humidity levels...

[Snake lover 3-25]

i am using a humidifier to raist the levels in my tank... it was 34% this morning and throughout the day it has risen to 74% it this too high? i've found that my garters eat when the humidity is high and my larger snake is about to shed... her eyes just changed back from being blue... how high should my humidity levels be for normal day to day life? i also have a smaller snake in the same cage who has just shed... should i take IT (i still refuse to believe that it's a boy) out?

[adamanteus]

Others may well have different thoughts on this, but I never worry about humidity levels being too low. Too high is obviously a problem! My vivs have quite large water bowls, and that's it! I never mist, never provide damp hides, nothing. I have never had a problem with this, all my Garters shed in one piece and eat well etc. I think 74% is too high for any length of time.

As to the smaller snake.... I try to house snakes of similar size together. But as long as you are paying attention at feeding times, it shouldn't really be a problem.

[Snake lover 3-25]

okay thanks James i will turn it off and let them lower a bit, Also does anyone have any idea on a good humidity level because my snakes DO NOT eat when it is lower than 45%...

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Others may well have different thoughts on this, but I never worry about humidity levels being too low. Too high is obviously a problem! My vivs have quite large water bowls, and that's it! I never mist, never provide damp hides, nothing. I have never had a problem with this, all my Garters shed in one piece and eat well etc. I think 74% is too high for any length of time.

As to the smaller snake.... I try to house snakes of similar size together. But as long as you are paying attention at feeding times, it shouldn't really be a problem.

you hit the nail on the head here. I never worry about humidity. As long as the water bowl is full and their sheds come off in one piece I am fine!

[Stefan-A]

I'm one of those with slightly different thoughts. I've seen a few failed sheds that I can only blame on low humidity, but like James said, too high humidity would be a bigger problem. A failed shed is usually not even a nuisance, but too high humidity levels could be a genuine health risk.

Ideally, I'd keep it between 40 and 50%, my shedding problems have all happened at humidity levels below 30-35%.

[Snake lover 3-25]

okay...

problems have all happened at humidity levels below 30-35%.

that's when my snakes stop eating... my room tends to become very dry sometimes even in the 20%s my snakes always seem happy when around 50%-60%, 40% at night when the humidifier goes off... i tried to make it higher today because it was about 29% and so i placed the humidifier above the cage... wont do that again... i am holding them currently and until the levels lower because i too think that mid 70%s are too high... (they were moving about a little more anxiously than normal)

[adamanteus]

I can't remember when my snakes last had a bad shed. I don't measure humidity, I guess my large water bowls keep it high enough.

Shanley, I doubt that a few hours or even a day of very high humidity would be harmful... it's more of a long-term husbandry issue.