Snakes with little to no humidity

ede618 · 09-07-12, 09:21 AM

Hey everyone. It's been a while since I've been on here.

Basically I'm looking for a snake with little to no humidity requirements at all, such as desert snakes. I had to donate my ball python to a reptile breeder because he was prone to URIs. I had him treated once and two weeks later he got it again.

My question is what type is snakes are tolerant of low humidity levels? I cannot afford foggers or misters so I'd rather keep the enclosure dry. I have a 29 gallon tank and a 40 breeder tank that I'd like to keep the snake in for the entirety of its life.

I have looked into sand boas and to be honest, the way they look freaks me out a bit lol. If that's my only choice I will make due but any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Please no suggestions on humidity tricks. I know all the tricks and truly just have no time to keep up w them. So just suggestions on types please. Thanks!!!!

StudentoReptile · 09-07-12, 09:39 AM

There are ways to maintain humidity without expensive foggers and humidifiers.

I would be willing to bet that you're keeping your snake(s) in glass tanks with screen tops. That is the bulk of the problem right there. This set-up works well for some snakes, but not for others. Ball pythons do fall within the latter group.

Most North American colubrids would do fine in such a set-up, although many of them are not exclusively "desert" species: cornsnakes, pine snakes, garter snakes, brown snakes, water snakes, kingsnakes, etc.

If you are deadset on a "desert" snake, look into the western subspecies of Lampropeltis getula (California kingsnakes, desert kings, Mexican black kings). There's also gopher & bull snakes, rosy boas, sand boas, western hognose snakes.
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Another idea is to cover the top of the aquarium, and/or find an alternative top. Find a way to close it up and conserve all that heat and humidity wifting away out the top of that screen mesh. That will solve some of your humidity problem. Believe me, there are plenty of snake keepers in NY and not all of them keep "desert" snakes. This problem you have is an easy one to fix.

ede618 · 09-07-12, 09:45 AM

The ball python was my first snake and I think I was just unlucky with him bring prone to RIs

StudentoReptile · 09-07-12, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ede618

The ball python was my first snake and I think I was just unlucky with him bring prone to RIs

Perhaps.

This is nothing against you personally, but in my experience, a lot of new hobbyists immediately bring their baby BP home, set them up in a 10-gal tank with a bright basking light, maybe one hide and maybe a hot rock or undertank heat pad. They handle it constantly and wonder why it never eats. There's no way to control humidity in this set-up, and they wonder why the snake always sheds in pieces and/or gets RIs. [I used to work at a pet shop for 10+ yrs and dealt with this all the time.]

The glass tank for ball pythons simply does not work well IMHO.

bcoop1234 · 09-07-12, 09:56 AM

Ya, Student hit the nail on the head. I have a corn and king and don't even bother checking their humidity levels and they both eat great and have full complete sheds. I do leave a large bowl of water that they can get into if they want, but that's about it.

MoreliAddict · 09-07-12, 10:01 AM

Western Hognose are fun desert snakes...

infernalis · 09-07-12, 10:07 AM

I have never concerned myself with humidity for my garters, corn, racer or milks, and they are all thriving.

StudentoReptile · 09-07-12, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcoop1234

I have a corn and king and don't even bother checking their humidity levels and they both eat great and have full complete sheds. I do leave a large bowl of water that they can get into if they want, but that's about it.

Yeah, in fact, I've had a few kingsnakes that actually did better in tanks than they did in tubs.

ede618 · 09-07-12, 10:29 AM

Actually I kept him in a 40 breeder because he was full grown and he never had any problems eating, he always shed in one full piece and always soaked. He had two hides, a huge dish to soak in and half of the top was covered. I was doing everything perfectly but he still kept getting RIs.

I appreciate all the suggestions!

StudentoReptile · 09-07-12, 10:34 AM

The larger the tank, the harder it is to control the humidity. That's a big wide open tank that still only had half the top covered.

Not trying to point out all your errors, just the design flaws of a large aquarium as a habitat for a ball python.

ede618 · 09-07-12, 10:51 AM

No I agree. I made a lot of errors and buying a ball as my first snake probably wasn't my best decision

Kaetlinv · 09-07-12, 10:59 AM

My brother has his 1 year old corn snake female in a 40tall tank with several hides and lots of decoration and climbing options, and she does fine and he pretty much ignores the humidity levels except when she's going into shed and then he pays attention to it. She's done great from the start, she's a fantastic eater, sheds whole and well and is a sweetheart with handling. She's got access to water constantly too.

In other words, I agree that a corn (and the others, but I haven't kept those so I can't speak for those ^.^' ) would be a good 'dry humidity' option.

About the ball pythons...

Tanks I believe, can work for Ball pythons, if you're willing to work with the screen lids due to no other options. I have three BP's and they're all in screen lid tops...They're not in perfect conditions but I do the best I can for not being able to get them proper lids. I have rags / towels covering at least 1/2 to 3/4 of the screen lids, and pour water over these and into the enclosure, I also use Eco-earth coco husk substrate to try and help with humidity. I dip my hand into any of their tanks and it feels like I've stuck it into a mini-sauna (best I could think of as a comparison, haha). I got valentine from a pet store and she's been in tanks her entire life, and she's big and healthy.
I'm pretty sure my success is by luck, but screen lids can work if you're willing to work with them. Although I've read a few tips on here I'm considering trying - wrapping parts of the screen mesh in plastic wrap (whatever that stuff is called, haha).

StudentoReptile · 09-07-12, 11:02 AM

Ball pythons by themselves are not necessarily bad beginner snakes. Its mostly the pet store selling point mentality that all reptiles will be fine in a glass tank...and they're not. The glass tank has always been the conventional habitat for herps, and after several decades, we are slooowwwly (the industry as a whole) are realizing that it doesn't work. But you're not going to find rack systems, and plastic tubs, and Neodesha & Vision cages in your nearest petsmart or Petco. They sell glass tanks, and that is what they push as suitable reptile enclosures.

Even if you google "ball python care sheet" half the information you come across will probably suggest a 20-40 gallon tank...am I right?

So don't beat yourself up to much for getting a BP as your first snake. Heck, that was my first snake, too, and guess what I set him up in....a glass tank! Now 20 yrs later, I know better. But you're just going by what you were probably told.

StudentoReptile · 09-07-12, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaetlinv

Tanks I believe, can work for Ball pythons, if you're willing to work with the screen lids due to no other options. I have three BP's and they're all in screen lid tops...They're not in perfect conditions but I do the best I can for not being able to get them proper lids. I have rags / towels covering at least 1/2 to 3/4 of the screen lids, and pour water over these and into the enclosure, I also use Eco-earth coco husk substrate to try and help with humidity. I dip my hand into any of their tanks and it feels like I've stuck it into a mini-sauna (best I could think of as a comparison, haha). I got valentine from a pet store and she's been in tanks her entire life, and she's big and healthy.
I'm pretty sure my success is by luck, but screen lids can work if you're willing to work with them. Although I've read a few tips on here I'm considering trying - wrapping parts of the screen mesh in plastic wrap (whatever that stuff is called, haha).

You're right, they can "work" with a little resourcefulness...but many new keepers lack the foresight or intuition to do so.

infernalis · 09-07-12, 11:14 AM

My BP is in a 55 gallon tank, But I built a solid plywood top with no air vents. Then I use a very large diameter water bowl & the entire room is heated.

Never had a bad shed, he always eats, and as expected always hides.