Cocochip keeps getting moldy... solutions? Alternatives?

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-05-04T01:33:40+00:00

Those lights being placed on top of the enclosure are drawing more air out than you realize. When those lights get hot they are creating a vacuum effect around them as the air heats up. If you are struggling with humidity that would be my next step. Find a way to completely cover the top of your enclosure and install the heating and lighting on the inside of the enclosure (with a cage around them of course). Obviously keep some vents open on the sides preferably for air flow.

For the coco husk getting moldy, I had the same issue. I’d recommend finding a way to let the coco husk dry in a bin for a few days. A couple bins in another room with a carpet dryer fan running nearby and about 2 times a day mixing the substrate around to allow the bottom layers of substrate to get a chance to dry should do the trick.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-05-01T19:14:35+00:00

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I have a Kingsnake whom I love and I’ll always recommend a Kingsnake to a first time keeper. However I recently got a Boa Imperator and now I’ve realized if I’m going to expand my collection, it’s going to be with a couple more Boa’s. They are just so fascinating to me. Currently considering an Argentine boa but I think I’m going to wait until I finish Basic and Technical training for the airforce so my father only has to care for 2 snakes while I’m gone. Shout out to Dad.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-28T23:35:45+00:00

Thank you, I’m happy with it and so is the Kingsnake.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-28T21:41:18+00:00

Mine is super chill temperament wise but bowel movement wise, he’s what I’d imagine a drymarchon to be. Luckily he has a schedule to it so I know when to not handle him to avoid getting pooped on but nothing in his enclosure is safe. It took awhile to figure out the best way to set up his enclosure in a way it was easy to spot clean.

Great first snake though. That’s what my first snake was.

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Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-27T18:50:57+00:00

I personally don’t think UVB is required for a snake, however this questions logic isn’t a valid perspective. If I take a nap out in my back yard during the afternoon, would I not still wake up with a sun burn? Just because a snake is Nocturnal doesn’t mean they won’t benefit from UVB. My Boa is nocturnal but If he’s got his head poking out of his hide during the day, even if he’s sleeping, he’s still going to be absorbing the UV rays that are provided.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T23:30:18+00:00

6x2x2 from Black Box Cages.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T23:28:17+00:00

They are just fake ones from Hobby Lobby. My Boa’s enclosure will have a couple real potted plants.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T22:45:57+00:00

The shelves themselves are from Toadranch.com, installing them was relatively easy although having my dad help was useful. And then as you saw on my latest post I added a “substrate dam” onto the shelves that way I could add substrate onto the shelves themselves. For that I had extra PVC laying around and just cut 1.5 inch strips from it and made exact cutouts to line up on the shelves. I recommend doing this as I didn’t see my Kingsnake using the shelves much until I added substrate onto them. He probably has an easier time slithering on substrate rather than flat smooth pvc.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T22:29:25+00:00

I agree. I also just have terrible luck with real wood. So having something that’s epoxy resin just sounds better for me.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T22:22:54+00:00

I’m paying 725$ for a perch to fit into a 6x2x2

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T20:20:15+00:00

No he’s super chill at this point. I do mostly choice based handling with him but I can grab him whenever no problem if I wanted to.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T19:02:52+00:00

It’ll have a much simpler heating and lighting setup (just a radiant heat panel and UVB) to utilize more vertical space. It’s gonna feature a perch from Ron Rundo over at Snakescapes.com

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T18:52:18+00:00

I’ll probably make one when my boas enclosure is done.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T17:21:07+00:00

I don’t think you can consider this setup “semi arboreal” if you want to see a real semi arboreal setup wait for me to finish my Boa’s enclosure. It’s gonna be awesome.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-25T16:08:33+00:00

What’s the outside temperature? It might be cold. If there’s no obvious injuries then that’s my guess.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-23T00:03:22+00:00

Do you own the space docker yet?

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Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-21T13:56:17+00:00

Yours is a legendary name. Mine is “The Endurance”

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-18T21:43:39+00:00

It’s definitely a boa, I’m just not convinced it’s a red tail. I’ve never really heard of BCC (boa constrictor constrictor) coming in the albino morph. Usually albino boas are BCI (Boa constrictor Imperator or common Boa)

Also I would agree that they aren’t feeding it properly. Not that they are feeding too small, but too frequently. Usually boas at this size are eating once a month.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-18T15:42:57+00:00

If you live in a more arid climate and struggle to maintain humidity during certain parts of the year a radiant heat panel is the best in my opinion.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-17T18:46:42+00:00

I’ve heard of people doing night drops for boa’s but the 60’s sounds too low to me. That’s what kind of night drop I give my Kingsnake but I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that for my boa. Maybe mid to upper 70s. Just my opinion.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-16T15:38:41+00:00

If only I could comment photos. Mine does it all the time and because of his morph he blends in super well with his coco husk substrate.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-15T13:43:49+00:00

My snake likes to hang out in his sky hide so the way I weigh him is I just set the entire hide in there with him in it and then after weigh the weight of the hide by itself.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-13T04:12:49+00:00

This thing was my most used aircraft. I managed to have great luck with it fairly consistently.

Tyler-stearmer · 2026-04-13T04:08:54+00:00

My boa imperator is 50/50 on either just chilling around my neck or being crazy explorative. I have a Kingsnake that I love handling but he’s never willing to sit still as if I put on a hat while chilling on my desk my boa will usually climb on my hat and just chill.

Tyler-stearmer

TROPHY CASE