Mold question?

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 08:50 AM

i have my first ball python, about 2 months now. i bought a humidifier for his tank and it seems that mold is growing (as expected) on his/her log hide. is it safe for my snake? i don't want to get it sick or anything. thanks!

**Boots** · 01-07-11, 08:54 AM

Welcome to our community. Mold is never a good thing. You might want to have more then one hide and switch them out every couple of days to dry out. How high do you have the humidity in the tank?

Jason

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boots

Welcome to our community. Mold is never a good thing. You might want to have more then one hide and switch them out every couple of days to dry out. How high do you have the humidity in the tank?

Jason

i actually am not sure, my therm/humid seems to be broken, i checked it and it seems as though it's stuck at 80 degrees and 80% humidity even if i throw it in the freezer, seems i need a new one. after i dry it out, how would i rid it of the mold?

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 10:35 AM

this is my buddy by the way

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boots

Welcome to our community. Mold is never a good thing. You might want to have more then one hide and switch them out every couple of days to dry out. How high do you have the humidity in the tank?

Jason

i'm actually not positive, my them/hum gauge seems to be messed up. i threw it in the fridge to make sure and it seems it is stuck on 80 degrees and 80% humidity. i'll have to pick up a new one. if i clean the mold off of the hide, how would i go about doing so? sand paper?

Ch^4 · 01-07-11, 10:44 AM

Welcome and good looking BP! I would definitely invest in a digital thermometer and hygrometer (you can get them at walmart for cheap or at a pet store). The analog/dial gages are notorious for not reading the correct value and for sticking.

What type of bedding are you using? Repti-bark is good for BPs; it holds humidity very well and doesn't mold.

Where is your humidifier positioned? If it is directly above the log hide and dripping on it, you should move it and place a make-shift humid hide that essentially catches the condensation from the humidifier--you can us a tupperware, with a hole in the lid that is large enough for your snake. Then line the bottom of the tupperware with sphagnum moss and viola! A humid hide that your BP will love and a catch basin to prevent mold.

I hope that helps! Pics of your current setup would be helpful.

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ch^4

Welcome and good looking BP! I would definitely invest in a digital thermometer and hygrometer (you can get them at walmart for cheap or at a pet store). The analog/dial gages are notorious for not reading the correct value and for sticking.

What type of bedding are you using? Repti-bark is good for BPs; it holds humidity very well and doesn't mold.

Where is your humidifier positioned? If it is directly above the log hide and dripping on it, you should move it and place a make-shift humid hide that essentially catches the condensation from the humidifier--you can us a tupperware, with a hole in the lid that is large enough for your snake. Then line the bottom of the tupperware with sphagnum moss and viola! A humid hide that your BP will love and a catch basin to prevent mold.

I hope that helps! Pics of your current setup would be helpful.

Thank you, and thanks for the info! i will certainly invest in one then. the cruddy one i had came in a set i got with my original terrarium. i've since upgraded to a 20 gallon so he has some more room. i use aspen for the bedding, the humidifier is on the opposite side of the tank of the log, i have a heating pad under the tank under the log hide, and i made a water-hide so he can drink and chill whenever he wants in there (although he very rarely does). maybe because the humidifier is right there? here are some pics. any help would be greatly appreciated!

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 11:03 AM

last one

Will0W783 · 01-07-11, 11:08 AM

Your cage is way way too humid. You don't need to have water condensation on all the sides for a BP. If your house is not terribly dry, all you need to maintain proper humidity is a water dish under the heat lamp. You can also cover half the screen lid with tinfoil to hold more humidity in. I'd stop the fogger right away- you're only going to mold the cage up again. Aspen does not hold humidity and molds very easily.

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

Your cage is way way too humid. You don't need to have water condensation on all the sides for a BP. If your house is not terribly dry, all you need to maintain proper humidity is a water dish under the heat lamp. You can also cover half the screen lid with tinfoil to hold more humidity in. I'd stop the fogger right away- you're only going to mold the cage up again. Aspen does not hold humidity and molds very easily.

i tired for a while without the fogger and it just doesn't hold humidity at all. literally like 10% humidity without. should i just turn it down to the lowest setting? i have it on medium right now

Will0W783 · 01-07-11, 11:22 AM

What kind of humidity gauge do you have? If you have one of the analog stick-on kinds, just toss it. Those are not accurate at all. I would recommend getting a good digital temp/humidity gauge and hooking the fogger up to that.

I keep my BP in a melamine cage with a large water dish, aspen bedding and radiant heat. That's all. I don't use an additional humidity source, because with the water evaporating in there, the humidity is fine. Screen-topped cages are very tough to keep BPs in because they are a very sensitive species. If you can afford it, I would recommend looking into a plastic or melamine cage for your snake. I think it would work much better for you in the long run.

PyramidScheme · 01-07-11, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

What kind of humidity gauge do you have? If you have one of the analog stick-on kinds, just toss it. Those are not accurate at all. I would recommend getting a good digital temp/humidity gauge and hooking the fogger up to that.

I keep my BP in a melamine cage with a large water dish, aspen bedding and radiant heat. That's all. I don't use an additional humidity source, because with the water evaporating in there, the humidity is fine. Screen-topped cages are very tough to keep BPs in because they are a very sensitive species. If you can afford it, I would recommend looking into a plastic or melamine cage for your snake. I think it would work much better for you in the long run.

awesome, thanks for the help i will start looking into these things immediately

**Aaron_S** · 01-07-11, 11:50 AM

If you're humidity is low in that set up without the fogger change the substrate. Something along the lines of eco-earth or mulch would work drastically better.

My personal preference, not to use a fish cage. Plastic enclosures work way better and can be display cages as Kim suggested.

Ch^4 · 01-07-11, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PyramidScheme

i tired for a while without the fogger and it just doesn't hold humidity at all. literally like 10% humidity without. should i just turn it down to the lowest setting? i have it on medium right now

As Kim said, condensation on all sides of the viv is not necessary for a BP and you may end up with an unhealthy snake.

If you cannot get another setup in the short-run, I'd switch substrate to repti-bark or eco-earth as suggested by Aaron. Also, DO NOT KEEP THE FOGGER RUNNING AT ALL TIMES!!! Go get a cheap analog timer (~$5-10) and setup it up to run for 30 minutes every 3-6 hours or so (this will take some experimentation on your end). It should be HUMID in the tank, not WET! (I'm not yelling at you, but this is a very common mistake!).

You can get "weather station" things that measure temperature and relative humidity for relatively cheap at Lowes, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, etc., or you can pick up digital thermometers and hygrometers at a pet shop for a decent price (I try to avoid pet shops).

I hope that helps! Good luck and keep us posted.

Reptile_Reptile · 01-07-11, 12:48 PM

yea first bet would be to change substrate the aspen absorbs and nullifies a lot of humidity so that is part of your problem. it just soaks it right up. and i would ditch the wooden hides for some plastic or rock hide because with the required humidity for a bp anything that can mold has a super high chance to mold.

oh and may i ask what that bucket with the hole crudely cut in the top is for?