Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am having a really hard time with this. I have covered 2/3 of the top of my 20L tank with plastic and it still sits at 30 percent most days. I use a reptile carpet and have to wet it down everyday to bring it up to 50 percent. I am thinking of trying one of those fancy coconut fiber substrates or maybe Jungle mix..What can I do? He has big water dish but never gets in it. He is pretty small and mostly just sits up in the branches in his tank. I feed him on top of an upturned bowl that is also a hide so there is no worry about him ingesting substrate.. Any ideas? Are these substrates okay?

where are you measuring humidity? sometimes it may vary 10 - 20% from bottom to top of tank so if you are measuring near the lights it might be far less than near substrate. I have used a product similar to Zoo Meds "reptile bark" and pour water in once a week. It seems to hold at about 50% humidity, which I am told is OK for JCP/diamonds.

You could use non-fancy cypress mulch (available at finer Wal-Marts) to keep humidity in. You can also make a humid hide by cutting a hole in an appropriately sized rubbermaid container and filling it with wet moss.
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"The serpent crams itself with animal life that is often warm and vibrant, to prolong an existence in which we detect no joy and no emotion. It reveals the depth to which evolution can sink when it takes the downward path and strips animals to the irreducible minimum able to perpetuate a predatory life in its naked horror."
Alexander Skutch

I agree with the cypress mulch, I get 50 pound bags a home depot, its alot rougher than other substrates but works very well, as far as humidity, you most likely wont have it until lights out, as per nature, the relative humidity is found when the sun goes down and the earth begins to cool, I spray my arboreals enclosures in the evening before lights out, and in the mourning if it needs it, I often achieve almost a hundred percent humididty daily doing so. I dont know if the 20 galon with a 2/3 covered top is going to get the best results, more covered are would help. d

I wouldn't worry about raising the whole cage humidity. Give your snake a humid hide. A rubbermaid works well that is just big enough to allow them to fit inside. Put a moist substrate in and that should meet their needs well. They will then have the choice to be moist or dry, and you don't have to worry about whole cage humidity.
Justin J

Justin J