Hi all! I’m setting up for a ball python tank, and I keep seeing conflicting answers in my research, so I wanted to turn to some owners here. I see some people say 50-60% humidity, and others say 70-80% is ideal. Can you let me know what works in your actual experience? What produces full sheds but no respiratory infection? I am able to get any range between 30-85 easy, so I just want to know what you recommend and why 
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I am a noob of 1 year so far with snakes, but I’ve been keeping my BP at around 60% and providing a damp moss hide for extra help shedding or more humidity when he wants it, and his water dish is large enough for him to curl up in if he wanted to.
It’s quite difficult to get much more humid here where I live in the Rocky Mtn Desert, and my house is at 35%, so I have Govee monitors in the enclosures set to keep close track of either end of his box so I can get Notifications and see if it dries out. I also check it visually- it tends to stay humid enough if I moisten the coco chip and fiber substrate every so often, and evaporation from his wide bowl helps.
I do know I’ve heard more experienced keepers say that the amount a snake needs to shed cleanly can depend on the snake a little. Some seem fine with 60% and some need a really moist humid hide to use… This might be the case but I’d verify it with the Veteran keepers.
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45-50% its going to be the sweet spot for you to be able to keep a clean, mold free enclosure, but still get good sheds. 60% would be the higher end of what’s necessary. Anything beyond that and you’re looking at a reduction in air quality, which can lead to respiratory infections.
It’s worth pointing out that consistent sheds are as much a factor of internal hydration as external hydration with Ball Pythons. They will drink more readily of fresh water so if you’re doing a couple of water changes per week, you’ll never see bad sheds, even if you have poor humidity.
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I run about 50% humidity regular days. (Whole room controlled between 40-50%, and tubs are naturally a little higher from the water dish.) If I see one in shed then I’ll splash a good amount of water into the coco husk substrate and the humidity will get a good bump for about a week without giving mold a chance to get started.
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I think you are going to see an average of around 50-60% in most cases, with 60 on the hight end. You really only need a higher humidity level when shedding. Spraying some of the coco chips near the heated area does the trick. If using a glass enclosure, you will need something else (like an extra water dish with bedding soaked in water in it to help out longer).
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