So! My baby Pinstripe we got about 4 weeks ago had her first shed with us. I wanted to try something and make a humidity box- I used washcloths soaked with warm water (Wrung out so it didn’t stay damp) and a homemade hide. Didn’t work, but she did get most off (Just not the top of her neck, and down her back a little. Otherwise tail and belly was completely off) . So! Next shed, should I use actual moss, or would it make no difference what I use? Should I use plastic container, or a resin hide?
I keep moss in their tubs or tank when they are going into shed. I’ll put it inside their hide. The moss allows them to move through it and have any stuck shed that they might have come off. I recommend moss more than washcloths or a soak.
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Humidity box you must be a snake discovery fan 
Emily loves using those. I just mist, but my tubs hold humidity very easily. I have heard moss works well in agree possibly give that a shot!
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Haha, I’m a big fan actually. I’ve done misting before and caused a mold outbreak from my logs somehow (Must’ve been from the bedding, it was underneath instead of on top) but I’ll give it a shot now that I made my own hides for her!
I’ve recently had some greenish funk start growing on a log in my pvc enclosure where the struggle is keeping humidity DOWN…not up. I threw it out to be safe so Ik what you mean probably depends on bedding etc. tubs and coconut husk just hold humidity so efficiently I haven’t had to do much extra
I keep a humidifier in tank and run it once a day on a 6 hour cycle. Course I also have my ball in a large tank and keeping humidity in that beast is a pain. Luckily I’ve only had a couple bad sheds in the two years I’ve had my girl and that is because I forgot to run the humidifier a little more during a shed.
What @thecrawdfather says. For me, a big water dish right over heat source keeps humidity above 50% without a problem plus i start misting once blue eyes clear. I used to have a nice log in there but despite it being disinfected AND baked beforehand, the thing started sprouting something like tiny orange fungus so i got rid of it. For the same reason i don’t trust moss. After all, sooner or later it starts to mold plus there is the question of mites or other things finding home in there. The only organic thing i didn’t have an issue with so far is birch wood mulch for bedding. It even smells nice.
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So! I haven’t had a problem with stuck shed in the past 14 years I’ve had ball pythons and all I do is keep the subject damp but not damp enough for it to drip water if you squeeze a handful of it, just barely wet. And if I did think a snake needed more humidity I put a small water dish on it’s hot spot but I was careful as not to cover the entire hotspot. So! I hope this helps!
Are you a snake discovery fan boy too?! I love them! I can tell me and you will get along just fine
Yeah washcloths aren’t the best because its surface has places for mold and bacteria to cling on to. I do like your idea about the moss tho
Not a fanboy I wouldn’t say lol but a lot of respect for them certainly. Not quite my fave but lately I’ve found myself tuning in more and more.
If you wanna make a humid hide, use the sphagnum moss and keep it wet in there mist it and then let it try up then mist it again.
Make sure there’s only one hole in there and it’s the smallest it can be for the snake to get in & out of.
Snakes do better in rubber maid bins with locking lids, than they do in tanks unless you wanna put in twice the work to make the tank doable
After 2 years I’ve put in a ton of work to make it doable. And plan on getting a bigger tank eventually and will work my behind off to make it doable. My ball is one of two “display” snakes. My breeders are in tubs.
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I don’t think this is necessarily true.
Have a look at something like this and see how hard it would be to install on your enclosure. Whenever you notice humidity spikes, just slide it open for a few minutes.
@annakirby I would say it isn’t… but at the same time it is. Just easier to control humidity, easier to have enough of a “hidden” factor for them to feel safe, easier to move/clean, etc.
Can you make a glass tank viable for them? Absolutely.
Will you have to put extra work in to maintain optimal conditions?
Absolutely. Some things are just harder with tanks. But they look better. So I understand why people like them.
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I guess I’m the oddball. I’ve had a harder time with my tubs and the humidity than I have with a tank.
I will say though that tubs are a lot easier to clean.
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Don’t think I could install that on a tank
Every time I’ve given a humid hide with moss in it I haven’t had any problems. Really for the hide you should be able to use anything made of a safe plastic like material that won’t absorb water! Also make sure you’re putting this on the warm side of the enclosure!
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