Humidity for Ball Pythons: how to get it right (and why you need to!)

[@SeagraveSerpentarium]

When I first brought my corn snake home he was a little on the dry side and to me it felt like his belly scales were laminated. I definitely agree that checking the overall condition of the animal is the best indictor of whether you have your husbandry right.

[@ballpythonbreeder.co.uk_]

Absolutely - and it's a good skill to have as a keeper! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment 🙂

[@GangstarComputerGod]

You’ve always got great info I haven’t heard before. Thanks for posting!

[@ballpythonbreeder.co.uk_]

You're welcome and thank you for commenting! I'm glad you enjoy the channel!

[@tsumi79]

I live in Las vegas which has an average humidity of around 24 percent and throughout the year ranges between 13 and 40 percent. I have my girl in a glass enclosure with a screen top and a fogger running but I get afraid to run it all the time. Even though with it running on the lowest setting it takes the humidity from 55 to 80 percent depending on the time of day and if the central air is running. I know she is getting ready to shed and is eating good. She used to soak in tne water dish before I added the fogger and now she stays in her hide but I'm just afraid that running it will cause RI. I tried spraying and I would have to spray every 30 minutes to keep the humidity at a decent level for any reasonable time.

[@ballpythonbreeder.co.uk_]

Living out west definitely makes humidity tough! I remember going to Las Vegas in the summer one year and it was the driest heat I've ever experienced. Honestly I don't think the fogger alone will give her an RI, so long as her temperature and hygiene are good. Obviously you need her to be comfortable and shed well long-term. Usually RIs are a result of high humidity+poor hygiene+poor temperatures. Maybe a good compromise would be to run the fogger all day, but switch it off at night? Hope that makes sense, and thank you for commenting!

[@tsumi79]

Thanks for the reply. I was considering something like that. We got her on February 29th and this is her first she'd with us. Still hasn't happened but her eyes went back to clear so it should be soon. Strangly enough she hasn't stopped eating the whole time. There is a wood log in the middle of the tank she has made her new full time hide even with a hot and cool one on each side. Temps are good. I can't find and poop anywhere and I've been looking. I've checked her and she doesn't seem to have anything stuck inside her. It is a bioactive but I will keep looking.

[@tarantularamblings3149]

I think I have got humidity just about correct by having my water bowls touching the heat mat area . It's interesting you talking about how the snake feels .Slinky our rescue male does feel more like the way you describe for a snake that's too dry . Yes his enclosure generally sits between 55 and 70 humidity so I don't know why he feels like that . 🤔

[@ballpythonbreeder.co.uk_]

If your humidity is usually in the 60-70% range it should be fine. I wonder if he feels like that because of his history? Was he underfed or sick for a long time before you rescued him? Sometimes snakes that are chronically nutrient-deprived feel flaky or rough and it is due to the underlying skin layers being in poor condition. If that is the case it will improve with time and a few sheds so long as he is feeding

[@tarantularamblings3149]

The two babies or sub adults ,I really should weigh them, feel. much more smooth and solid than he does . I plan to try slinky on food again this weekend last week it was only a mouse but at least I know if he refused it one of the others would be able to eat it .

[@ballpythonbreeder.co.uk_]

Ok I see - sounds like maybe it is a body condition thing. I hope Slinky gets eating soon! You're obviously doing the right thing by trying occasionally rather than every day, and focusing on husbandry. I wonder if a supplement with some B Vitamins might help? (I'm thinking one to add to his water)

[@tarantularamblings3149]

@@ballpythonbreeder.co.uk_ well it was leaving him alone for a full week with no handling that got him feeding . Well he could have just been hungry for all i know. Never heard of a vitamin b supliment before . I was kind of hoping that now he is more settled and we are not handing him for so long or as often he might settle down and start to eat a bit more regularly. He used to be out for over an hour a night so it was probably stressing him out .

[@ballpythonbreeder.co.uk_]

Oh I thought he hadn't eaten at all for you. I'm sure he'll eat more regularly with time. If he's eating intermittently I wouldn't worry about the supplements