Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all, I'm trying to keep my 4 month old Sumatran's humidity up to between 60 and 70 percent, but I'm having a hard time. I live in a log home as well, which is generally drier as it is. Is there anything I can do to keep the humidity maintained? Her bedding is half moss and half cypress mulch, so you'd think it'd be more humid, but I spray her cage 4 or 5 times a day to just maintain 60-70 percent, and I know that's not normal. Any tips would help. Thanks.
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1.0 Goini
0.1 Hypo. Floridana
0.1 Sumatran Blood Python

What are you housing the snake in? Glass aquarium? Plastic tub?

A 15 gallon aquarium for now.
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1.0 Goini
0.1 Hypo. Floridana
0.1 Sumatran Blood Python

And I'm assuming you use a screen top?

No matter how much water/humidity you put in, if the cage has TOO much ventilation all that spraying will do nothing. To prevent this you can cover 80-90% of the top with something to act as a vapour barrier such as plastic wrap. Some may suggest a towel, but this will do little for preventing humidity loss and due to it's wicking action may increase loss. Another thing that is notorious for killing humidity are heat lamps.

Depending on the size of the animal, your best bet is to get it into either an appropriate sized reptile cage (animalplastics.com or boaphileplastics.com) or if it's small a rubbermaid/sterilite tub with holes heated with heat tape/mats.

Matt

And to add to Matt's observations, you can further increase humidity by using a large, shallow waterdish with paper toweling over its sides to wick moisture and increase the evaporative interface.

I agree with Matt... screen tops and heat lamps are going to make it difficult to keep up the humidity. Get yourself a rubbermaid tub, a piece of flexwatt heat tape (connected to a thermostat or rheostat) and you got yourself a cheap cage that's perfect for young bloods.

Alright, thank you guys for the feedback. I guess I'm gonna have to splurge and spend all the money on a rheostat and stuff. It's all worth it, but damn this is an expensive hobby.

By the way, she's 4 months old and about 12 inches long I guess, I haven't had the chance to measure her. She's just a baby.
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1.0 Goini
0.1 Hypo. Floridana
0.1 Sumatran Blood Python

it is only expensive if you give in to all those people that say you have to go and buy expensive stuff.

sterilite container = $10
heating pad (without 2 hour shutoff) = $10 at target
substrate (newspaper or reptibark) = $.50-$10
spray bottle (32 oz) $1.79
temp gun = $25.00

Actually getting up off your butt and taking care of your pet like youre supposed to instead of buying stuff to do it for you...well i dont know about you but i actually enjoy misting tanks, checking temps, cleaning tanks, etc. if i had wanted to see a temp readout on a drawer system id have put a thermometer on my dresser.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Surinam Redtail Boa

I don't find performing maintenance to the cage, I actually love it. It adds to the pride of owning these creatures. I'm just saying, I'd like her to have consistent and moderated humidity, instead of me spritzing the cage before I go to work in the morning to get it up to 65 percent, then getting back from work and seeing that it's down to 35 percent. You know what I'm saying? Another thing, if I put a heating pad on a sterilite or rubbermaid container could it damage the plastic at all? I have a Zoomed pad for her right now on her aguarium. Would that be cool to use on a plastic house?
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1.0 Goini
0.1 Hypo. Floridana
0.1 Sumatran Blood Python

Plugged straight into the outlet, it will most likely get too hot. With a good thermostat or rheostat to control the temperature they work great.

for a temporary solution , you can put layers of newspaper in between the heat pad and the sterilite bottom. just add layers until you get the desired temp. note this is not a permanent fix...it is only for keeping the temps at a relative temp until you can get a rheostat or thermostat.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Surinam Redtail Boa

tell you what. bloods require a high temp of around 87-88F. next time it is 87-88 degrees in your area, take a sterilite container outside and sit it in the sun. give me a call as soon as it bursts into flames.
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1.1.0 Colombian Redtail Boas
2.1.0 Sumatran Blood Pythons
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Dumeril's Boa
0.1 Coastal Carpet Python
0.1 Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Surinam Redtail Boa

I already have a Zoomed thermostat that I'm sure I could get set up for her, but considering the heat pad gets so hot itself, wouldn't newspaper be sortof... umm... dangerous? I guess not though with a thermostat, but if I set the thermostat at 88ish, then the ambient won't be high enough, and if I raise the temp on the thermostat, she could burn herself (since she likes to burrow)and/or the ambient temps won't be high enough. It's all really confusing to me.
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1.0 Goini
0.1 Hypo. Floridana
0.1 Sumatran Blood Python