Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a 10gal, with a screen lid which is covered with a layer of plastic sheeting and is almost airtight. I find myself having to mist with warm water several times a day to raise the humidity. The temp here in St. Louis has been dropping and the air has gotten rather dry, which is why I think I'm having so much trouble. I use a light positioned on the side of the cage to heat the enclosure...I wasn't having any luck with heating pads. Her substrate is cypress, but when I dig around there is a lot of sitting water under it that isn't evaporating. I think perhaps I may have used too much substrate, but she loves to burrow. Any suggestions for keeping the humidity up in a dry winter season?

Use a damp moss hide box. Provides a nice damp humid location in the cage.....

I use a sterilite 1754 sweaterbox for my damp moss boxes. I cut two access holes. Note the holes are "U"
shaped so if multiple sections of snake are going through at same time, it can lift the lid if necessary.
I had two kinda stuck one time with a round hole. One had it's body going both in and out while a second also
was going in one direction for a total of three body widths at the same time. They probably woulda been fine
and worked it out on their own but I didn't like it so I opened the top of the holes to the current "U" shape.

With the top removed you can see the green moss and the "U" shaped holes in the sides. I only use an inch of
green moss but it does expand to about two inches when damp.

Pulled up the corner of the moss to show the layer of peat moss
underneath. This serves two purposes, adds mass for water and heat retention and provides a bit of drainage
for when they urinate. They will urinate and deficate in the box. I pull the solids and replace the entire
contents about monthly give or take depending on circumstances. For example, they will go longer between
changes right now with no food intake.

Of course you can use a smaller plastic container for a smaller BRB!!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Dave is right, I use ziploc plastic food containers with damp paper towels for my little guy, same idea. Also a recommendation members of this forum made to me when I first got my BRB was to use Reflectix insulation to keep heat and humidity in. I find it indespensible when working with a glass tank, I covered the screen lid and the sides with it, and because it keeps in warmth really well I can use a UTH instead of an overhead UV or ceramic which also helps keep in humidity. I think mine was about $20 for a huge roll from Home Depot, I still have more than half of it and have used it for my Ball Python and Geckos as well. Pretty great stuff when working with glass. Good luck with your boa though, let us know how she's doing!
-----
Danne
---------
1.0 BRB "Monroe"
1.0 Pastel BP "Sebastian"
1.1 Leos "Bowser & Peach"
0.3 cats "Beast, Smokey & Thelma"
0.2 Dumbo (non-feeder) rats "Josie & Holly"
0.4.2 fish

Email = dshoback@eden.rutgers.edu