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Help, mold in tank.

A

aurorlyn

New member
I've NEVER had issues with mold, so this is puzzling me. I've attached pic of mold that I noticed, it's growing on a log. But with further inspection, it's in several spots of the tank.

I've had my snake for 2 years, same setup in his tank. Only things I've changed is larger tank, larger humidity box (recent), larger hides, and larger water dish (recent). I do live in good ole humid Michigan, but that hasn't changed since I first got the snake. His tank is in my living room.

I use Zoo Med Eco Earth Coconut Fiber Substrate. Please educate me if I'm doing this wrong but I always put the substrate in the tank slightly moist and then put heat lamps over it so that it hardens as it dries. And then sprinkle dry loose substrate over top. I only cleaned his tank about a week ago, put down new substrate, baked the wood, cleaned all other surfaces/items with water/vinegar.

I'm assuming too much humidity so I will take out the humidity box since it's still pretty warm in Michigan right now meaning it's still pretty humid. Could this just be result of larger humidity box & larger water bowl?
 
I've heard a lot of people end up not using the coconut substrate because he tends to hold too much water. Also, is the snake in shed? humid hided are only needed during shed.
 
I think he is in blue phase right now, his eyes are cloudy. But I do usually keep the humid hide in his tank all the time, so I'll take it out now unless he is in blue phase. Thanks for the tip.

I also just noticed that the temperature on my "hot" side was not as hot as it usually is and saw that the under tank heater isn't sticking as well... It seemed fine when I last cleaned the tank, but I have had it for awhile and now looks like it is peeling in places. So that could be the culprit...especially since I just cleaned the tank and added moist substrate, I wonder if the lack of heat on the bottom caused it to not dry as much as it usually does.

Ah, I'm super bummed this happened. I don't want my snake to be harmed. And I just cleaned the tank! Do I need to replace all the substrate or will taking out moisture (humid hide and the moldy log), cleaning around the water dish, and adding heat be okay? I poked around in the substrate and there doesn't appear to be mold under or in the substrate.
 
I'd empty the tank, wash it down in Clorox diluted with water. Then rinse well. I'd wash non porous things in bleach water, again rinsing well. Since those log hides are relatively cheap, I'd replace it. If you are concerned about neutralizing the bleach so your snake isn't breathing residual chlorine fumes (and I am) use some Seachem Prime (found in the fish department of most decent pet stores) in water and rinse with that after a good water rinse. Replace all of your substrate. I'd suggest aspen, and just make sure to clean it up if you spill water in it. Small wet spots will dry, but large ones will mold. So basically kill the mold with bleach or discard the mold, but by all means get rid of all the mold. Also get yourself a hygrometer and monitor it. It's not normally needed, but because you've had problems-- they are very cheap. Best wishes.
 
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