to hear you have a thermostat! That is very good Ditch the dial thermometers (analog with the needle). You will need at least one digital thermometer with a probe. I use these in my enclosures. Basically you want something that will take the ambient air temp (indoor) at the unit, and the hot spot temp (outdoor) with the probe.

There will always be a little difference between what you set your thermostat to and what the temp right on the surface of the enclosure is. For example, I have my thermostat set to 96ish to get a hot spot of 90-91.

They like to move the substrate, its not a big deal if he moves it around. generally you don't want it too thick because it can trap the heat. An inch or less is good.

[Slither Seeker]

what brand/model heating pad have you found with a thermostat/probe built in?

[Krystique]

I think ball pythons do really well when handled a lot compared to other species. As long as the snake eats regularly, you can handle it that much without issue.

First off, don't feel guilty. These are common mistakes for new keepers. Mistakes I made myself when I got my first snake. I got her from petsmart. I had her in a vertical glass tank with an unregulated heat mat and a lamp. I had one enormous hide and no digital thermometers. Finding this community really helped me fix my husbandry. I thought I did all the research I needed to before bringing home the snake, but there is just so much bad info out there.

Glad to hear you have a thermostat! That is very good Ditch the dial thermometers (analog with the needle). You will need at least one digital thermometer with a probe. I use these in my enclosures. Basically you want something that will take the ambient air temp (indoor) at the unit, and the hot spot temp (outdoor) with the probe.

There will always be a little difference between what you set your thermostat to and what the temp right on the surface of the enclosure is. For example, I have my thermostat set to 96ish to get a hot spot of 90-91.

They like to move the substrate, its not a big deal if he moves it around. generally you don't want it too thick because it can trap the heat. An inch or less is good.

Good to hear. As long as it isn't bad for him, then I'll continue to keep doing what I'm doing.

I can definitely see the bad info that you're talking about....and it's only been a few weeks since I started looking into all of this.

Thermometer is in my amazon cart as we speak.

Noted. I wasn't sure how hot it was actually reading (we just set it to 95ish I think or something around there-turned it down a little bit).

I may have to remove some of the substrate then, I think it's too thick-that might be why it's drying out so quickly too.

[Krystique]

what brand/model heating pad have you found with a thermostat/probe built in?

I honestly don't remember the brand-and I don't know if it came attached or not, but it was packaged together-I'll find out later for you.