# Mould in ball python tubs



## Curlytails (Feb 18, 2018)

My home is very prone to mould due to the building yet the environment is quite dry. I keep my ball pythons in “sterile” tubs at the moment and want to start using some sort of substrate to control humidity better as the paper towels release humidity too quickly and this throws off the humidity. I want to use reptichip but ive had some go mouldy on me before.

whats my options here?

thank you guys!


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

Inhaling mould spores is not good for you or for your reptile, if you’ve ever heard of Farmer’s lung? 

Stale air will encourage mould growth, as will damp conditions.

Air movement can counter this, so improving ventilation may help.

Substrate can indeed soak up or release moisture. Rotating the tub with the heat source may help to drive off moisture and mould, or Collembola (springtails) culture might help to consume developing mould.

Digging up rotating and aerating the substrate could potentially impede mould formation.

If the tubs have limited air volume, consider not just moisture but also potential release of ammonia and volatiles which could create quite an unpleasant atmosphere for the occupant.


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## Curlytails (Feb 18, 2018)

Swindinian said:


> Inhaling mould spores is not good for you or for your reptile, if you’ve ever heard of Farmer’s lung?
> 
> Stale air will encourage mould growth, as will damp conditions.
> 
> ...



I have been aerating tubs daily and have drilled extra holes in all tubs so aeration and movement of stale air is never really a problem. The only problem arises when I use anything but paper as a substrate. The holes ive drilled even had to be covered up because the airflow was too much ahaha. I feel like im going in circles here… 

In regards to ventilation in the home it is very well ventilated but the building is the issue so spores present can transfer to bioavailable substrates such as reptichip but not to a refined substrate such as paper towels. Should i just stick to the towels and figure out how to balance humidity in that environment?


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

The problem is that the room the snakes are being kept in is too cold. The warm humid air inside the rub thus condenses on the inside of the tub and due to gravity runs down and soaks the substrate, which, being warmed by the mat (I presume you are using heat mats on a thermostat?) encourages mould, especially if you already have a damp issue in the building with mould present.

You have two options (well two related to keeping the snakes) - the first is to raise and maintain the temperature in the room the tubs are stored in, ideally keeping the room at 28c. Or house the snakes in wooden vivarium's of appropriate size, heated using ceramic heaters on pulse or dimmer stats. 

Also, when using Reptichip or similar, you need to let the product dry out for several days if you follow the instructions or videos and use the amount of water suggested. If the wet Reptichip is placed in a tub or wooden viv it will lead to the green type mould. I tend to brake the blocks down dry, add to the enclosure and then give the substrate a light spray from a misting bottle of water.


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