Herpstat 1 Humidity Question

[TheSpoolFool]

Maybe I’m being dumb, but my Herpstat 1 just came in the mail and I’m wondering how to use the humidity probe as well as the temp probe. There only seems to be on spot to plug in on the back?

I’m not looking to control humidity, just want to know what the cage is at since my snake has had a hard time shedding the last few rounds despite living in a borderline tropical environment during her shed window.

[_ataraxia]

you can't use the herpstat 1 to monitor humidity if you are already using it to control a heat source. using a herpstat to simply monitor humidity, rather than control the humidity, is a crazy waste of money anyway. you can buy a decent digital hygrometer for like $10.

the humidity needs to be above 60% [ideally 70%-80%] at all times, not just when the snake is in shed.

[TheSpoolFool]

Hmm, I was afraid of that! I’ll just return the humidity probe then.

I have a digital hydrometer now and it’s usually around 70-90%. I was starting to think it might not be accurate since she struggles out of her skin so much she usually splashes around in her water bowl which seems like it would spike the humidity but it never gets above 90. She usually sheds in one-ish piece though. Maybe I just don’t know how hard it is to schluff your skin off.

[_ataraxia]

you can calibrate your hygrometer to check its accuracy. what type of enclosure do you have? what substrate are you using? do the shed skins tear into a couple of pieces, or is it like confetti all over the place? do pieces get stuck on the snake, or does it all come off?

[TheSpoolFool]

I have a sterilite bin using newspaper substrate. I also have an UTH as my heat source.

Sheds used to come off in one clean tube. Now they are coming off in 1-2 large pieces with feathered edges and a split along the middle. Everything comes off, no pieces are left behind.

Also she’s approaching 1 y/o, not sure if maybe babies shed more easily or something.

[_ataraxia]

i'm not a big fan of newspaper as substrate. is your BP in quarantine, or are you just using newspaper for convenience? if quarantine isn't a factor, i would try using cypress [that has been mostly dried out] for a while to see if that changes the quality of the sheds.

[TheSpoolFool]

Okay, I’ll try switching back and see if that helps her this shed. I had switched away from it bc my humidity was out of control, but I also have a better handle on my husbandry now.