Rattlesnakes also suffer from dehydration in top heated well ventilated cages. But to a lesser degree. Hognose have thicker skin then kings, and suffer somewhere between kings and rattlesnakes. Top heated open cages are not good for any kind of snake.
The key to understanding is, all snakes are concerned with dehydration and each and everyday of their wild lifes, is based on staying hydrated.
I totally agree with your test and your conclusions, even if your very early in the game. But there are more possibilities then just a moisture box.
The first is, fix the cage. These cages we use are only a tool to do what WE want. There are no laws, rules or even suggestions that cages cannot be modified to work BETTER, then their original design. With glass tanks, toss the original lid setup. Buy some plexi or lexan(polycarbonate) and make your. Use such tools as hot glue, or silicone to fix the lid to the top, make a hinged door. Install lites inside the cage. Limit ventilation.
One thought comes to mind. Normally snake want to be, dry and humid. In nature, permanent shelters, ones they use over and over for long periods of time. Are normally between 50 and 60% humidity. And without air loss. Temporary shelters are no so restricted, they have have lower, or higher humidity, but snakes normally avoid both Dry conditions and wet conditions to shelter in. I would like to thank you for testing this, and encourage you to keep testing. Great job and happy holidays

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]