Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i built my first big enclosure for my boas. it's 68 inchs long. i'm just worried because the warm side is running 40% humiditly while the cool side is 65%. they are spending all their time on the warm side and she is close to shedding.
a: is it normal for the hot spot to have low humidity
b: will a che effect the humidity less than an infra-red light(waiting for che in the mail).

Personally I dont like overhead heat sources,muchless heat lamps
They pretty well defeat everything concerning boas.Try getting the proper under cage heating element and your husbandry issues will minimize greatly.Boa do not need constant 65% humidiy unless their in a blue cycle.

>>i built my first big enclosure for my boas. it's 68 inchs long. i'm just worried because the warm side is running 40% humiditly while the cool side is 65%. they are spending all their time on the warm side and she is close to shedding.
>>a: is it normal for the hot spot to have low humidity
>>b: will a che effect the humidity less than an infra-red light(waiting for che in the mail).
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TnK

yea, but i have 12in x 36in worth of flexwatt tape in there allready and its not getting the temp up high enough... i also read that ceramic heat emitters are actually good for them.

I've burned boas with overhead heat. Not a fan personally.
Not nessessary. Not efficient. Not as effective.
I've said this before - Snakes crawl out on the road at night to get belly heat, not to get radiant heat from the stars and moon.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

ok, so do you have any suggestions on how to get good temp in a large encoser with just floor heat. i already have 12in x 36 in worth of flexwatt heat tape.

You might try mounting a flouresent tube to the ceiling.
I'm not sure why you can't get ambient temps up with Flexwat? You only need 80 deg. F.
Lizards might need a basking spot, but snakes don't. The only exception might be some diurnal species.
What kind of cage do you have?
Maybe you should cover some of the ventilation if it's extreme.
Don't want any drafty situation, that's for sure.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

How do you have the FW installed ?
If its under the wooden cage floor(assuming minimal 1/2" it will never get up to temp running wide open.

>>ok, so do you have any suggestions on how to get good temp in a large encoser with just floor heat. i already have 12in x 36 in worth of flexwatt heat tape.
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TnK

I have the flexwatt on the cage floor with linolium on the whole floor for waterproofing. so, only a layer of lino between the tape and cage... i was trying to get the hot spot into the high eighties / low nintys though..... because thats what i've read it should be. i could probably get 80 to 83 with just the tape but i think the other side might get a little chilly. my cage is 67 inches and the cool side is running about 75 with the uv overhead light.... thanks for any more input

Sounds like your cage is fairly tall.
Suggestion - Double the flexwat on the floor. Use the entire floor as the hot spot. Add a shelf and use the shelf as the cool spot. Make it into a hide/shelf if the snake likes it that way.

top to bottom arrangement:
TOP OF CAGE
FLOURESENT LAMP
SHELF/HIDE/COOL SPOT
WATER/HIDE/HOT SPOT
LINOLEUM
HEAT TAPE
BOTTOM OF CAGE

jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Like has been said,you only need 80-85* so your pretty close already,actually nothing wrong with it as it is.
Is the warm end subjected to any drafts from doors or windows ?
If so maybe relocation is in order ? Not sure what your temp "controller" is but I'm assuming its maxed out at these temps ?if not crank it up!

Where are you getting your temp/humidity readings from ?Right at substrate level is prime.
I wouldn't sweat the cool side with temps in the low 80's,the animal will most likely never go there unless "it" decides to.

I would suggest you leave what you have for a few weeks until the animal gets used to the new cage,once it feels secure it will venture out and explore its world.Having extreme temps in its only source of refuge can induce complications from over heating.The animal is actually to stupid to move out and cool off verses exposing its self.(Instinct)

Be careful what you read on those Big Show website care sheets,many of them haven't a clue.Yeah they got lots of snakes and have had them for many years and have the best facilities money can buy.But their clueless to everything outside of their next transaction.
All that jacked up temps for digestion and what have you is pure BS,literally THOUSANDS of us never allow our boa to see 90* and or prolonged humidity over 50% outside of shed cycles.
Its well proven THEY THRIVE !! and the proof is in the animals they raise.

>>I have the flexwatt on the cage floor with linoleum on the whole floor for waterproofing. so, only a layer of lino between the tape and cage... i was trying to get the hot spot into the high eighties / low ninety's though..... because thats what I've read it should be. i could probably get 80 to 83 with just the tape but i think the other side might get a little chilly. my cage is 67 inches and the cool side is running about 75 with the uv overhead light.... thanks for any more input
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TnK

just saying thanks

The real money is in all the bells and whistles, anyway. That's why all the "Experts" recommend all that stuff you really don't need, has no value, and may do more harm than good. That's where they make their money.
I agree with TnK.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer