Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.

Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click for 65% off Shipping with Reptiles 2 You
Click here to visit Classifieds

Should Humidity be consistent

rottenweiler9 Oct 06, 2007 07:07 AM

Should it be the same through out the day or should it go up and down. I just started misting my cages 2 twice a day. Normally the humidity is 50 or 55 percent, but when I mist it goes up, just wondering if you should have it conisitent at 70 percent, or if flucution is good?
-----
0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger
1.0 Amel Retic
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python
1.0 Green Ananconda
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa

Replies (8)

Carmichael Oct 06, 2007 07:46 AM

I like to maintain the same humidity around the clock with these snakes....same moderate to high humidity and same temps with just a very slight decrease at night. I prefer my humidity levels to be 80% or higher but with good air flow.

>>Should it be the same through out the day or should it go up and down. I just started misting my cages 2 twice a day. Normally the humidity is 50 or 55 percent, but when I mist it goes up, just wondering if you should have it conisitent at 70 percent, or if flucution is good?
>>-----
>>0.2 Rotts
>>1.0 Super Tiger
>>1.0 Amel Retic
>>0.1 Ball Python
>>0.1 Red Tail
>>0.1 Blood Python
>>1.0 Green Ananconda
>>1.0 Emerald Tree Boa
-----
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

laurarfl Oct 06, 2007 08:02 PM

How are you achieving a consistent humidity of 80%?

Carmichael Oct 07, 2007 10:08 AM

Our burms are kept in spacious exhibits (12' x 4' x 4') that have special ventilation for good air flow. We use pro product radiant heat panels to provide optimal basking and background temps accompanies with full spectrum fluorescents. Our exhibit has 4-6" of Cypress mulch (I've never been a big fan of the stuff but for high humiditiy exhibits it works very well) that we mist down twice daily. Maintaining the humidity is quite easy if you stay on top of it. Unfortunately, we do battle it a bit in the Chicago winters but we are still able to keep relatively moderate to high levels. Of course, humidity will fluctuate but we've been pretty good about consistency.

>>How are you achieving a consistent humidity of 80%?
-----
Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

laurarfl Oct 07, 2007 03:17 PM

That's a nice, spacious set-up. I keep my tegus on Cypress mulch and it does work wonders for the humidity. I just can't imagine keeping it clean for Burms. I don't know about yours, but mine passes quite a bit of water along with urates a few times a week.

HappyHillbilly Oct 10, 2007 06:23 AM

Hey Laura!
I've been meaning to say something to you about your burmese excreting so much. I'm not a Vet but it sounds to me that your burmese may have kidney damage, causing it do that. The kidneys can get damaged from continuous dehydration (low humidity and/or lack of drinking water).

Keeping it's humidity level high, at least around 80%, will help it to stay hydrated. It seems like his kidneys are unable to retain & process water like they should. I don't know if a Vet can do anything for it or not but you might ought to think about taking it to see one.

Take it easy!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

laurarfl Oct 10, 2007 07:09 AM

I read that in another post. I'll take him in, but I don't think anything can be done. Generally, kidney issues are treated with diet modification, but how do you get a snake on a low protein diet? LOL! I'm sure it's a combination of years of low humidity and underfeeding. He's been in a 75 gal aquarium with a screen lid for the past 7 years (or more). His new cage is being built and should be here soon. The lady who owned him would likely be pretty sad to know what kind of condition Samson was really in, she just didn't know how to care for all these snakes and she was overwhelmed. This one was her favorite, but she didn't know what she was doing.

HappyHillbilly Oct 10, 2007 07:41 AM

I figured you'd see what I said in that other thread but I thought this thread was the better place to make sure you saw it since it's more topic oriented.

Yeah, I doubt that there's anything that can be done if it is kidney damage but please let me know when you find out so I will know.

I'm going this afternoon to pick up an 8-foot rescue that the lady is keeping in a ferret cage. I can only imagine what I'm in for. How humid can you keep a ferret cage? :O

I don't know how long she's had it but she said that she's scared of it now because of it's size, even though she's never had any problems with it.

Have a great day!
Mike
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

laurarfl Oct 10, 2007 01:47 PM

Didn't the idea of 'ferret' cage give her a clue...LOL!

Site Tools