Keeping humidity consistent

[kingofnorse]

So, I have Hodur in a 30 Long with dual screens located on the top. My questions is that while the lights (basking bulb and UVB on either side) are on, the humidity will sit at ~40%. When I mist fairly heavily it will go to ~60% for an hour or two then droop back to previous ~40%. Is there a better way other than changing enclosures to keep the ambient humidity up? Now, I do know that in his hide/burrow its pretty damn as the light doesn't get to the soil in there, so it is ok to allow the 40% during basking times? (9am-8pm currently.)

 

[Rhetoric]

Ditch the screens. You could try making a wood lid with a couple holes for ventilation and maybe partial screen for the light fixture.

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How do you plan to house him as he grows? Why wouldn't you want to switch enclosures?

 

[kingofnorse]

The 30 is just his temporary enclosure until I have finished mocking up/purchase the larger enclosure. I was actually planning on making the wood replacements this weekend actually, ha.

Here is the current set up with the middle section being where his cage will fit into if I build it.

 

[kingofnorse]

I am actually going to convert a crane mist humidifier into a repti-fogger, its pretty cheap and they hold more water than the zoomed and specific ones. Plus when I make the new cage I can just change the hosing and it will work as well.

 

[Dubya]

If that light that is shining through the glass is a UV bulb, glass blocks uvb. It needs to shine directly on the animal.

 

[Raicardoso]

It's a little irrelevant to this thread, but you should replace that uvb coil bulb with a uvb tube bulb. I also like to put them both on the same side so the animal gets both while basking .

To the humidity- What kind of substrate are you using? and it looks like there isn't much in there, but that could be just the angle?

 

[laurarfl]

The tegu cage is the 30 gal long on top. It is a coil UVB and UVB is better placed closer to the basking spot. I think the size of the bulb in a small enclosure is going to dry the air pretty quickly. You can moisten the substrate under the basking spot to increase humidity as the water evaporates. But as rhetoric said, if there is a lot of ventilation then the humidity will escape. You can also try a humid hide.

On the bottom cage, having the light come in from the side can be irritating to the eyes. Reptiles have a ridge, like eyebrows, to protect their eyes from overhead light. When the light comes in from the side, there is no such protection.

 

[kingofnorse]

Aye, that light for the boa is temporary while the one I ordered to mount inside the cage in en route but the light is more for day/night recognition as the boa hides under his cork bark till the light shuts off. But yeah, I'll have to pick up a tube bulb, as the two lamps do not fit on one side. The substrate is EcoEarth by itself, I have 3 inches on cool side and 2 or so inches on the basking side. As for the bulb size, I went fairly small, a 50w basking bulb with a uvb coil bulb. but I just purchased a ultrasonic humidifier and got a tube siliconed to it(crane froggy one ha) that will help with humidity till I finish the larger cage. Going to have it pump every 2-3 hours for 10-15 minutes. (not set in stone, will see what hum levels get up to and adjust accordingly).

Thanks for the info!

 

[BiggScho88]

What I have in my 30gal tank is moss. Bought it at the pet store and have it one one of the walls in the tank, keeps the humidity up nice and high.

 

[kingofnorse]

Do you have any pictures of that set-up @biggscho88?

 

[BiggScho88]

I have it on the back side and during the day he is in the heat on the one side than at night he burrows under the rock and it's usually about 70-80% at most times day and night hope it helps

 

[kingofnorse]

HEY! Here is an update!

Humidifier/fogger is piped in and set to pump for 10 min every hour during the day cycle. (will adjust more or less as i see how this setting goes.)

Also the lights on both sides, and a all in all a better view of the enclosure.
Cage update.