Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was told to provide my baby western with a humid hide, since they often don't recognize standing water. I have done that with a tupperware container and sphagnum moss. However, she spends a lot of time in it and I am concerned she may get RI or other problems with that constant humidity. Could this be an issue I should be concerned with? Do I even need a humid hide? Thanks!

Have you also provided a dry hide? What I do with my humid hides is let them completely dry out between mistings. This helps to prevent mold as well as helping with the issues you are concerned with.
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Jenea
Guardian Reptiles

"The beatings will continue until morale improves!"

I agree, provide it with another hide and see which one it prefers. This breeder you got it from is incorrect. They WILL drink standing water, you just may not see very much of it if at all. If you start seeing problems associated with the use of the humid hide, yank it out and just use a water dish.
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Virginia Herping
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VaHS
Virginia Herpetological Society online store
http://www.cafepress.com/vaherpsociety

"The irrational fear of snakes is the only excuse a grown man has... to act like a complete sissy" - Colchicine

I think one thing to watch out for is mold. Most of my snakes only get their moist hide put in when they go blue- and then they mostly stay in the hide without moving until they shed, and then maybe a day after, if I don't remove it right away. Then I take the hide out and remove the lid so it can dry- and if the moss is moldy, I replace it. I have tried paper towels, but the snakes don't seem to like that as much. One of my snakes (a cali king) loves his moist hide and goes in it a lot, so I leave it in with him full-time. He also really likes to sleep under it- he must like the super-confined feeling and the cool plastic right on top of him. My moist hides are disposeable tupperware things with a small doorway cut in one side, at the bottom. I've seen them with the door on top, too.

Why did you think your Westie needs a humid hide- for shedding, or something else?

Nanci
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*****
0.0.1 Normal Corn, 0.0.1 Cali King 0.1 Nelson's Milk
0.1 Tricolor Hog, 0.0.1 Eastern Hog, 1.0 Eastern Box Turtle
0.0.2 Desert Torts, 2.0 Feral Pigeons

Moist hide with moss:

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*****
0.0.1 Normal Corn, 0.0.1 Cali King 0.1 Nelson's Milk
0.1 Tricolor Hog, 0.0.1 Eastern Hog, 1.0 Eastern Box Turtle
0.0.2 Desert Torts, 2.0 Feral Pigeons

Relative size in viv:

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*****
0.0.1 Normal Corn, 0.0.1 Cali King 0.1 Nelson's Milk
0.1 Tricolor Hog, 0.0.1 Eastern Hog, 1.0 Eastern Box Turtle
0.0.2 Desert Torts, 2.0 Feral Pigeons

This is one with paper towels- because I ran out of moss.

Nanci

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*****
0.0.1 Normal Corn, 0.0.1 Cali King 0.1 Nelson's Milk
0.1 Tricolor Hog, 0.0.1 Eastern Hog, 1.0 Eastern Box Turtle
0.0.2 Desert Torts, 2.0 Feral Pigeons

The dealer I got her from said to provide it to keep her hydrated since they often don't recognize the standing water in the water dish. At first she didn't use it too much but the last couple of weeks she has been in it a lot and I just want to make sure that it doesn't cause any other problems.

I've just made it a habit to put my newer guys back in, in their water dish, so they know where it is, every time I have them out. For shedding, though, I think it saves a _lot_ of trouble.

Nanci
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*****
0.0.1 Normal Corn, 0.0.1 Cali King 0.1 Nelson's Milk
0.1 Tricolor Hog, 0.0.1 Eastern Hog, 1.0 Eastern Box Turtle
0.0.2 Desert Torts, 2.0 Feral Pigeons