# Ball python humidity



## Kelsy (3 mo ago)

Hi guys, I'm new to this just starting out with a ball python, struggling to maintain humidity in my woden vivarium (1150x490x561mm)

I have a 200w heat lamp, and recently put in a heat mat using the vivexotic glass holder,

Temp on the basking side of the vivarium is currently 29.2, 49% humidity, can never get this above 50% but gets up to 75% on the cool end of the vivarium after spraying down the eco earth.

Any tips on how I can increase the humidity on the basking side would be greatly appreciated.

My apologies for the grammar, I'm dyslexic :S


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Royal pythons don't need excessive humidity, 50-70% is fine, and if you are concerned just mist the substrate once or twice a day when the snake is clearing after the blue stage of the shedding cycle. 29c is a tad on the cool side - 32 to 34c is preferable. If the "heat lamp" is a form of light bulb then I would suggest you change the set up for a 150w ceramic heater on a pulse proportional or dimming thermostat (you should already have the latter as you would be using this to control the lamp). You can also do a way with the hat mat as the ceramic is needed to be on 24/7. Using a lamp is not ideal as if you turn it off at night the ambient air temperature in the viv will drop, but if you run a lamp 24/7 you are depriving the snake of a true photo-period, and these snakes are generally nocturnal. It is possible to use a heat mat for night time, and a lamp during the day, but from my own experience you'll find the snake are less active at nigh, and seldom coming off the warmth as they can feel the cooler air. There is also a risk of the snake getting an RI (ie a cold) if the ambient air temperature falls too low due to a low room temperature 

Have a read of the guide pinned at the the top of this section for more info.


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## Elly66 (Feb 27, 2021)

I made the mistake of forever trying to get higher humidity in my Royal viv, but with input from here realised I was overdoing it. I made a moss box, which is always kept damp and only spray the logs, substrate etc twice a day when shed mode starts. Only one bad shed ( last time), but back to perfect shed this time. 

As Malc said, your basking temp is low and needs increasing and I 2nd using CHE on a thermostat 24/7. For daytime light, I use a uva/uvb bulb for around 12hrs a day.


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