oh no not another humidity question!!

[rango87]

lol

well ive noticed on many care sheets that it states to keep the humidity between 40% & 70% in a panthers cage during the day, but it doesnt state at whereabouts in the vivarium it should read that?
top, middle or bottom??

 

[Meloman]

it will be really hard to keep your humidity levels different at the top/middle/bottom of the cage. I believe thats why its such a wide range for the levels to be at in the first place. I use a cold mist humidifier and it works really well for controlling the levels. maybe some other members have some better advice on how to get Humidity levels different at different levels of the viv.

 

[rango87]

what i mean is i mist when my hygrometer reads 40% in the middle,so is this correct? or shall i put a hygrometer at the top and when that one reads 40% then should i mist?

 

[rango87]

also ive been told that as long as chams are drinking and the humidity spikes 4-5 times a day the humidity level does not matter.

 

[deadhd5]

That range of RH is where your humidity needs to fluctuate throughout the day. Usually a cage will approach the bottom of the range right before a misting and then shoot up after the misting, gradually falling again until the next misting.

The middle of your cage is a fine place to keep the hygrometer. Just understand that the top of the cage will be a lower RH and the bottom will be higher than the middle.

By the way, 50-80% is the proper range for panthers. I use a cool mist humidifier connection to a humidistat to provide a floor of 55-60% in my cham room

 

[deadhd5]

also ive been told that as long as chams are drinking and the humidity spikes 4-5 times a day the humidity level does not matter.

Pretty much, as long as the spike is into the upper ranges and the low isn't < 40%.

Also, when they shed humidity should be increased.

Overall, panthers aren't too touchy regarding humidity as long as they are well hydrated.

 

[rango87]

i was told its ok to let the humidity drop to the rooms humidity? mines in the 20s as its 4c at night atm and 8c in the day time
well i mist when the humidity gets to 40% but it spikes to 70% after misting.but at night mine drops to 21%
im not sure if im using a good enough hygrometer but im using a exo terra digital hygrometer.i think its not acurate.i need a good one you can buy from the uk but cannot find one?

 

[deadhd5]

Those exoterra ones are hit and miss. I have 3, one of them is about 20% less than the others at all times.

21% is too low for overnight... You may want to look at lining a couple sides of the cage with plastic if you cannot up the room humidity.

 

[rango87]

i have covered the sides with chipboard.im sure the hygrometer is wrong.can you recommend something more acurate?

 

[Kate]

I use a Komodo Dual Digital Thermometer and Hygrometer Gauge and I am happy with it. It has some extra readings on it that are no use and the instructions are crap but I phoned the rep and he emailed more understandable instructions I could read. I like it.

 

[rango87]

where do you put the hygrometer probe kate? and how low do you let it get before you mist? also does yours get wet?

 

[Kate]

I put it beside the basking probe. I have a mistking that goes off x4 a day for 1.5 mins. It is 67% just now but I don't tend to check too often. As long as it spikes to around 80% x4 times a day and has a good drop in between, that's ok. Remember I don't use a mesh viv as I know I would have problems.

 

[rango87]

what viv do you use?
could you give me a link as im looking to buy a wooden one very soon also where did you buy your mist king from?
thanks btw

 

[Kate]

I think it's a Reptile One viv. It measures 4ft x 3 ft x 2ft. It has glass doors. Mesh top and three sides wood which have been laminated and waterproofed. I got my mistking from Canada, that was before Jungle frogs in uk started selling them. I love it. It is well worth getting. Because I work 12 hr shifts I couldn't do without it.

 

[Psychobunny]

That range of RH is where your humidity needs to fluctuate throughout the day. Usually a cage will approach the bottom of the range right before a misting and then shoot up after the misting, gradually falling again until the next misting.

The middle of your cage is a fine place to keep the hygrometer. Just understand that the top of the cage will be a lower RH and the bottom will be higher than the middle.

By the way, 50-80% is the proper range for panthers. I use a cool mist humidifier connection to a humidistat to provide a floor of 55-60% in my cham room

+1
RH decreases as you go lower down the cage.
Depending on how much light harware you have up top to evap the air!!
and how big your cage is and your house heating play a very big roll, unless
u have your chams seperated from it.

 

[Decadancin]

I always use more than one hygrometer. This way I will have a better idea if one is malfunctioning. I place one near the top and one near the middle of the enclosure.

 

[bradley]

I used to monitor it but never do now. As long as the humidity peaks a couple of times a day and the chameleon is well hydrated I wouldn't worry about truing to be within certain levels. The do not require constant high humidity just peaks throughout the day.