Air hole size...Ventilation...

succinct · 07-10-14, 06:06 PM

Sorry for the title. I did a search and nothing turned up.

We are currently keeping two Epicrates cenchria gaigei ( for the sake of argument, lets say they do exist). They are less then 4 months old and I know they need high humidity.

After reading everything I could find. The only advice is, limited air flow, restricted air flow, and little air flow.

So what exactly is that. How much air do they really need?

I have them in 8 quart containers with a damp hide and water dish. I drilled a few 1/8 inch holes, 4 holes each container. The top is pretty loose, I have a wire tie down on them.

How much is too much? How much is too little?

What do they need to breathe?

franks · 07-10-14, 06:53 PM

Your humidity Guage is the best answer to this. Whatever keeps your humidity WITHOUT having to mist the cage. 8 quarts seems awfully small. What are the dimensions. You need enough room to provide a heat gradient of sorts.

succinct · 07-10-14, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franks

Your humidity Guage is the best answer to this. Whatever keeps your humidity WITHOUT having to mist the cage. 8 quarts seems awfully small. What are the dimensions. You need enough room to provide a heat gradient of sorts.

The warm side is 80 degrees the cold side is 73. Temp gun and 2 probes. Also hooked to the thermostat. The size is about 14x8x5. The box was the same that the breeder used. I do have a 25 q that is 19x15x7. But it seemed like a lot of box for a little snake. Do you think that would be best?

The humidity is about 90%, I was wondering how many holes I could drill before it would start dropping. Don't want to get to that 1 too many hole problem.

Thanks for the your time.

SSSSnakes · 07-10-14, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by succinct

The warm side is 80 degrees the cold side is 73. Temp gun and 2 probes. Also hooked to the thermostat. The size is about 14x8x5. The box was the same that the breeder used. I do have a 25 q that is 19x15x7. But it seemed like a lot of box for a little snake. Do you think that would be best?

The humidity is about 90%, I was wondering how many holes I could drill before it would start dropping. Don't want to get to that 1 too many hole problem.

Thanks for the your time.

Drill your holes in the side of the container and not the top to keep humidity. If you drill to many holes, then cover them over from the outside with tape. You'll have to keep checking your temps and humidity to see how many holes are just right.

franks · 07-11-14, 04:46 AM

And make sure you are vigilant with cleaning that thing. Humidity that high in a plastic box is going to start growing stuff. Alot of breeders recommend very small enclosures for hatchling until they are eating regularly. If that's what he told you I do not know enough about BRB to disagree.

Snakesitter · 07-11-14, 02:01 PM

^^ What he said about holes: sides, not top.

Less is more. Better to drill fewer and add than to drill too many and have to cover with tape.

That said, your temp gradient and humidity are pretty close to optimal. I'd bump the high end temp up two degrees, and the humidity up another 3-5%.

Snakesitter · 07-11-14, 02:03 PM

Frank, that is common advice on enclosure size, but not entirely accurate: snakes get comfort from having enough correctly-sized hiding places, not from a small enclosure overall. Otherwise, they'd never survive in the wild!

(Regular cleaning, however, is spot on!)

franks · 07-11-14, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakesitter

Frank, that is common advice on enclosure size, but not entirely accurate: snakes get comfort from having enough correctly-sized hiding places, not from a small enclosure overall. Otherwise, they'd never survive in the wild!

(Regular cleaning, however, is spot on!)

That is 100% my philosophy but everyone keeps telling me I am wrong lol. I make my own enclosures so they tend to be on the larger size.

sharthun · 07-11-14, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franks

That is 100% my philosophy but everyone keeps telling me I am wrong lol. I make my own enclosures so they tend to be on the larger size.

I totally agree. It's the available cover that's important. I will be housing my new hatchling Eastern king snake in a 48x24x15 inch enclosure.

franks · 07-11-14, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharthun

I totally agree. It's the available cover that's important. I will be housing my new hatchling Eastern king snake in a 48x24x15 inch enclosure.

Awesome! Make sure you post pics of that setup

sharthun · 07-11-14, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franks

Awesome! Make sure you post pics of that setup

Oh I will!

succinct · 07-11-14, 10:22 PM

Everything I have read about this species says smaller is better.

moonlightboas

"Babies can thrive in something as simple as a plastic shoe box/storage container."

Rainbow-boas-r-us

"I put these babies directly into shoe boxes with damp paper towels and water bowl."

unicornunchained rainbow_care
"For the first few months babies can be kept in plastic shoe boxes, one snake per box."

Even Jeff Clark says "They will do well kept individually in plastic shoeboxes until they are about 24 inches long and can then be moved into larger plastic storage containers or box type cages."

I do have a other containers in the house, but thought that going with what the breeder is using after the stress of the move would help them settle in.

Snakesitter- I bumped them up to 82 degrees on the warm side, 76 on the cold side. I also added a humidity box with sphagnum moss for extra humidity.

Honestly, I plan on a larger container but only had them in the house for 2 days. And smaller means easier to heat and easier to keep the humidity up.

Snakesitter · 07-15-14, 02:01 PM

Your temperature and humidity adjustments sound good.

As for enclosure size, I was replying to the idea of these animals *only* thriving in small enclosures, which is false.

If you read the wording, keep in mind two things:

One, the care sheets say *can*...not *must*. I keep my babies in smaller drawers as well, but they would do fine in a larger space.

Two, all of these quotes are from breeders, who have an inherent bias towards smaller enclosures -- it makes it quicker and easier both to clean and keep an eye on the babies.

For the record, I have no issue with using a smaller home on a temporary basis for babies and even young juvies...as noted, I do so myself, and you can too. That said, I strongly feel that older snakes deserve more space.

Good luck!