Blasted MN winters..... [humidity problems]

[Jessi3825]

So the humidity was perfect for my BP... Until the first snow fall and the dramtic weather drop/change. I currently have a damp cloth at all times wrapped around the middle bar of my 55 gallon tank(which really helped the humidity in the fall), I've put some spagnium(i think it's called) moss, which helped at first when we couldn't get the humidity right, I also periodically spray the edges of the tank... Now the humidity it way below, and she's going through a shed cycle. Having a rather hard time trying to get the humidity up. Any other suggestions?

[Melicious]

So the humidity was perfect for my BP... Until the first snow fall and the dramtic weather drop/change. I currently have a damp cloth at all times wrapped around the middle bar of my 55 gallon tank(which really helped the humidity in the fall), I've put some spagnium(i think it's called) moss, which helped at first when we couldn't get the humidity right, I also periodically spray the edges of the tank... Now the humidity it way below, and she's going through a shed cycle. Having a rather hard time trying to get the humidity up. Any other suggestions?

Could we please get some pictures, please?

[Jessi3825]

Sure thing! Pictures are below... The temp/humidity when I took the pics is/was.. 92F 38%(warm side) 82F 52%(cool side). I have plastic wrap and tin foil on the top of the cage(besides where the heat lamp is) to help keep the heat in.


Overall setup
The cloth, damp
The moss
Section of warm side


We recently add some of the foilage of the leaves, their fake, but we figure it'll help her feel more comforable. We'll end up buy more, I'm sure.

[python.princess]

Do you have a UTH? Ball pythons prefer belly heat and the heat lamps can suck up a lot of humidity!


I'm from WI so I know what you're going through!

[Jessi3825]

Do you have a UTH?

Oh yeah, I have a large UTH for the warm side. It definally did its job before I got the snake in early fall, but obviously I had to get the heat lamp

[jknudson]

The humidity doesn't really have to constantly be perfect. When we (Python.princess and I) have a snake in shed, we just make sure to mist the cage a few times per day, once per day for the snakes in rack systems.

Also, cover as much of your screen top as possible on the tank, you're going to lose a lot of humidity just through the screen top, and i'd personally remove the heat lamp. It'll just suck out any humidity in the tank, counter productive IMHO and with a correctly controlled UTH you shouldn't need a heat lamp. Otherwise what you can do is create a humid hide. If it's for an adult...dampen a bunch of Sphagnum moss and then put an overturned cat litter pan with an enterance cut on top of that, it should hold humidity well enough during the shed cycle to help aid the snake.

And another recommendation, for a snake that size, he could probably do better off in a smaller enclosure for one, it is hard enough to control the temperatures in an aquarium that large this time of year. Otherwise add lots of hides, make em snug.

[MarkS]

I know what you mean about the humidity, I've got a pump up garden sprayer that I give my tubs a shot with every week in the worst parts of the Winter. That seems to be enough for most of them but I still get a lot of bad sheds. I also agree with the others about getting rid of the heat lamp. Those things really dry the air out a lot.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Ball pythons prefer belly heat

That's something I wouldn't agree to, they don't care as long as their ambient temp is right.

Anyway, if there is UTH, the water bowl should be placed on top of it, without any substrate beneath it. That'll heat up the water slightly and increase humidity by up to 15 percentage points.

[WizzySRT10]

I'm having the same issue although I have a slightly smaller tank and use UTH only. I soak the moss for about 30 mins or longer and put it around the tank and spray it when it dries out to keep humidity up. You don't have to have exactly 70 percent. I've had mine shed in 60 percent.

[Jessi3825]

If I don't have the heat lamp, I tend to not have an accurate temp. It's usually really low. I toyed around with the heat before I even went out and got her. I also have the platic wrap over the screen on the lid, fallowed byt the tin foil to help keep heat and humidity in, which is a big help. As for the humid hide ideas I'll give them a try. She seems to like the heat lamp more then the UTH though. She's always basking in the tree thing under the heat lamp on the branches during the night(if you noticed in the pictures). She seems to be doing well with her shed though. thanks for the sugestions