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nikki0421
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
43 Posts |
 Posted - 20/09/2011 : 16:42:31
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Hi
I have just set up my viv and the humidity gauge is reading 72% which from what I've read is too high. The temperature is 83 and I only have one bowl of water in the cool end of the viv. I am using orchid bark as substrate and wondered whether this could be part of the problem or possibly the positioning of the gauge which I have at the back (top middle) I would be really grateful for any advice as I am starting to worry that this may cause respiratory problems later on. |
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 17:51:26
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| Yes the bark is the problem, it's fine to use if you heat it in the oven first though and if you leave it out long enough it'll be fine, fresh orchard raises humidity like mad though |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
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boomslang
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
2025 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 17:58:06
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Is the bark you purchased bone dry in the bag?if it gets very wet,its surprising how long it takes to dry out.
Where do you have the probe? |
1.0.0 pinstripe Royal Python
1.0.0 Bumblebee Royal Python
1.0.0 Normal corn
1.0.0 Extreme red Hognose
0.1.0 Extreme red tiger Hognose
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
1.0.0 Piebald yemen
1.0.0 Tamatave panther
1.0.0 Quadricornis
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nikki0421
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
43 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 19:06:06
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| The bark was straight from the bag which was given to me when I purchased the snake, so I assumed it would be the best type to use although it was slightly damp to the touch. Would a digital thermometer/humidity gauge give a more accurate reading. Also it may sound like a silly question , but because the bark is so dark how will I know which areas to clear when spot cleaning, as I'm thinking of getting a lighter substrate for this reason and also to hopefully stop the humidity problem. |
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nikki0421
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
43 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 19:33:37
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| Also if I change the substrate what is likely to be more damaging, handling too early (I only picked him up today) or leaving the substrate in until next week with the humidity as it is. |
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Tawfik47
Fully Grown Royal
Czech Republic
1584 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 19:43:51
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I thought 70% humidity is ok ?! mine is alway between 60% and 70% ...
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1.0.0 Common Boa - Revo CB13
I had a royal python (Blitz) for two years for those who are wondering what I'm doing here with my boa :D |
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n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 19:53:00
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Hi, I don't use hygrometers because I'm technologically illiterate lol, and I don't have any experience of orchid bark, but I read before of this problem, and the person was advised to leave half the bark in the viv, and take the other half out and bake it (spread it out on a baking tray at lowest oven temp, don't know how long for though, until it's crunchy I guess.) So you could take out some bark without disturbing him too much if he's in his hide? And spread a bit of kitchen roll in its place while the baked bark is drying and cooling? Hope this helps.
Also you'll know when he's been ...royals wee in the usual way but it's usually accompanied or even replaced by little white balls of solid wee called urates, as well as a log, which you cannot avoid seeing as they get older. (AH! Just remembered, yours is an adult ...well, this is what you can expect to see lol!)
I posted this vid I found on youtube already today so apologies to people who've seen it before, but it really is a magnificent example of what you can expect from them. Royals may often only go every few weeks or so, but when they do ...oh boy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euqBBwVukY0&feature=related |
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Edited by - n/a on 20/09/2011 20:01:47 |
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 20:22:00
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Absolutely nothing wrong with humidity in the 70`s, 50% is advised as a guide because that is what we have in this country.
When it rains in Africa there is no way humidity is 50% also Royal Python eggs need humidity close to 90% to have a chance to go the full hogg.
Crystal Palace Reptiles who are probably the biggest retailer in the UK keep their Royals in the 90% bracket. |
Royals owned "lots"
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boomslang
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
2025 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 21:36:06
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quote:
Originally posted by nikki0421
The bark was straight from the bag which was given to me when I purchased the snake, so I assumed it would be the best type to use although it was slightly damp to the touch. Would a digital thermometer/humidity gauge give a more accurate reading. Also it may sound like a silly question , but because the bark is so dark how will I know which areas to clear when spot cleaning, as I'm thinking of getting a lighter substrate for this reason and also to hopefully stop the humidity problem.
If you buy the right brand,it shouldn't need baking or anything.it should be bone dry and light in colour from the bag.And if its a stick on gauge thats junk,replace it with a digi thermometer/humidity. |
1.0.0 pinstripe Royal Python
1.0.0 Bumblebee Royal Python
1.0.0 Normal corn
1.0.0 Extreme red Hognose
0.1.0 Extreme red tiger Hognose
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
1.0.0 Piebald yemen
1.0.0 Tamatave panther
1.0.0 Quadricornis
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nikki0421
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
43 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 22:12:19
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Thankyou so much to everyone who posted. I was really starting to worry but feel better about it now especially after hodgie's post as mine is nowhere near 90%. Thankyou all again for putting my mind at rest, (I might actually get some sleep now. Lol) |
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Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
Posted - 20/09/2011 : 22:35:33
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Biggest tip for keeping a royal I'd give anybody is not to worry, royal's are stupidly strong and internet guides are always very, very specific but never tell you that if something goes wrong and the numbers are too high or too low your royal will be fine for a long, long time before anything too negative happens.
And as for the premature handling, some people handle from day 1 and everything is fine, it doesn't do any real harm as far as I've noticed but it's kind of courtesy to the snake to give the poor guy a break after moving him into a strange environment. |
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boomslang
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
2025 Posts |
Posted - 21/09/2011 : 01:09:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Kelfezond
Biggest tip for keeping a royal I'd give anybody is not to worry, royal's are stupidly strong and internet guides are always very, very specific but never tell you that if something goes wrong and the numbers are too high or too low your royal will be fine for a long, long time before anything too negative happens.
And as for the premature handling, some people handle from day 1 and everything is fine, it doesn't do any real harm as far as I've noticed but it's kind of courtesy to the snake to give the poor guy a break after moving him into a strange environment.
yeah Kelfezond is right,more so when it comes to humidity.most of the "REPTILE" humidity readers are very inaccurate anyway,So if it reads 50%,is it really 50%?and not 40 50 60 70 etc.
And isnt 90% like rainforest wet?My cham cages only just get to 90% with a mist king,right after a 15 min soaking.Anyway with ones like the exo terra will give you a rough guestimate. |
1.0.0 pinstripe Royal Python
1.0.0 Bumblebee Royal Python
1.0.0 Normal corn
1.0.0 Extreme red Hognose
0.1.0 Extreme red tiger Hognose
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
1.0.0 Piebald yemen
1.0.0 Tamatave panther
1.0.0 Quadricornis
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Edited by - boomslang on 21/09/2011 01:17:20 |
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hodgie
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1197 Posts |
Posted - 21/09/2011 : 06:35:23
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quote:
Originally posted by boomslang
And isnt 90% like rainforest wet?My cham cages only just get to 90% with a mist king,right after a 15 min soaking.Anyway with ones like the exo terra will give you a rough guestimate.
heres a link to the weather forecast in Ghana, humidity is included,
http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/ghana/accra |
Royals owned "lots"
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Edited by - hodgie on 21/09/2011 09:33:53 |
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Tawfik47
Fully Grown Royal
Czech Republic
1584 Posts |
Posted - 21/09/2011 : 11:24:19
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| Yea, i've seen something similar to that link, and it shows humidity between 80% and 90% in africa where Royals originaly belong. |
1.0.0 Common Boa - Revo CB13
I had a royal python (Blitz) for two years for those who are wondering what I'm doing here with my boa :D |
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Snecklifter
Yearling
United Kingdom
144 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2011 : 12:35:43
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| 90% humidity does seem very high. I keep mine at 68 - 75% constantly and there have been no adverse effects at all. It saves messing about come shed time with damp hides etc. With the humidity hovering around the 70% mark constantly, he hasn't had a single untidy shed, seems to work well. |
0.0.1 Royal 'Trowzer' |
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Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 23/09/2011 : 12:46:43
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| My humidity is between 45-60% and I have never had any issues with Duke shedding badly either, I do spray the foliage if it drops below 45% but to say they need a very specific humidity is a little bit anal and would be a nightmare to keep exact, basically if its really really dry it could cause shedding problems and if its really really DAMP rather than humid its going to cause respiritory problems and scale rot issues. |
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Humidity too high
