Do Corn Snakes Need Humidity Boxes?

Corn snakes are nonvenomous reptiles from the Southeastern United States, Cayman Islands, and parts of Mexico. Due to their docile temperament and easy-care level, they are among the most popular reptiles kept as pets.

Getting the right humidity level for a corn snake is quite problematic to beginner hobbyists, and you may wonder “Do Corn Snakes Need Humidity Boxes?”.

You can provide humidity boxes for your corn snakes, but it is optional. All you need is to ensure that the humidity level in their enclosure is between 50-60%.

This article will highlight everything you need to know about humidity boxes for your corn snakes, from whether they need them to how you can improve the humidity level in their enclosure.

Do Corn Snakes Need Humidity Boxes?

Yes, your corn snakes may need a humidity box. However, this is optional if you can get the humidity in your snake’s enclosure to the ideal range. Corn snakes require a humidity level between 50-60% to stay healthy and active.

This is because having the correct humidity level helps maintain respiratory health, prevent dehydration, and aid proper shedding in corn snakes.

Identify Signs that Your Snake Needs a Humidity Box

The best way to determine if your snake will need a humidity box is if the humidity level in its enclosure reads below 30%. You can also detect if your snake needs a humidity box if it has difficulty shedding after you have provided a water bowl in the enclosure.

Providing a humidity box in the enclosure will allow your snake to use it when it needs to, like when there is a drop in humidity.

Best Humidity Boxes for Corn Snakes

There are several options when it comes to the humidity box for corn snakes. You can easily make a DIY humidity hide or buy a humidity box for your corn snakes.

Homemade Humidity Hide

You can use a deli cup to make a humidity box for your baby corn snakes while you place damp moss inside.

Another way is to look for something with porous material instead of using plastic hides. You will then pour a bit of water on its top to help the humidity seep into the hide. Furthermore, you will put damp moss inside to keep the humidity level at the optimal range.

Once your snake is bigger, you can then switch to a humidity box made with a plastic container large enough to house a loosely coiled corn snake. You will need to add a layer of moist moss like Sphagnum or peat to the box to help keep the humidity at a high level.

You can also use moist paper towels as substrates in the humidity box, but you will need to replace them more often. You will cut an access hole in the side or lid large enough to fit your snake when getting in and out of the hide.

There you have a homemade humidity box for your corn snake.

Note: Ensure you file or sand away the rough edges on the hole to avoid injuries to your snake.

Store-Bought Humidity Hides

You can buy humidity hides from a store if you want to add to the aesthetic feel of your snake’s enclosure. Although humidity hides from the store are quite expensive, they are natural looking, attractive, and available in different sizes.

However, they are very easy to set up. All you have to do is place it where you want it in your snake’s enclosure and add damp substrates to it. You can buy Zoo Med’s Repti Shelter.

Galápagos (05348) Mossy Cave Hide, 6″, Green Sphagnum

Last update on 2022-12-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Note

You need to ensure the humidity box is the right size for your corn snakes when deciding on the humidity hides to use for them. The hide should be able to cover your snake fully and should also feel tight and cozy to your snake.

Alternatives to Maintain Humidity for Corn Snakes

Here are some tips that you can use to increase the humidity in your corn snake’s enclosure:

• Use a humidity-friendly substrate to keep your snake’s enclosure moist.
• Place a large water bowl in their enclosure to keep them hydrated and their enclosure moist.
• Mist the enclosure daily in the morning or late at night when needed.
• Install a cool mist humidifier or fogger into your snake’s enclosure.
• Keep track of the humidity levels in your snake’s enclosure using a hygrometer. We recommend that you opt for Exo Terra Hygrometer or Zoo Med Labs Digital Thermometer Humidity Gauge.
• Place chemical-free leaf litter on the top of the substrate to help retain humidity in the enclosure.
• You can create a humidifier in your snake’s enclosure by placing a water bowl above the heat mat.
• Cover the screen cover to help prevent the loss of humidity from its enclosure through the glass tank screen cover. 

Zoo Med Reptile Fogger Terrarium Humidifier

Last update on 2022-12-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

FAQs

Conclusion

The humidity box helps to boost the humidity in your snake’s enclosure, helps with shedding problems, and creates a more natural environment for your snake. Although providing humidity boxes for your corn snakes is a great idea, it is not a priority if your snake is shedding well without any problems.

We hope this article provides everything you need to know about using a humidity box for your snake. You can message us in the comment section below if you have any questions or comments.