Aspen or Cypress

daver676 · 09-02-03, 09:49 AM

Which of these substrates is better for holding humidity in a screen top tank?

Dave

mango · 09-02-03, 10:30 AM

the cypress works the best for me and it's not as bad to make a mess when spot cleaning, etc. The aspen was always all over my floor. I think they are both about the same with holding humidity. Not sure. Hope i've helped.

Jeff_Favelle · 09-02-03, 04:05 PM

Neither. Substrate isn't your worry. A water-retaining substrate is a band-aid "solution" that doesn't fix your problem. Your problem is your screen top Fix that, and you won't need a band-aid.

Invictus · 09-02-03, 04:46 PM

If you have the water source in contact with the heat source (Right over the UTH, or right under the heat lamp), your screen top won't matter. The humidity WILL stay at a constant 80% or more.

HetForHuman · 09-02-03, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Invictus
If you have the water source in contact with the heat source (Right over the UTH, or right under the heat lamp), your screen top won't matter. The humidity WILL stay at a constant 80% or more.

Sorry Invictus i do not agree with this.
i tried this before and the hudity still was not what i needed.
you will have to refill that water everyday, and most likely the snake will not drink this water either.

plus all the humidity will still be leaving the enclosure through the top. so in my opinion this is not the best.

the best way would to get a rubbermaid or build your own enclosure.
here is a pic of my enclosure for my ball python and it is awesome, holds humidity great. and only cost me about 50 bucks to build.

if you want to know what i used and how to build it let me know i will gladly tell you.

daver676 · 09-02-03, 07:05 PM

Well I plan on using the tank until she out grows it. It's only a 15 gallon, so it shouldn't be long. I just wanted a substrate that looked more natural than newspaper.

Thanks for the replies.

Dave

**Andy_G** · 09-02-03, 07:09 PM

Ball pythons don't need high humidity all the time. 40-60% is an acceptable range for most of the time, and raising it in the mid 70's with a humid hide in shed works, even in a screen top aquarium, but I also hate aquariums for many reasons, mainly because they are heavy and don't hold humidity too well, and im going to get away from them myself.

Jeff_Favelle · 09-02-03, 07:59 PM

Quote:

If you have the water source in contact with the heat source (Right over the UTH, or right under the heat lamp), your screen top won't matter. The humidity WILL stay at a constant 80% or more.

But what if your Ball Python wants cool water to drink? Or what if your BP wants a cool, humid area to be in? Now you're going to have multiple water dishes in the cage? Point is, anything can be done, but why go through all the trouble? Rubbermaid that thing and don't look back.

OR.......... you could beat your head against a wall and do things the hard way. Either way, it makes no difference, heh heh....

mango · 09-02-03, 11:24 PM

don't forget the wet towel on part of the screen top trick. worked great for me.

marisa · 09-02-03, 11:40 PM

Besides won't a tank with a screen lid, that has a water source under a lamp indeed make things more humid but just allow all the humidity to escape into your room? A screen lid can't hold any humidity in there even if there is a humiderfier in the cage.....

Marisa

HetForHuman · 09-02-03, 11:48 PM

im just going by my experiences.

it may bring up the humidity in the whole room.

but everything i tried like that gave me bad sheds everytime.
when i moved my snakes into the enclosures i made and rubbermaids, i have had a perfect shed everytime and i do not have to worry about misting and messing with water bowls everyday.

marisa · 09-03-03, 09:54 AM

That's what I am saying. In my pet room I could have a bucket of water with a lamp over it. But inside that bucket it won't be anymore hummid as the humidity just escapes out the top. Same as a tank with a screen lid....you could have a tank with a screen lid and have a darn humidifier in there under a lamp and the humidity wouldnt just stay in the tank it would go into the entire room.

So I am sure a heat source does make humidity, but with a screen lid like on a tank it doesn't matter IMHO.

I will and still believe, Tanks are for fish.

Marisa

BurmBaroness · 09-03-03, 10:18 AM

A damp towel over 1/2 of the screen top works wonders, if you have a humidity problem. Since you're only using the 15 till the BP outgrows it, I'd suggest you try that.

Invictus · 09-03-03, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by HetForHuman
it may bring up the humidity in the whole room.

but everything i tried like that gave me bad sheds everytime.
when i moved my snakes into the enclosures i made and rubbermaids, i have had a perfect shed everytime and i do not have to worry about misting and messing with water bowls everyday.

I'm going by mine too. My BCI never had a perfect shed until I put a water dish under his heat lamp. (He had a bigger water dish to drink out of with much cooler water.) And I didn't have to mess with the water dish "every day"... more like every 3 days, which is really not that much of a hassle.

Marisa - you're partly right and partly dead wrong. Yes, the humidity does escape out the top, and yes it does raise the humidity of the room it is in. However, humidity is heavier than air - thus it SINKS. More of the humidity will hit the top of the screen and sink than will escape. Additionally, because the rate of depletion is exactly the same as the rate of evaporation, everything between the water source and the top barrier (whether that's the room or just the screen lid) maintains a constant humidity. It's very basic science.