Enclosure setup questions

[MyKuLoO]

This is for a 3 ft long Jungle Carpet Python...just some questions on the enclosure and whether or not it's adequate.

Setup:

40 gallon tank w/ metal mesh top
75 watt infrared bulb on warm side
"medium" (30-40 gallon) undertank heating mat on warm side
large waterbowl on cool side
humidity meter in the middle
thermometers on warm and cool side
Aspen wood bedding
large log to climb extending to just under the top mesh

Warm side reads 85-91
Cool side reads 78-81
Humidity is 38%

We keep the A/C on pretty much whenever we are home and these are the temperatures with the A/C on full blast. Of course not facing/near the tank but it still gets cold in the room.


I am having trouble increasing the humidity, I spray once a day but what % am I aiming for?

Any help would be appreciated.

[jpsteele80]

With an open screen top you don't really have humidity, I believe the warm temps are a bit high for a carpet but I'll let the more experienced carpet keepers comment on that, used to have one but that was a long time ago

[franks]

Temps: I provide and ambient of around 85 on the hot side with hot spots of around 87 and 92 give or take a few degrees.

Humidity: you will never ever retain humidity with a screen top and a heat lamp- especially with AC running. Misting the cage will make your humidity Guage temporarily go up but it is worthless. Basically you have a mini - dehydrator: the heat lamp will keep pounding down and sacking the moisture up and out. Fish tanks are not ideal for animals requiring humidity, but it is doable. Your best bet with a fish tank is to completely cover the top and to use an under tank heater on a lamp dimmer or temp control.

Regarding the size of the enclosure everyone has different opinions about what is necessary to house a snake but I believe that a 40 gallon tank is too small for a 3 foot jungle carpet python and absolutely way too small for an adult.

Hope this helps

[franks]

One more thing. These snakes do not require high himodity. Anything around 50%-60% up to 65% is perfectly fine. Where I live that is generally ambient humidity.

[aaron_cg]

I have had a few carpets in the past, and I would advise to make sure the enclosure has height. They love to climb. Just to add to what franks said.

[Mikoh4792]

I keep all my carpets with ambient temps of 80-84f inside the enclosure. I provide a small hotspot of around 90F.

Don't worry about humidity percentages. Just keep it "moderate". Low ventilation(no screen tops) and a good sized water bowl will do the trick. No misting needed...ever. Though from time to time I will spray down the walls just to see my carpets drink the droplets.

[Kera]

.I disagree with the comment saying 40 gal is too small for a 3' carpet. Maybe height wise it is depending on measurements but I kept my 32" jungle in a 20 gal with branches and it was just fine.

Also, mesh tops aren't good if you live in a dry place. Here in Wisconsin it's very humid, so humidity is almost always at least 50%. That being said, 38% is obviously low, by as others have said, covering 3/4 or all of the top will help significantly along with away UTH. Best of luck with your carpet. :)

[MyKuLoO]

.I disagree with the comment saying 40 gal is too small for a 3' carpet. Maybe height wise it is depending on measurements but I kept my 32" jungle in a 20 gal with branches and it was just fine.

Also, mesh tops aren't good if you live in a dry place. Here in Wisconsin it's very humid, so humidity is almost always at least 50%. That being said, 38% is obviously low, by as others have said, covering 3/4 or all of the top will help significantly along with away UTH. Best of luck with your carpet. :)

I heard about using aluminum foil as a cover? of course cutting a hole out for the heat lamp.

[franks]

.I disagree with the comment saying 40 gal is too small for a 3' carpet. Maybe height wise it is depending on measurements but I kept my 32" jungle in a 20 gal with branches and it was just fine.

Also, mesh tops aren't good if you live in a dry place. Here in Wisconsin it's very humid, so humidity is almost always at least 50%. That being said, 38% is obviously low, by as others have said, covering 3/4 or all of the top will help significantly along with away UTH. Best of luck with your carpet. :)

They do love height but I was referring to the width which I believe is 12". Like I said, I respect that people have different opinions on this, I just personally feel that 12" width is not enough for a 3' snake.

Also, I believe that a heat lamp with a screen top is detrimental even in states with higher ambient humidity. (Where I live humidity is generally at least 50% as well.) Even if the air is at a level of adequate humidity- the heat lamp will burn it off at the ground level (where the snake lives and breathes) and will also pull moisture from the snake up into the air.

[franks]

I heard about using aluminum foil as a cover? of course cutting a hole out for the heat lamp.

That is one way. Try it out. Cover it up good and see if you can hold humidity without spraying or misting. It will help to have a large water bowl (like Mikoh suggested)

[MyKuLoO]

That is one way. Try it out. Cover it up good and see if you can hold humidity without spraying or misting. It will help to have a large water bowl (like Mikoh suggested)

Wrapping it up as we speak. i'm gonna recheck it after a few hours and hopefully it raises it to 50% at least.

As for the tank size I always heard that if the snake is wrapped around the edge of the tank if it isn't more than 2/3 of the way around then that is big enough.

[franks]

Yes, that is considered the general rule of thumb.

[Mikoh4792]

A 40 gallon tank is basically a 3x2x2 but a tad smaller. The dimensions are 36 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches.

In my opinion it'll be fine for a 3 foot jungle. My 4.5 foot irian jaya is a in 3x2x2 and it seems to be plenty big for him.

[MyKuLoO]

It's been a few hours wrapped up with aluminum foil over the mesh top...happy to report that humidity is at 52%....hopefully it stays like that during the daylight hours.

[franks]

Awesome. Glad that works. Mykuloo- is the enclosure 36x18? Just curious. I thought 40 ' s were 42x12

[marvelfreak]

Awesome. Glad that works. Mykuloo- is the enclosure 36x18? Just curious. I thought 40 ' s were 42x12
Depends on if it's a 40 tall or 40 long.

[marvelfreak]

29225

Take your tank and set it on the end like this. This will give you tons of room for adding branches for climbing. Then put the heat pad on the back towards the bottom. Then just cover part of the screen to help keep the humidity in.

If you don't want to set it up that way and just use the tank the regular way. All you need do this move your water bowl close to the heat pad or partially over it. This will help raise your humidity quite a bit.

[MyKuLoO]

Awesome. Glad that works. Mykuloo- is the enclosure 36x18? Just curious. I thought 40 ' s were 42x12


My 40 gallon is from Tetra and it is 36 inches by 18 inches and about 16 inches high.

[franks]

Ok. I am sorry. That 6" makes a huge difference in my opinion. I love chucks idea pictured above. It is not difficult to put a front door on the tank if you like that concept.

[franks]

Hey- you should show off a few pictures of your guy for us.

[MyKuLoO]

Humidity at 12pm is holding at 59%..aluminum foil really works :)

Yes the enclosure is 36x18

[marvelfreak]

Humidity at 12pm is holding at 59%..aluminum foil really works :)

Yes the enclosure is 36x18
Yours is a 40 tall that what i have. In the picture you can tell but it has a sliding screen top. with it on the end you just slid it sideways to open.

[dshin963]

When I was still using fish tanks I would wrap just the middle of the mesh leaving a couple inches on both sides for airflow... Nothing worse than a climate where mold growth is encouraged.

[pinefamily]

Hi, new to this forum, but not new to reptiles.
The tank is ok for a 3 ft jungle, as long as you as provide plenty of climbing area. I'm more used to metric measurements, so your tank is 1200 (4 ft) long? If so, that will be fine forever, although a taller one would be ideal for a jungle. We have a 6 ft jungle in a 1200 x 500 x 600 (roughly 4 ft x 1.5 x 2), and she has a thick wooden dowel running the length of her tank as well as rocks to climb on.
Regarding humidity, it seems you have it sorted, but don't stress about it, jungles don't require too much. A large flatter water bowl gives more surface area, and better humidity.
Hope this helps.

[marvelfreak]

When I was still using fish tanks I would wrap just the middle of the mesh leaving a couple inches on both sides for airflow... Nothing worse than a climate where mold growth is encouraged.
So very true.

I got the one in the picture given to me with a 8 year old male Ball Python. Poor thing had pine bedding, some stuck shed on it tail and neck, and it had a heat lamp.(no heat pad) 8 years old and right at 3 feet it only ever been fed mice. So now he resting in a tote with newspaper bedding for now going to be eating rats for here on out. Now i have to figure out what to do with the tank. I been trying to give it away but no wants a tank. Seem everyone use tubs, totes or pvc cages for their snake.

[franks]

Wow. Where do people even find pine bedding? Is it a hamster thing?