[General Care] Too much humidity

[lorenaj]

Hello,

I just set up my (awesome) new boaphile cage for my RTB. She arrives tomorrow morning (she's being shipped from my mother's house). Unfortunately, the cage is WAY too humid. The gauge is currently reading at 99%!!! How?! I've never had a problem with too much humidity. It's always been the opposite problem.
I am using a mixture of aspen and cypress bedding, and she has a water bowl large enough to soak in (she's over 6 ft). Is the substrate a problem? Maybe it retains too much moisture? If so, I'm kinda freaking out because I don't have anything else and she'll be here soon! No way can I put her in a cage with that much humidity. If I drill some holes in the top, will that help? I don't want to put holes in my brand new cage if it won't significantly decrease the moisture levels.
Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

[bebowebb]

Re: Too much humidity

Before drilling holes, you might make a few different modifications first.

First, try moving the water bowl to the opposite end of the cage from the heat source. If that does not lower the humidity level significantly, then you might try a smaller water bowl.

I'm not sure what specific Boaphile you purchased or the size of your boa, but the boa doesn't necessarily need a water bowl large enough to completely soak in.

[bcr_229]

Re: Too much humidity

I use both aspen and cypress as substrates, but I don't mix them as aspen molds quickly in a high humidity environment, and cypress acts like a sponge - it sops up extra water and then releases it slowly, keeping humidity high in the enclosure.

With your enclosure I would use only aspen and put the water bowl on the cool side to start. If the humidity needs a bump add a water bowl on the warm side. OTOH if it's still too high you can add ventilation holes.

[Jrock23]

Re: Too much humidity

I wouldn't put holes in a beans new cage, unless it was brought like that. Boaphile cages holds humidity very well. In other comments that was said, move water bowl to the cool side. I myself keep very high humduity because I have a CRB & a BRB my other boas humidity is low 70s & pythons low 60s and all are in Boaphile cages and I have know problems. As far a using to different bedding. I would just use one type. Because it's better for your boa, seeing that some bedding do molds or if wet too long it can also cause damage to the belly of your boa, due the flexwatt, or UTH..

[lorenaj]

Re: Too much humidity

Thanks for the advice.
Last night before bed, I did move the water bowl to the cool side. And I didn't know that about aspen molding quickly -that's useful info, and I wish I had just bought two bags of aspen instead of one of each. I wanted it to look a little more natural and a colorful. But my bad.
Also, I realized that it was raining all evening and night. So that would probably also increase humidity in the cage. I'm going to tweak some things today and report back.
Thanks again.

[kurtsherps]

Re: Too much humidity

I use paper towels and have half of the water bowl under the rhp and the humidity stays perfect

[zamora]

Re: Too much humidity

I use the old 'move the water bowl around trick' as well. Sometimes, I'll even keep one on each side, depending on whether I need it increased or decreased.

[lorenaj]

Re: Too much humidity

Hi everyone,

I left for a couple hours and let her settle in after her shipping ordeal. Upon return:
After getting a smaller water bowl, and moving it to the cooler side of the cage, the humidity is now at 89%. She is actually about to shed (probably in the next day or two), so I think that's fine until I can replace the substrate with something less absorptive. Still too high though, right?

The other problem is that the warm side is just not warm enough. It's a Boaphile enclosure with a RHP and a UTH (heat tape). But under the RHP, it's only 86 degrees F. What options do I have for increasing the temperature 6 or 7 degrees? Normally, I would use a heat lamp (she seems to like them), but this cage isn't designed for that. Would another UTH help? What have other people done to increase heat in a 6 foot Boaphile cage?

Thanks, you all are really awesome

[kurtsherps]

Re: Too much humidity

What wattage rhp are you using? Is it strong enough for the size enclosure?

[lorenaj]

Re: Too much humidity

Wait, I just read a few other posts from the distant past, and I realized that my UTH doesn't have a thermostat, so I don't know the temp of that particular spot. The air between the UTH and RHP is 86 degrees because that is what my digital thermometer is actually measuring. Which thermostat should I buy for the UTH? It sounds like an important piece that I should have.

[lorenaj]

Re: Too much humidity

What wattage rhp are you using? Is it strong enough for the size enclosure?

I don't know >.< It was whichever one Jeff from Boaphile said I needed for the size and species I own.

[lorenaj]

Re: Too much humidity

I don't know >.< It was whichever one Jeff from Boaphile said I needed for the size and species I own.

Wait, I think it's a 50 watt. It says 1611 complete, and on his site, that appears to be a 50 watt.

[kurtsherps]

Re: Too much humidity

I run herpstats on mine it's an essential part of temperature control. If you get a multiple control unit you can operate the rhp and the uth off of the same one so they will both run simultaneously

[lorenaj]

Re: Too much humidity

I run herpstats on mine it's an essential part of temperature control.

Gotcha. Roger that. I will order one asap. Thank you.

[mrivera78]

Re: Too much humidity

What type/brand of humidity gauge do you have?...some of them can be very inaccurate