Placement of vents in an enclosure

[Mikoh4792]

What would happen to humidity/heat if I placed a few rows of drilled holes in the middle of the back wall? I've placed a few holes at the top for my snakes that need to retain heat, but lose a little humidity. Now I am working on my russian rat snakes enclosure, which requires both less heat and less humidity. Where should I put the vents?

It should be that so the enclosure doesn't get too hot in the summer but can hold it's own in the winter. I'm looking at ambient temps of 70-77f and the warmest spot will get 82f on the floor.

I know ambient temps and humidity inside my home will factor into this but I'm trying to know which placement of vents would work best for those requirements.

[SSSSnakes]

If you vent through the top, you lose heat and humidity. Venting through the sides helps to retain heat and humidity. Controlling the amount of ventilation is how you control your heat and humidity.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

If you vent through the top, you lose heat and humidity. Venting through the sides helps to retain heat and humidity. Controlling the amount of ventilation is how you control your heat and humidity.

That's weird. There was a thread a week ago about this and people said putting vents up top would retain heat and lose humidity.

What do you mean by sides. As in the side panels of the enclosure? Why not the back panel?

[SSSSnakes]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

That's weird. There was a thread a week ago about this and people said putting vents up top would retain heat and lose humidity.

What do you mean by sides. As in the side panels of the enclosure? Why not the back panel?

Heat rises and will be lost out of the top of the enclosure. If the top is solid then the heat goes up to the top and will equalize the static pressure in the enclosure and will maintain the heat better. By sides, I mean the front, back or other walls of the enclosure. Humidity is controlled by the amount of ventilation you have. The more ventilation you have the more the humidity can escape.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by Alex.m

Heat rises, therefore if there are vents on the top, that provides an escape. The back or the sides would help retain heat while ventilating. I have a vent on each side of my terrarium. The back wall would be fine too.

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

Heat rises and will be lost out of the top of the enclosure. If the top is solid then the heat goes up to the top and will equalize the static pressure in the enclosure and will maintain the heat better. By sides, I mean the front, back or other walls of the enclosure. Humidity is controlled by the amount of ventilation you have. The more ventilation you have the more the humidity can escape.

Sorry guys, I was not clear in my first post. I meant vent holes near the top on the back panel. Not on the actual top of the enclosure. It's where most vents are in commercial plastic caging.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by SSSSnakes

Heat rises and will be lost out of the top of the enclosure. If the top is solid then the heat goes up to the top and will equalize the static pressure in the enclosure and will maintain the heat better. By sides, I mean the front, back or other walls of the enclosure. Humidity is controlled by the amount of ventilation you have. The more ventilation you have the more the humidity can escape.

In that case let's say I put ventilation holes on the back panel. Would placing them near the bottom or top of the back panel be better for maintaining cooler conditions?

[SSSSnakes]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

In that case let's say I put ventilation holes on the back panel. Would placing them near the bottom or top of the back panel be better for maintaining cooler conditions?

Placing them closer to the top will make the enclosure cooler.

[kreaturekeeper]

Heat rises, therefore if there are vents on the top, that provides an escape. The back or the sides would help retain heat while ventilating. I have a vent on each side of my terrarium. The back wall would be fine too.