Docter's Orders!

[Herpkid101x]

Yesterday whle i was at the vet with my ball python i had mentioned that the snake had had incomplete sheds ever since i have owned him. I told him that the humidity is 50-60 in day and 60-70 at night and he said its too low and that it should be 75. I have a humidity box(which is spahgum moss inside a show box) and a water bowl large enough for him to soak in. He has been using it for a couple of weeks before he shed which he did last Saturday. I try misting the cage but it only stays high for like 10 minutes. Could i use a Humidifier that i can buy from Petco because it looks like it can do the job and is a reasonable price of $19.79

[Joe]

what kind of enclosure are you using? if its a screen top aquarium try covering some of the top, leave some exposed for air movement but if you cover the top a little more it will create less area for the humidity to escape, good luck and keep us posted

[SerpentLust]

When I had problem sheds with my amazons, I covered 3/4 of the top of the tank with a damp towel. Worked wonders. Of course, you could just change his enclosure to a rubbermaid which will hole humidity a lot better.

Jenn

[Herpkid101x]

what kind of enclosure are you using? if its a screen top aquarium try covering some of the top, leave some exposed for air movement but if you cover the top a little more it will create less area for the humidity to escape, good luck and keep us posted i use a screen top cage but the problem is that the heat lamp on the top of the cage takes up most of it

[SerpentLust]

i use a screen top cage but the problem is that the heat lamp on the top of the cage takes up most of it

Well there's another issue right there. Using a heat lamp will dry up the air. If you can afford it, I would get myself an under tank heater, you will notice a big difference.

[Herpkid101x]

i already have an undertank heater! : ) so do i just put a towel over half of the top? also does it have to be a damp towel or does it just add extra humidity if like that?

[mykee]

Extra humidity is good in your case. Cover up as much as you can without completely restricting airflow.

[The Snake Guru]

All interesting points, the heat lamp, heat pad combo is usually needed in most households to keep temps up.

Covering up part of the tank lid is a fine idea....you actually do it for just the shed cycle as well to raise the humidity.

I forget what type of substrate do you use? Looking into a substrate that holds more humidity would be another option.

the room humidifier is also a good one, I have humidifiers in every one of my snake rooms.

~B~

[SerpentLust]

That's strange to me that the lamp/pad combo is needed. I have never, ever needed to use more than a UTH, they've always made a great hot spot and my ambient temps have always been good, and I'm in Northern Ontario. lol

[The Snake Guru]

LOL, must keep your house very warm then! I do the same with my reptile rooms.

~B~

[Herpkid101x]

All interesting points, the heat lamp, heat pad combo is usually needed in most households to keep temps up.

Covering up part of the tank lid is a fine idea....you actually do it for just the shed cycle as well to raise the humidity.

I forget what type of substrate do you use? Looking into a substrate that holds more humidity would be another option.

the room humidifier is also a good one, I have humidifiers in every one of my snake rooms.

~B~
i use aspen snake bedding for my snake. so would the undertank heater and the heat bulbs on top with the humidifier be good enough? Also you said to put the towel over the cage only during the shed cycle but could you have both the towel on top of the cage only during shed and the humidifier all the time?

[Herpkid101x]

Another question for everyone is it ok to switch a snakes lighting heat source from a red bulbs to regular light bulbs? I dont think it matters but i just want to be sure. The lizard has the regular light bulb and the snake has the two red. The one on the lizards cage makes the same amount of heat as the two on the snakes cage put together. So i was thinkin i can switch the two since lizards cant see red light and i could just turn of the regular light bulb of for the snake at night. Doing that i can have more room for the towels on the snakes cage since his heating source is kinda big.

[SerpentLust]

LOL, must keep your house very warm then! I do the same with my reptile rooms.

~B~

Yeah I really do LOL I belong in Australia or something haha Seeing as how most my reptiles are from there anyways

[The Snake Guru]

Another question for everyone is it ok to switch a snakes lighting heat source from a red bulbs to regular light bulbs? I dont think it matters but i just want to be sure. The lizard has the regular light bulb and the snake has the two red. The one on the lizards cage makes the same amount of heat as the two on the snakes cage put together. So i was thinkin i can switch the two since lizards cant see red light and i could just turn of the regular light bulb of for the snake at night. Doing that i can have more room for the towels on the snakes cage since his heating source is kinda big.

It does make a difference, using the red style bulbs keeps you day/night cycle in check....if you use a regular light bulb all the time....well it'll be like daytime 24-7 not something you want to do. If you need more space...look into a differnt style bulb that puts off more heat, or a larger bulb or ceramic heat emitter.

Yeah I really do LOL I belong in Australia or something haha Seeing as how most my reptiles are from there anyways

LOL I hear that! 80 to 82 degrees up here year round! Love it in the winter time! LOL

~B~

[SerpentLust]

Another question for everyone is it ok to switch a snakes lighting heat source from a red bulbs to regular light bulbs? I dont think it matters but i just want to be sure. The lizard has the regular light bulb and the snake has the two red. The one on the lizards cage makes the same amount of heat as the two on the snakes cage put together. So i was thinkin i can switch the two since lizards cant see red light and i could just turn of the regular light bulb of for the snake at night. Doing that i can have more room for the towels on the snakes cage since his heating source is kinda big.

I wouldn't put the normal light bulb on the snake. If you need more heat, use a ceramic heat emitter, but make sure it's attached to a dimmer or thermostat, I have a nasty scar from being burned really badly from a ceramic heat emitter.

[Herpkid101x]

Well everyone i bought a humidifier. The bad news is that it needs an air pump. I asked one of the people at the store where the air pumps were and they told me but didnt show me what they looked like. At the time i thought the pump was just tubing so i brought that over to him and said is this what im looking for and he said yea. On the instruction manual for the humidifier it has a diagram of the pump and it looks nothing like what i got so i gotta go return the tubing and get the pump. Lets hope this time i get the "right" thing

[Joe]

only problem with using a humidifier is, since your young im assuming the reptiles are in your room? with heat lights blasting and reg summertime humidity allready high, you might end up not sleepin so well, humidity can make it very uncomfortable for sleeping, astma or anything else can be effected, I liked the idea of substituting the substrate for something more humidity friendly, covering the top, larger water bowl, damp sphagnum in a humid hide, and a new light, you can buy reptile bulbs and as long as they are put on a timer and the photoperiod stays consistant then it will have no ill effects on your animal, besides this im extremly happy your doing anything possible to make your snake as comfortable as possible to often i see people treating there animals with little respect or appreciation, best of luck and keep us posted, I hope to see you 10 years from now as a big wig in the hobby! happy herping bud!

[Herpkid101x]

yea the lizard and snake are both in my room and i dont have astma.My mom say i take so good care of them that they are my children lol.