Humity Problems

[noobler]

Hi all, I'm new to the forum and i just got a normal BP for christmas. right now i have her in a 10 gal tank with bark substrate and a heating lamp overhead. i've been having to spray down her tank every hour or so to keep the humidity up. whenever i don't spray it down the humidity drops to around 20%. i've covered 2/3 of the top of the tank with tin foil and i put moss in there in which i replace every day, this still doesn't seem to help much. I don't know what i'm doing wrong. I'll try to post tome pictures of the tank sometime today.

Thanks

[DavidG]

If you're using a stick on dial gauge it's problem wrong. I suggest not misting every hour because that's a easy way to cause respiratory infection and just wait on a shed. See how bad it is before you jump to conclusions. A softer bedding holds humidity better as well.

[Pandora]

What exactly are you using to measure the humidity?
If it's a stick-on, get rid of it ASAP and get a digital hygrometer

[keepzrollin]

or it can be the heat lamp killing the humidity

[noobler]

What exactly are you using to measure the humidity?
If it's a stick-on, get rid of it ASAP and get a digital hygrometer

Yea i'm using stick on gauges. I suppose i should get a digital one. Any suggestions for a cheap digi hydrometer/thermometer?

[keepzrollin]

this one is pretty good and cheap
Fluker's Digital Display Thermo-Hygrometer

[DutchHerp]

I suggest acu-rite...digital thermo/hygro with probe to go to the warm side of the cage..
11-13 bucks at walmart.

I use the Fluker's in one of my cage to measure only the cool side temps and the humidity. It's accurate as far as I'm concerned.

[Argentra]

The Acurite is a good one - in/out temps and humidity in one unit, usually costs around $12 at Walmart, Lowes, etc. The flukers is ok, but there's no probe so you just have ambient readings. ExoTerra also sells probed thermo and hygro meters.

Do you have the screen foil treated? If not, then you should do that (or fitted plexiglass) ASAP. It's the only sure way to keep humidity and temps stable in a glass tank. I have a picture tutorial on the foil treatment if you'd like.

Also, make sure the back and both sides of the tank are covered and add insulation to help further stabilizing.

[Mindibun]

Totally agree with Argentra 100% about insulating the tank. Glass doesn't hold heat well, so you have to help it.

As for the humidity issues - yes: change your hydrometers. The Accurite brand that everyone talks about is available at Walmart in the isle where they keep the thermometers and outdoor temp gauges and such. It lets you measure three things at once, all for $13. You can't beat that with a stick.

I would also recommend changing your bedding. The bark has been known to harbor bugs which can irritate, or, depending on the type of bug, infest the snake. Bedding such as aspen shavings will hold humidity better. However, the BEST thing for upping humidity is to get a wider bowl. It doesn't need to be deeper, just wider. If you're using a heat lamp, make sure the bowl is not directly under it. It will cause the water to evaporate very quickly. If you're using an under-the-tank heat source, then placing the water over the heat will make it evaporate as well, but will NOT take the humidity out of the air. Instead, it will linger there, thus raising the humidity in the tank.

Take a look at the care sheet here for more information. I believe there is also a care sheet specifically for setting up glass tanks. Good luck.

[ohyeahnow]

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...ctix_top1.jpeg

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...ctixvents.jpeg

http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/..._humidity.jpeg

works for me. shed time now and humidity is easy to keep between 60-70%