Enclosure questions...

[SamGodd]

Hey guys,
I have a Water Python and a few queries regarding her enclosure size. All the content I've read online suggests that the perimeter of the base of the enclosure (in my case 4x2) should be at least twice the length of the fully grown python. From what I've read, I'm expecting her to grow anywhere from 6-10ft, as she isn't overly large for her age. At present, she is about 18 months and 4-4 1/2ft. I'm just wondering whether I'll need to upgrade to a bigger tank in the future? Also, her last two sheds have been fairly poor, which I'm 99% sure are related to a humidity issue; I'm now spraying her tank twice a day when she goes into shed, but does anyone have any other tips to keep the humidity up?

Cheers,
Sam

 

[saximus]

For the size, bigger is just about always better but your dimensions are perfectly adequate for her whole life.
Water Pythons aren't great with shedding in low humidity but it shouldn't need any more spraying than a Carpet (except maybe around this time of year when it is especially low). While it doesn't hurt to spray during shedding, your problem may be fixed with some slight husbandry alterations. How often are you offering fresh water? Internal hydration is just as, if not more, important than external hydration. What substrate are you using? Dry substrates like kitty litter tend to suck the moisture out of the air and cause a lot of humidity problems. In my experience, these two things play a large role in preventing shedding issues.

 

[SamGodd]

Cheers, that's helpful actually. So I've heard, I'm just experimenting to see if I can get it right... Replacing water every second day and she's on aspen bedding.