Mold Problem!

[picklepapa702]

I have a BRB, I an keeping it in a 20 gal tank with a mesh lid that i have covered with plexiglass to help with humidity i am able to keep the humidity around 80% and the warm side of the cage is 87°. I have a waterfall i built on the cool side with a peice of treated wood i bought at an exotic pet store by recommendation, my problem is that even after cleaning with a bleach solution it continues to grow mold in only a few days and I'm afraid for my snakes health how do i prevent this?

[Kid Boa]

I keep mine in a Sterilite tube they are awesome of holding humidity. I use a mixture of eco-earth and Cyprus mulch for substrate. When I mix my eco-earth I put a small amount of ReptiSafe Water Conditioner in it or F10.

All his plants, hides and waters dishes are plastic not wood.

I never have had any mold.

Hope this helps.

[formica]

what kind of mold is it? furry-stringy white and/or green/white blotches? you dont have to worry to much about these, they will clear up after a while, you can use a sponge to remove them if you want, and you could add some springtails to the enclosure, they will help clear it up faster and will help keep future outbreaks undercontrol

if you are worried, then soak the wood in water with a bit of bleach, for 2-3 days, then put in the oven @ 100C for a few hours - you may still get mold again tho, its a common occourance with wood in a humid vivarium, and its why its best to let a humid vivarium cycle for 4-6 weeks before adding any reptiles to it

[Snakesitter]

Pickle, you should drop your warm end temp by a few degrees. 87F is courting trouble. I set my high end at 82F, and only offer more for gravid females.

As for the mold...it's the price of using real wood. I had some fish tank wood do the same a few years back, and it was a real pain. Time is the only real solution, unfortunately.

Good luck!

[picklepapa702]

Thanks for the help i dropped the temp and got rid of the real wood and replaced it with a fish tank lo and have had no problems since :)

[Snakesitter]

Happy to help, and glad everything worked out!