Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all!

I have just moved to an apartment that seems to have VERY low humidity. I've got a room humidifier to help both me and my pets, but my milksnake is still having trouble shedding. I have her temps right, and have her usual bowl of water on the cool side, and have added another right on top of the UTH while she's been blue. Today she's started to shed in pieces.

How else can I get the humidity in her tank up? (It's a screen top glass aquarium.) Would it help to cover part of the top? The snakes get daytime light from flourescent bulbs attached to the shelf above them. Would closing over the screen not make it too dark in the daytime for her?

Misting didn't seem like too good an idea, either, because the substrate is aspen shavings, and I'm afraid if they get wet they'll get mouldy or something. Would this be true?

Thanks for your help!
Nicki
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1.1.0 Uromastyx maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
0.0.1 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy

get a plastic container (like gladware), or even a deli cup if this is a hatchling, and cut a hole in the side of it near the bottom. Make it large enough for the snake to get into the container, but not huge. Fill the container with damp sphagnum moss, and put the top on. Then put the container inside the cage. If you put it on the warm side of the cage, the moss will dry out after a day or so and you'll need to wet it again. This will keep it humid in the container though. You can also keep the container on the cool side of your cage.

I forgot to ask, but is the water bowl large enough for the snake to get in and soak? Many snakes will do this to help with shedding. If yours is too small that could be part of the problem as well.

She's probably almost 2 years old or so, and between 2 and 3 feet long, but slender. I'm going to try the moist hidebox idea. If she's ever soaked in her water, I haven't caught her at it, though her water bowl is large enough.

Thanks so much for the advice!
Nicki
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1.1.0 Uromastyx maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
0.0.1 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy

I didn't get the sphagnum last night, so I just put some damp paper towels into a margerine tub and cut a hole in the lid. I put Callia in the tub between the paper towels, and put it back in her tank. During the night, she crawled out to shed, then went back in there to sleep today! So I guess she likes it!

Thanks so much for the advice!!! Callia and I both appreciate it!

Nicki

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1.1.0 Uromastyx maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
0.0.1 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy

Nicki,
Glad to hear that it worked.
Paul

Should I leave the humidity box in there all the time? If she only goes in there when she wants extra humidity, that'd be ok, I think. But I'm not sure I can trust her not to stay in there all the time and get herself a respiratory illness!
What do you think?

Nicki
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1.1.0 Uromastyx maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
0.0.1 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy

You can leave it in there all the time if you want. You'll find that it dries out after just a few days though. I don't think you would need to worry about a resp infection. Personally, I would just put it in there when you see her starting to enter a shed cycle.
Paul

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1.1.0 Uromastyx maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
0.0.1 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy