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vrysius
Snake mite
USA
14 Posts |
 Posted - 18/05/2009 : 22:33:04
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Hey everyone, I just want to preface this post by saying that I do not have my snake yet.
I just bought a sheet of plexiglass, and cut it around my lights and put it on top of my screen lid tank. It did nothing. I am pretty suprised, because I have heard that doing this works wonders. Misting brings the humidity up by about 5% for like 10 minutes, but then it goes back down. What else can I do to raise the humidity by 20%-ish for long periods of time?
Also, I will be getting my ceramic heat emitter in the mail tommorow, I'll try putting a water dish under it to see what that does.
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gingerpony
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
1442 Posts |
Posted - 19/05/2009 : 11:06:16
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what substrate are you using?
you need something that will retain moisture to maintain higher humidity, something like EcoEarth or Orchid bark, not sure what the US equivalents are though. |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder hypo boas, ratsnakes, cornsnakes, Day geckos
LOCATION: Leeds/York area
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Kazerella
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
721 Posts |
Posted - 19/05/2009 : 13:27:28
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That's strange, that usually works really well.
The ceramic should help though.
How often do you spray your tank? |
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vrysius
Snake mite
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 19/05/2009 : 23:14:43
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I got the CHE today, put a water dish under it, no results. I got it above 80% by spraying it, but that went away like 20 minutes later. I can't really spray it every 20 minutes and everything so yeah... at least I have my moisture box (which also didn't bring up the ambient humidity). But it is very tropical inside there. I'll toy around with some other stuff and see what happens.
I am using cypress mulch, which supposedly holds humidity very well. I might be switching to a lower wattage basking bulb depending on how much heat my CHE puts out, which could make a difference |
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gingerpony
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
1442 Posts |
Posted - 20/05/2009 : 08:43:09
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| how are you measuring the humidity? i've found the ExoTerra dials notoriously inaccurate! |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder hypo boas, ratsnakes, cornsnakes, Day geckos
LOCATION: Leeds/York area
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vrysius
Snake mite
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 20/05/2009 : 19:45:11
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| I have the petco brand, but I'm beginning to think that it isn't the most accurate. I did place it in the middle (height-wise) of the tank wall. The ground is literally damp from the misting but it will still only read like 60%, I can't see how it's possible for it to be that low. |
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gingerpony
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
1442 Posts |
Posted - 20/05/2009 : 21:59:41
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| is it dial or digi? digital are definitely best! |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder hypo boas, ratsnakes, cornsnakes, Day geckos
LOCATION: Leeds/York area
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Kazerella
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
721 Posts |
Posted - 21/05/2009 : 11:10:36
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I agree. I had 2 dial humidity gauges and both registered different humidity in the same place. Buying a digital one was the best thing I ever did.  |
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Brittany
Snake mite
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 21/05/2009 : 22:03:57
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I would recommend a digital hygrometer (great because it reads both temperature and humidity). You can buy one online. I just recently got cypress mulch as a replacement for the newspaper I had been using, and I recommend it, my humidity stays around 80-90+ now. Though be sure if you use any other barky substrate to feed your snake in a different container or on paper or something so they do not swallow it.
Is your vivarium wooden or glass? I've heard that wooden enclosures hold humidity much better. I also use a ceramic bulb, but only a red one - the light one dried up the air too quickly, and it was a little useless anyway, as it burnt out by the second week. |
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vrysius
Snake mite
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 22/05/2009 : 00:16:15
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I'm pretty sure the gage is accurate, it reads about the same as the relative humidity that the weather channel says. I might get A digital one anyways, just so I have two thermometers. Could there be a problem with the placement? It's about halfway up the wall of the tank (which is glass, by the way), if the substrate is moist the humidity would have to be good on the ground, right?
I'll also be getting a lower wattage incandescent bulb, my 75 watt is heating it up too much, I'll put a 60 in and see if that helps any.
Also, would switching substrates to sphagnum moss be beneficial? I could do that, but I don't think the problem is the substrate, because cypress is supposed to hold humidity well.
I can't get a new terrarium, I don't really have the funds or the time to build something like that right now. I'm just wondering where all the humidity goes. I spray it and it goes up to 75%, but then it quickly equalizes with the relative humidity. There are only small spots where the plexiglass doesn't cover the screen, maybe covering those up somehow would help. |
Edited by - vrysius on 22/05/2009 00:19:02 |
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Kazerella
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
721 Posts |
Posted - 22/05/2009 : 09:32:33
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Is there anyway you could block some of the ventilation?
Rainbows will need cleaning out more often without ventilation, but it wil help keep the humidity in. |
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vrysius
Snake mite
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 22/05/2009 : 23:25:59
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I moved the humidity and temp gauges down closer to the ground, and the humidity guage away from the basking area, it is a little better, but on the ground the temp is fine, so I won't be switching to a lower wattage. I have nearly all the ventilation blocked. I ran the humidifier all day on high, but it didn't help, I also threw bits of sphagnum moss in to hold moisture, they dried up. I'm running out of options... :(
Also I stuck my face near the cage, the moss is making it smell kind of strong. It is also very strong in the humidity hide (that's all I have in there). This won't be harmful at all will it? |
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Kazerella
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
721 Posts |
Posted - 23/05/2009 : 17:03:55
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No, moss does stink. You should smell my egg incubator. It stinks  |
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vrysius
Snake mite
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 23/05/2009 : 17:48:51
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| Well, the moss is helping, I can get it up to 75 for about 2.5 hours. I also put a tiny plastic dish in, put sphagnum moss in it and filled it up with water to completely saturate the moss, then put it under my light. It helps a little. I also have a flat rock that I spray and it evaporates the water quickly. |
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vrysius
Snake mite
USA
14 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2009 : 23:42:19
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Well I got this genius idea to cut a hole in the side of the tank, install a vent, then run a duct from the vent to the fan of the humidifier, essentially pumping humidity in. The problem is it will cost $40 to get the stupid hole cut, plus whatever the vent and ducting cost, which will be subtracted from my snake fund. (which I am still waiting for a quote on)
Things are looking like I'll be getting my snake this weekend, which is good. |
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Kazerella
Forum Admin
United Kingdom
721 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2009 : 13:48:09
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Have you put some live plants in? They seem to help with the humidity too.
Good luck with getting your new snake. Can't wait for the pictures |
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Humidity Help?
