What is a good way to monitor humidity levels? I have used the little meters from zoomed that you stick to the side of the cage, but are these reliable? Also, any tips for keeping the humidity up in a cage with a screen top? I live in NY so I try to keep the house at 70 degrees and I have a heating system in the cage, but I don't do anything to keep the humidity up in the room my ball is in. I use eco earth/mulch and I mist several times a day. Is this alright?
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.
Humidity
samason
Aug 08, 2008 06:47 PM
Replies (2)
domingos
Aug 12, 2008 09:57 PM
I have my ball python in a 55 gallon long with a screen top. I use one of those humidity gauges that you mentioned. Although, probably not as accurate as a digital, I haven't had any problems with shedding or respiratory infections. I use cypress mulch, which helps with humidity levels.
Be careful with keeping humdity levels too high. I tend to only mist during shedding. The water dish, combined with heat, tends to keep humidity at appropriate levels otherwise. To keep humidity or to increase humidity, I use a towel to cover the screen top.
domingos
Aug 12, 2008 10:02 PM
One thing which commonly gets over looked is the level of humidity in the tank. Since Ball Pythons spend a lot of time underground in burrows or in termite nests, they are more sensitive to relative humidity than one might expect. I would suggest you stop by your local K-mart or Wal-mart and get a hygrometer× from the outdoor/garden section. They are accurate enough to provide a close estimate, and allow you to monitor changes in humidity. I recommend the ambient humidity be at least 60%, and you may want to provide a hide box which has a higher percent (70-80%). Low humidity can cause incomplete shedding, dehydration, and sometimes a lack of appetite. To either add or remove humidity, you can provide bigger or smaller water bowls. You can restrict, but not stop, air flow from the tank. You can use porous substrates (i.e. mulch) that will hold some moisture and mist the cage every so often. I feel that if you provide a big water bowl with a hole cut in the lid, the snake will use it as another hide and soak/re-hydrate itself as needed.
taken from: www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/index.html
