Help Needed - Temperature & Humidity control in Tank!!

[alf]

I am relatively new to this site, but have had my BP since August 2009 and everything is going well so far. I have read a lot of posts on set up and general care and this site has been extremely helpful so far.

My BP is housed in a 20 gal plastic tank with a ventilated top, and I have recently switched to a digital thermo-hygro meter (was using analogue before!)

My issue is that since switching to the digital, i have realized that my temp and humidity settings are not correct and I'm finding it difficult to find a solution.

The temp/ humidity in the hide is showing 82/84f & 50% humidity (hot side), which i think is about ok. However, in the main tank area (ambient reading) the temp is at around 70/72f and 80%+ humidity! (the probe is placed about 1 cm from the ground - the higher up I place it the cooler the reading but similar humidity)

My BP spends much of his time in the hide where the set up is ok (please confirm if not) - but I can't seem to lift the temperature in the main tank area and reduce the humidity (the humidity is the main issue i think?).

I'm using a UTH on the hot side and no bulbs or anything else as a heat source. There is a water dish that i have now moved over to the cool side to try and reduce the humidity but to no avail.

I live in spain so much of the year is ok for the temperature but this winter has been particularly bad, and very humid (in the air generally) and I need some direction on how to solve the temp & humidity problems as I'm concerned that they could harm my BP when he comes out of his hide to search!!

Should i drill some holes into the tank to help reduce the humidity - but wouldn't this also reduce the temperature?!

Any ideas/ suggestions would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance......

[dr del]

Hi,

Can you describe what kind of setup you are using?

My first bit of advice is to put the probe under the substrate in the warm end hide and see what temp that gives - there is nothing to be gained by measuring temps off the ground as that isn't where the snake lives most of the time.

The temps you should be shooting for at ground level are;

Inside hot end hide - under substrate 93-95f, on top of substrate 90-93f.
Inside cool end hide - 80-82f

Since your ambients are too low yet your humidity is too high it might actually be a good idea to try and use a heatlamp (with either a ceramic or red light bulb ) positioned in the middle of the enclosure.

But how to fit this etc depends on what kind of enclosure you are using.

Pics would help.


dr del

[maria1232]

i agree on the heat lamp, since i have a pastic tub, i bought a leetle ceramic heater, and i position it about 2-3 feet away from the tubs, and turn it on on low, leave it like that for about 30 minutes, and it raises the temps to about 82 degrees[[which is what your shooting for]] and after i turn it off it lasts for about 4 hours, which is great for the night, it also decreases humidity, here in forida i couldn't keep it under 80%, but after the hater its usuall around 65-70% , also since is getting warmer here i open the windows and let the air circulate, this also lowers humidity, and let the sun shine on the cage, raising the temps during the day, my hot side under the substrate is always 95 degrees and about 92 over the substrate, and like i said, my cool side is mostly around 82.... aso, make sure your water bowl isnt too big, since this will raise humidity, at dollar tree you can find ceramic ones that are 4" in diameter, and i find that that helps humidity...if none of this helps shoot for a light thingy, this will suck up some humidity and raise the temps a couple of degrees, hope this helps

<3maria