Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Don't mean to be a jerk but I didn't get any responses. And I really don't need a snake with a respiratory problem. What is the best/most efficient way to maintain the proper humidity for Balls?
I have a post a few links down that lists my setup. Thanks again.
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-Patrick

Hi -- I would say your best bet is to provide a large enough water bowl and try to avoid screen tops... It also depends a lot on your substrate, a lot of people use aspen/cypress to keep humidity up..

What is your current humidity at? What is your setup like? You can also make a humid hide spot which will help by keeping moist substrate under a hide..

Hope this helps...
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1.0 Het Albino Burm
0.1 Albino Burm
1.1 Mojave Ball Pythons
0.1 Normal Ball Python
1.0 Albino Ball Python
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
0.1 Spider Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic

Seeking bigger cages for the family

Just saw your setup in your other post.. Do you know what your current humidity actually is? You mentioned you had a UTH but do you know the temps as well? Your best bet is to get a temp gun as well as a humidity gauge, I picked up a temp/humidity monitor for my bigger snakes at walmart for $8 that worked pretty well..

For the cling wrap, i'm not sure how well that works, I would just throw a towel over the top of it and leave a little room for air..

As for the wheezing, I would increase temps a bit if possible and it will recover with time.. Is it eating?

Good luck..
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1.0 Het Albino Burm
0.1 Albino Burm
1.1 Mojave Ball Pythons
0.1 Normal Ball Python
1.0 Albino Ball Python
1.1 Pastel Ball Pythons
0.1 Spider Ball Python
0.2 Het Albino Ball Pythons
0.1 Lavender Albino Retic

Seeking bigger cages for the family

Hi,

I use to use a very similar setup. I switched to racks and wish I did it a year earlier. I understand if money is an issue. That should be the only reason you have not purchased racks yet. Anyway, I would spray warm water lightly on all the sides of my tank and on the bottom every 2 or 3 days. I also used a humidity sensor to learn how much to use. I had the humidity at 65 to 80 percent all the time and the sheds were good. Now that I am using racks I get perfect sheds and I do no spraying.

Good Luck,
Bill
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0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
2.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
0.1 Het Pied
1.0 Pied 50 percent
0.1 Clown
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Chocolate Lab

First step would be to find out what your measurements are -- get yourself a good thermometer and hygrometer and measure your tank -- do not get those cheap analog ones that stick on the tank -- get a good digital read out one. Much easier to properly monitor what's going on.

Ditch the wrap and get some plexi-glass to cover the top of your tank it's a much more efficient way to maintain your heat and humidity.

Substrate - change to a higher moisture substrate like cypress or coco.

If you live at a high altitude, run you A/C or fans a lot or whatever -- this might well be affecting your tank humidity as well.

Humid hides work for some people - may be worth giving a try.

In the long run there are a lot of people that keep their balls at low humidities without issue. Tweak your tank to see what works best for your situation.

Good luck.
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Tosha
JET Pythons
Toshas Blog

Herp Medicine does not equal a bottle of Baytril - Dr. Scott Stahl

pour water on them?

live in a moist climate ,and use no dehumidifier or AC?

....really....mine are in basement...wet as can be...wtaer just creeps up out of the floor....walls...etc etc....

...really.......ummm....cypress mulch and pour water on them....

....oh...and no open topped cages...and no heat lamps....

..
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"Isn't that just special?"

but if I see one starting to have shedding problems, I just pour some water into the cypress mulch bedding, on top of the heat cable end(I use Vision racks). Problem solved! Never had a respiratory problem so far - knock on wood!

Hey Kathy...

If you empty the water out of your tub and you can make a margarita out of it you probably have too much moisture.....

Bill
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0.1 Het Albino
0.1 Spider Het Albino
1.0 Albino
0.1 Spinner
2.1 Super Pastel
0.1 Jungle Pastel
0.1 Het Pied
1.0 Pied 50 percent
0.1 Clown
1.1 Het Lavenders
1.1 Het Caramel Albino
0.3 Normal
1.1 Kids
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Chocolate Lab

I live in the driest climate imaginable-south Texas. I keep my balls in standard rack systems on aspen bedding-no extra water except for small water bowls. They do fine, normal sheds etc.
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Brad Chambers
WWW.HCU-TX.ORG

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

Thank you all very much. I don't plan on switching to racks as I'm not a snake breeder, so much as a collector/enthusiast. I will invest in a hygrometer and most likely end up switching the bedding to something more absorbent. I live in southern California so I know all about the heat and dryness, especially with all these fires lately! Hopefully everything works out the way it should.
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-Patrick