Will misting cause some respiratory problems of the ball python? I put some paper towel on the cage and mist the paper directly to keep the humidity, I will mist it many times to keep the humidity between 50-60, but I am afraid the fog will trigger some health problem of the ball python.
she yawns three times tonight, so I’m a little worried
First start with a UTH (under tank heater) and ditch the clamp lamp and bulb/heat emitter. You are heating a lot of air and drying it out well before any heat reaches the snake below. Get a substrate that holds humidity Cypress, or coconut chips are my suggestions, if you don’t already use them. Get a decent sized water bowl as that will also add to the humidity in the tank as well.
You don’t want to have wet towel over the cage as that will promote mold growth.
Also remember the probe of the stat should be as close the level the snake is at for best readings. If you have it mid way your not reading where the snake lives. More pictures of the cage will also help in giving the best advice.
I had a similar issue with an Exoterra Viv like the one you have.
As mentioned by azoreptiles an appropriate substrate solved my problem.
I use a fine coco bark (soil like) to a depth of about 1 inch, covered by coco husk chips at a depth of 1 inch. This separates the higher humidity fine coco husk bottom layer form the animal.
It does dry out over time. I pour about 1 1/2 pints of water over the substrate every week to maintain a 60% humidity level.
This method also easily allows humidity to be increased during shed by adding more water until the required humidity is achieved. By allowing it to dry out a bit it can easily be reduced post shed.
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I have a screen top lid. Half is tin foiled and the other half has a heat panel on it. The entire lid is covered with towels (including the heat panel). Under my tank are two heating pads side by side. They are small thus two, both set to 90 along with the heat panel. The way I combat low humidity (mostly during sheds) is making sure the extra large water bowl is always filled and on the cool side I have a small humidifier I run once a day on a 6hr cycle. Usually average humidity is in the high 40% range low to mid 50%. When in shed I hump it to 70% by running the humidifier more.
We do the same it works way better than just the ‘soil like texture’ it holds moisture, but not too much, and it is less likely to compact encouraging mold growth at the base. In our enclosures we move the substrate around allowing the substrate to breathe and mix the parts of the substrate that has dried with the wet part. This allowed us to measure the amount of moisture we would need to add if any needs to be add.
That being said our opinion is a fogged out side isn’t bad is when the substrate is too wet which can lead to scale rot. As for URI that can happen when the enclosure is too cold or if there is some kind of bacterial/mold growth. Is always important to keep the humidity levels good. I personally don’t keep a hydrometer (this will probably change when we get a rack system going) but I go by touch,feel, and the site of the enclosure. By doing this I can check on the animals condition every morning and clean the cage/add water. I’m not so sure about a humidifier (haven’t done any research) but I know misting systems are a must for terrariumsure that’s why we left that system for bins because it holds the moisture much better.
Instead of paper towels you can dampen towels with warm water that really shot up the humidity (that was when my wife and I had to go to work). Towels can also be washed and will retain moisture longer. We figured the extreme increase to decrease in humidity wouldn’t be healthy so we switched to a different housing method no issues since and moisture holds for a long while when the right substrate is used.
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Thank you very much!
By the way, why putting paper towel on the top of the cage will promote some mold growth. This morning I touch the substrate(This is also coconut substrate but I’m not sure whether it is coconut bark or fiber), and the substrate is dry. However, the humidity is 54%, so will this humidity promote some mold or rot growth?
Thank you so much! I agree misting system is useful, but will the fog cause some respiratory problem of ball python?
Thank you! I will try to pour some water into the substrate and then see the change!
Never had a problem with my girl in the two years (almost 3 now) that we’ve had her. She even likes to lick the moisture off the side of the tank from it sometimes. I think as long as there is a good chunk of time where the system isn’t on then it shouldn’t hurt. Out of 24 hours we only run ours for 6. And sometimes if we notice the humidity is up high we don’t turn it on at all.
yes!!! Thank you very much!!
I have Boa, and he needs 60% to 70% humidity. Are you saying that I should move the hydrometer closer to the ground because he is uselessly on the ground.
sorry I don’t understand what do you mean?
The thing I worry about is whether misting will cause respiratory problems and whether covering paper towel on the top of cage will cause mold or rot’s growth.
So I made a video but it didn’t have the right code. That being said I shared a video of my set up, showed that their was some moisture on the walls/in the dirt. Squeezed the diet to show that it clumps but it doesn’t drip. I also showed a zoo med product we use to disinfect and what not. Ugh well guess that is how it goes ^^;