Posted by:
HappyHillbilly
at Tue Dec 5 02:18:38 2006 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by HappyHillbilly ]
Screen tops are a little more difficult when it comes to getting the humidity right but it's not impossible, nor is it rocket science.
I've used the cardboard box that a case of cokes comes in because it has a bit of a wax facing/protective layer. This keeps the humidity from being absorbed by the cardboard, itself.
Cut out a hole a little bit larger than the dome that holds your heatsource (This should be on one end of the tank). Cut the cardboard aprox. 1 1/2" short of the opposite end of the tank and let this gap run the full width of the tank. This will create a natural air flow with the heat pulling in air & pushing it out the gapped end.
Place the water bowl directly under (inline with) the heatsource. Check humidity level and spray/mist the bedding area under the heatsource if/as needed. Don't saturate the bedding, all you need is a good dew-like covering.
With the natural flow of air this creates you shouldn't have any problems with aspen molding unless you keep it saturated.
If you use an above heat source and decide to use plexiglass, lexan, etc..., to help retain humidity, your heat source will need to be placed inside the cage to keep from blocking most of its heat. This is a good idea as long as you use a guard of some sort on the heatsoucre to keep your snake from getting burned. This method is easier to maintain humidity levels.
Another option, besides getting a good snake cage, is to get some of the insulation board, either with the foil backing or just the plain blue with plastic backing, and cut it to fit the inside of the screen top. When cutting it to fit, keep in mind that the lid is bigger than the tank opening. You want to cut the insulation board just slightly smaller than the tank opening.
Cut the insulation board the same way I said to cut the cardboard (Instead of cutting it 1 1/2" short, you could poke several rows of holes on that end with a large nail, ice pick, etc...). I've used silicone to hold the insulation board to the screen top. Just make several sporadic piles of silicone on the insulation board and push it onto the screen top so the silicone squeezes through the screen and holds it in place. You need to wait aprox. 24 hrs. for the silicone to cure before you can use the top to avoid hazardous fumes in the tank.
Both the cardboard & insulation board modifications worked good for me and I'm sure you'd be satisfied with the results if you're looking for a quick, cheap fix. They're not as complicated as they may seem.
As for humidity for a shedding snake, in your case, once they eyes cloud up, spray/mist the snake, itself, at least once a day, every day, until it sheds.
Have a good one!
Mike
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It is said that 1 out of every 4 people are mentally unbalanced. Think of your 3 closest friends, if they're normal, then it's you.
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RE: Shedding and setup question??Please help - HappyHillbilly, Tue Dec 5 02:18:38 2006