Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently purchased a colombian boa, and I live in Arizona so it's pretty dry out here. Ever since I've put the snake in the cage, it's been standing up and sticking it's head on the glass. I remember reading somewhere that when they do that, there isn't enough humidity in the cage. Do you guys know if that behavior is a problem? And also, if it has anything to do with humidity, any idea on how to bring the humidity level up. I've tried misting the cage, and covering parts of the screen top, but it doesn't feel like it's all that humid in there. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

its really hard to keep humidity in a screen top cage... humidity rises...
however when i was a kid i would get a wet hand towel and plane it covering 75% of the top...
the towel shoudl not be soaked but if you get it totally wet and ring it out it will hold the moisture all day long...

good luck... and once you get some time or money you might consider building or buying a new cage without a screen top...

shiloh

is because "feel" wont work...Other things you can do is put in a bigger water bowl, put a humidifier in the room, change the substrate, or use a different cage. It is about impossible to get the humidity right in an aquarium. Good luck.
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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

Well, I'll tell you guys what. I went and bought a humidity gauge earlier today, and I just put it in, and it said 50. So I sprayed the cage and the glass walls, and put a cardboard box on half of the screen top. And the gauge went up to about 55 or 60. Which is decent humidity for the boa. Now, do you guys think I should move the cardboard box and place a wet towl on top of the screen or not? And with that done, I need to work on the temperature. The temperature is a mess. Haha.

i dont mean to sound rude but when i was a kid and started doing this i always has a cage pre-setup and had already tested the cage for temp and humidity...
i have been doing this for so long that i dont even use a gage to tell the humidity... i can just feel and know if its good or not...
as far as the temp goes... with a screen cage i have found that the dome lights work the best, because you can up your wattage on the bulb to get the desired temp... 50-60% is not bad... but with an aquarium its hard to maintain a constant humidity... its not good for your snake if his humidity changes from 30%-60% during the day... so i would reccomend using a damp towel and watch it for the day and see if it remains constant... i live in kansas and its not as hot here...

another thing i have found to work is those towels you can get for your car to dry it off that soak up the water but even if their wet they dont drip.... if you keep one of those on the bottom of 1/2 of your aquarium they work great...

good luck

shiloh

Well, the humidity goes up to 60% after I spray the cage down, but it drops straight to 50 in about 30 mins to an hour which is not a good thing. So as far as the wet towel goes, should I put it on top of the screen or on the bottom of the cage?

if its a regular dish towel then put it on top... if you get the auto detail towel that can go on the bottom... but with that on the bottom you shoudl probably still keep something on the top...
shiloh

Should I cover the entire top, or like half of it?

And also, if you don't mind, I'm kinda new to this, the reptile store where I bought this snake and it's cage from recommended that I use the zoomed's heat pad instead of any form of light, but the only problem is that the zoomed heat pad takes the heat sometimes all the way up to and above 100 degrees. I've tried adding more substrate, moving the logs around but nothing seems to work. Any ideas on how to fix that?

cover 75% of the top

HEAT PADS ARE BAD... i would strongley reccomend you get a globe heat light... they are the best for an aquarium...

shiloh

Man, it's settled, I'm saving up for a plastic cage. This glass cage totally sucks, nothing will stay the same! It's driving me nuts. Haha. Thanks for the help, Shiloh, it's greatly appreciated.

you could just buy a rubbermaid tub and put a heater next to it and get it to the right temp... i have used that in the past with success...
if you need any other help feel free to email me...

shhawke@wcnoc.com

shiloh

I have no idea where to begin with the rubbermaid tubs. What substrate I use, what kind of heater I need to use for it not to melt, how do I make air holes, how do I control the temp and humidity. So many factors, I have no idea about. If you guys know of a good website, or can explain to me how I could create such a thing, that would so helpful. Thanks again.

Substrate: Newspaper, paper towels, care-fresh, soft-sorbent, aspen shavings (I prefer the chip kind)

Heater: Any type of under tank heater, but you have to use a rheostat or thermostat...a thermostat is preferred.

How to make holes: A soldering gun or a wood burning kit from Wal-Mart.

Temp and Humidity Control. The rheostat or thermostat will control the Temp. A water bowl will control the Humidity. If the humidity is too high, put more holes in the Rubbermaid, or use a smaller water bowl.
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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

Hey, if you go and start putting heat lamps and ceramic heaters on, your humidity problem will get worse. The lamp or heater will dry out the air even more.

There is some confusion here that I want to get straightened out so kimusubi is not further confused because of his or her situation. kimusubi said Zoo-Med heat pad and shhawke said that heat pads were bad. Yes heat pads are bad for the fact they are not designed for heating reptile cages. BUT.. the Zoo-Med product kimusubi is referring to is an Under Tank Heater. Under Tank Heaters are good. Most people use Under Tank Heaters or heat strips called felxi-watt. To control the temp of your Under Tank Heater you must get a good thermometer and a rheostat or similar dimmer from a hardware store or even better invest some money and buy a good thermostat. Also non-contact thermometers are worth their weight in gold. It will be worth it and you don’t have to worry about anything.

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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

The only problem with that is most thermostats I've found are over 300 dollars. It's not something I can afford too easily. Which really sucks becuase I really do want to get one.

My email is jward@outdrs.net
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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

I don't know where you are looking, I would buy a Helix DBS 1000. A very good digital proportional thermostat. Will cost between $125-$150. Or the new Herpstat, about $105. I use both types. Also, with under tank heaters, proportional thermostats are the only form that work correctly, so both would be fine!

What's the difference between the two?

No. You don’t want a proportional thermostat in my opinion. A proportional thermostat is ON all the time, but limits the amount of electricity to the item plugged into it.

A straight thermostat like the ones I emailed you kimusubi, will turn on and off. When it reaches the desired temp it shuts off. Then when the temp falls a degree below your set temp it kicks on for a only a few moments until the set temp is reached and shuts off again. They work GREAT on Under Tanks Heaters, and will save you money on you electric bill.

Ask Jeff Ronne at The Boaphile
www.boaphileplastics.com/proportional.html
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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

They will save money by useing on/off types. However, look at the manual that comes with flex watt heating, it says for use with PROPORTIONAL thermostats only! The on-off type causes a spike in temperature when it goes on, and when off can drop considerably for a short time. When houseing imperator this kind of thermostat with its fluctuation is allowable by the hardy nature of the subspecies. However, when keeping other subspecies for example amarali when you need exact and perfect temperatures it is better to use a more reliable source.

I have heard of many people whose thermostats failed, one lost a T positive Albino Argentine breeder. in every failure it was in an on-off sticking open. With moveing parts in the device it is more likely to fail than in a proportional which regulates current to the appliance through constant measure of temperature. The Helix maintains a constant temperature in the warm end, the Herpstat has a function to view high and low temps, it only changes a degree from the set temperature even when there is a great change in weather which alters temperatures within the home. A proportional does not react within a degree of error, but at a constant temperature. It is better for the more demanding species, and proven through electronic analysis to be more reliable. I would rather pay a little more for my electric bill that have something happen to my animals, which would also cost a lot more than a few cents a month difference. Every cage I own is controled by its own individual proportional thermostat and I have never had a problem, in contrast when I first started I used the analog (on/off type) and they all eventually had something go wrong.

"However, look at the manual that comes with flex watt heating, it says for use with PROPORTIONAL thermostats only!"

Never used flex-watt so I cannot say anything about it.

"The on-off type causes a spike in temperature when it goes on, and when off can drop considerably for a short time."

I do not know what kind of thermostat you are talking about when you say this. I use Ranco and Johnson Controls. Never had a problem. I have it set at 90, at 90 it goes off, at 88 it comes back on. I use a non-contact infrared thermometer and have verified my temps. There is no spike and considerably drop in temperature.

"However, when keeping other subspecies for example amarali when you need exact and perfect temperatures it is better to use a more reliable source."

I do not believe that even amarali would be affected by a 2-degree difference over many minutes. In nature the temps stay constant? No. What happens to them in nature when they are hanging in a tree and the wind starts to blow and the temp drops a couple of degrees? Then the wind stops. They don’t continually move back and forth hundreds of times a day. A more reliable source? The Ranco and Johnson Controls are made for industrial HVAC applications and can handle 1500 watts.

"I have heard of many people whose thermostats failed, one lost a T positive Albino Argentine breeder. In every failure it was in an on off sticking open. With moving parts in the device it is more likely to fail than in a proportional which regulates current to the appliance through constant measure of temperature."

I am sure there have been many failed thermostats. No moving parts in mine or the ones I suggested to kimusubi, they are all digital. Also I am sure that even the Helix which is an electronic device is subject to failure.

"Every cage I own is controlled by its own individual proportional thermostat and I have never had a problem, in contrast when I first started I used the analog (on/off type) and they all eventually had something go wrong."

Again, all my cages are controlled by straight on/off digital thermostats and I have had no problems. Never heard of a Ranco or Johnson Control failing. As a matter of fact many zoos use them.

Just my opinion.
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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
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“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

I just got back home today, and the temperature had risen up to a 100 again, and I saw my snake crawled all the way up on the humidity gauge all the way on the highest part of the cage, so I'm assuming that's got something to do with the heat. Something needs to be done because I won't be able to get a thermostat until a couple more weeks when I get my paycheck. This really sucks, I hope nothing bad happens.

In the mean time try to find a rheostat at the pet shop or light dimmer cord from the hardware store.
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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
---------------------------------------------
“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

Is your under tank heater stuck to the bottom of the cage with adhesive?
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Jeff
0.1 Wife (Homo sapiens sapiens): Kim
2.0 Hog Island Boas, Bob Sears Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Ham-let and BLT
0.1 Hog Island Boa, Schuett Line (Boa Constrictor imperator): Petunia
1.1 Smooth-Scaled Sand Boas (Eryx johnii johnii): Xerxes, and Sa'rai
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Solomon
0.2 Kenyan Sand Boas, 100% het anery (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei): Sheba, Jasmine
0.1 Doberman (Canis familiaris): Princess Grace
1.0 Pitbull Mix (Canis familiaris): Popcorn
1.0 Rough Collie (Canis familiaris): Dante
---------------------------------------------
“It’s not bragging if you can prove it”

Yes, the under tank heater is directly stuck on the bottom of the cage from the outside though. What was shocking though, I just got back from work and I checked the cage, and the temperature was at 92 which is where I wanted it to be, and the humidity gauge was at 70 percent, which was also a good thing. So, I'm really happy about that. As far as the temperature, what I was left with was that I just made my house cold, so the cage wouldn't get so hot. I just dropped the house's temp. down to 72 degrees. And as far as humidity goes, that wet towel on top of the screen top seems to work really good. I don't seem to have to even spray the cage anymore. But I wonder because the gauge is right under the wet towel, I wonder if it's giving me a miss-reading or if it doesn't really matter where it is. Besides that things are starting to pick back up, and the snake is resting on the heated section of the cage, so that's good. But at the level of inconsistency it's at right now, I have to go to California next weekend, I wonder if it will be able to maintain itself until I come back. 'Cause I have no one who actually wants to take care of this snake.

>>I just got back home today, and the temperature had risen up to a 100 again, and I saw my snake crawled all the way up on the humidity gauge all the way on the highest part of the cage, so I'm assuming that's got something to do with the heat. Something needs to be done because I won't be able to get a thermostat until a couple more weeks when I get my paycheck. This really sucks, I hope nothing bad happens.
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Linda Hedgpeth
lindafh@frontiernet.net
Sierra Serpents

"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is so serious".

.
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Linda Hedgpeth
lindafh@frontiernet.net
Sierra Serpents

"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is so serious".

All good information. I can not argue with. Rancos and Johnsons are the best analog. By moveing parts I implied the internal switch to make them go on and off. Zoos use Helix as well. I honestly believe these four types of thermostats to be the best available in herptoculture. Although, I haven't used the two you do. My cages are heated by flexwatt or radiant heat panels, so proportional was my choice.

A few hints and products I am working with... I do not stick the U.T.H directly to the tank, I get a piece of 1/8" aluminum and cut it just larger than the heat pad, this diffuses the heat and stores some heat also so cycling of the thermostat is less frequent. this also makes it easier to clean the tank in that you do not have to worry about getting the U.T.H wet. just place it under the hot side of the tank. I cover about 80% of the screen top with plastic wrap, and I also use cyprus mulch which holds humidity a little better. As far as thermostats, I have been trying out the Zoo-Med 500R, any comments on them would be appreciated, but they are inexpensive at about $30 a pop, I get two, I set the first one to 92 degrees and plug the second one in to the first set at 90 degrees, then I plug the heater into the second thermostat. If one were to fail, the thermostat of the first will shut down when the temp reaches 92, so if one fails, the other compensates. So far this has worked well for me...hot side, 90 ambiant around 80, and humidity fairly constant at about 70% with the digital hydrometer/temp that cost $14

Well so far the humidity stays constant with the wet towel. And the temperature has been staying pretty normal, but sometimes it'll go up to 94 or 96 and that's when I just unplug the under tank heater for a while, and plug it back in later. I am going to purchase a thermostat very soon, which will make everything a lot easier.

Right now, I have the problem of the water bowel being filled with mites. I"m not sure if the snake has that problem directly on her skin, or is it just from the cage onto the water bowl, but either way it's a problem. She never ever bathes or drinks water or produces any waste as long as I've seen her, which is a bit unusual as well. And as long as she's in her cage, she will lay down and not move. So I don't know if these are signs of problems, or not.