Cool Mist Humidifier

[Djturna4thakidz]

Just moved my chameleon into my new place and the humidity is low, about 20%. I was wondering what kind of cool mist humidifier people recommend. She is in a small bedroom, so I do not need anything massive. Just something that is reliable and relatively inexpensive, around $50-70.

 

[Solid Snake]

What kind of cham?

The ones from places like wallgreens are the best deal.

They all operate off the same principle/mechanism. So as far as I know they all are about the same.

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Panther Chameleon

 

[Solid Snake]

Just dont run it 24/7.

Id recommend the use of lots of live plants over a humidifier.

If you are already using lots of plants, and your RH is still that low, then a fogger in the morning and evening wouldnt hurt I guess.

JMO

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Yeah I have tons of live plants and the humidity is still low. What is a fogger?

 

[Solid Snake]

Same as a cool mist humidifier.

Have you tried covering the sides of the enclosure with plastic sheeting?

What are you measuring RH with?

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

I live in southern california, so it is really dry. I have not tried covering the sides, but would that really raise it to where it needs to be?

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

I am using a digital temperature gauge/humidity reader. What woud you recommend to be more accurate?

 

[reptilover]

I am using a digital temperature gauge/humidity reader. What woud you recommend to be more accurate?

Yours is probably accurate enough. whered you get it? brand name?

Also i got a cool mist humidifier of amazon for 30 bucks shipped. It's worked well. I run it on a timer from 9-12 then 2-4. And keeps it right at about 60% relative. Jumps to 85% when I mist..

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

What brand and model is it?

 

[Solid Snake]

I live in southern california, so it is really dry. I have not tried covering the sides, but would that really raise it to where it needs to be?

Yes, it could.

I would recommend trying that before adding a humidifier into the mix.

Its cheaper, and less risky, and less maintenance.

The humidifiers can cause respiratory issues/illness.

Not saying that its going to cause your cham to get sick, but if you play the odds, its just better safe than sorry.

 

[CNorton]

They all operate off the same principle/mechanism. So as far as I know they all are about the same.

I'm sorry to call you out like this Solid Snake but the above quote is not true. There are actually severl different kinds of humidifiers, some working better at certain climates or weather than others.

Quick Overview:

Rotating Impeller mechanism that makes tiny H2O particles that enter the air in a stream.

Ultrasonic that has a vibrating diaphragm that creates H2O particles.

Wick or Evaporative uses a H2O drenched surface to blow air across, drawing moisture into the air.

Steam simply boils the H2O, releasing droplets into the air.




Please see this article from HowStuffWorks or simply look up humidifier on Wikipedia.


I personally like the Ultrasonic Humidifiers as they do not change the temperature of the air and you can direct the stream into a cage if need be. There are of course two disadvantages to Ultrasonics; price and the need to clean the diaphragm every so often. Filtered water can help keep it cleaner for longer.

 

[Solid Snake]

Well I was referring to just the cool mist humidifiers, which I thought all operated by using a transducer disk to create "fog" then a small fan to propell it outward.

Am I still mistaken on this?

I dont think you should ever be sorry to provide correct information.

 

[Carlton]

I live in southern california, so it is really dry. I have not tried covering the sides, but would that really raise it to where it needs to be?

You can experiment...covering the sides of your existing cage is an inexpensive test to make first. I like using clear vinyl shower curtains because they look a little better, don't block light or the view, the heavier weighted ones hold up better, hang straight, and can handle scrubbing. Trim to fit and hang from the upper cage frame using zip ties through the grommets. Easy! The plastic can not only provide a lot more surface area to catch and hold misting droplets until they evaporate (which will raise the humidity level higher), but can also slow down the rate at which the cage dries out after you spray (creating a longer period of high humidity after each spray session).

If the cage still dries out pretty fast after you spray it down (which also limits how long your cham can find droplets to drink before they dry), an ultrasonic room humidifier can really make the difference. The key to what type is to find a model that has a removable spout where the fog pours out of the unit. Many have spouts with a movable vent fitting allowing you to aim the fog somewhere. If you can find one like this, measure the diameter of the opening and get a piece of PVC water pipe or flexible vinyl tubing that fits inside it tightly. You don't really want to cement the tubing together because you will need to clean it out periodically to avoid molds and bacteria buildup. You can use the pipe/tubing to funnel the fog right inside your cage. Put the humidifier near the top of the cage so the fog pours down all over the foliage. Control the frequency and duration of fogging cycles to compliment your normal spraying sessions by controlling the humidifier with a multiple setting plug-in lamp timer. Oh, and yes, using de-mineralized water or RO filtered water will keep the unit clean longer if your tap water is hard. Clean the unit and tubing out with vinegar to dissolve build ups.

To figure out how often and how long to fog, do some tests. Spray normally. Record the resulting humidity level. Record how long it takes the cage to get TOO dry again. Run the humidifier until the cage rehydrates to a reasonable level again. Record how long it takes the cage to get too dry again.

This will give you some idea how often you'd like the fogger to cycle to keep your cage humidity higher than the surrounding room during the days. You don't want it to run at night unless your house is bone dry...such as below 10% humidity.

 

[reptilover]

What brand and model is it?

Just type in at amazon.com penguin cool mist humidifer.. yes it looks like a penguin. Amazon has it for 28$ its the cheapest with best ratings

EDIT: http://www.amazon.com/Crane-Adorabl...JD0A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1338502180&sr=8-2

FOUND IT! Don't poke fun I thought it was cute

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

Thanks everybody, I will start experimenting with the plastic siding and move to a humidifier if it is warrented.

 

[Willnevins]

I got a nice one at target in the baby section http://www.target.com/p/Safety-1st-Ultrasonic-360-Degree-Humidifier/-/A-11268317 $30 and you can adjust the amount of mist coming out from barley anything to a fog machine lol. You can also have it pointing in 2 directions!