Humidity just not right....

[Pepito2011]

So I bought a veiled chameleon this morning, i had the terranium al set up at the perfect heat and humidity until i opened up the glass doors on the front to put him in and now i cant get the humidity gauge to say anything higher than 45% but the bottom of the terranium is extreamly foggy and super wet. and the whole top half the terranium is crystal clear. the gauge is at the top half. and my chameleon hangs out at the top so i want that to be perfect humidity for him. litterally the floor of his terranium you CANNOT see, its so misty. Please help what am i doing wrong to not have even humidity!!!!

 

[carol5208]

What do you have in the bottom of the tank? any carpet or substrate that could be holding the moisture? Any standing water?

 

[Pepito2011]

floor of terranium...

I have those bark chip things the pet store told me not to use sand till they get bigger since it can get in there eyes, and they said the dirt was hard to keep up and they recommended the bark chips and they are SOAKED!!

 

[carol5208]

NO SUBSTRATE!!! They will mold and breed bacteria and your chameleon could eat them also and you do not want that!!!!

 

[Pepito2011]

well thats nice of a pet store to say then

well thanks for that info what would you suggest for a juvi? its a glass enclosure with a wire grated top.

 

[carol5208]

Well, first of all i would not house a chameleon in a glass tank. Most people don't, we use screen, but some people do. You are in a cold climate so it probably isnt that bad. Seeing you have gotten some ill advice already from the pet store I am afraid to ask what type of lighting you are using, but you need to let us know. The pet stores are notorious for selling the wrong lighting for chameleons. They are not your average lizards! how old is you cham and how big is your tank?.

 

[jojackson]

I suggest 45 is not going to kill it. Humidity will vary according to climate among other factors. Misting by hand, including a living plant will improve matters in this regard.
After misting humidity will climb then fall again as your heating dries it out, this is mostly unavoidable and normal practice.
When you notice the lizard beginning to shed its skin, you can mist it more often till its done.
This will be the only way your lizard will be effected by humidity.
Extreme dry may cause respiratory issues, but 45 is not extreme.
A makeshift arrangement that may assist during shedding, can be something as simple as a tub or jar or some kind (plastic) crammed full with a wet automotive (car) sponge, so that insects and your lizard cant get into it, under or close to the heat, and keep the sponge damp.
As the sponge dries humidity will increase due evaporation.

 

[Pepito2011]

lighting..

i have 2 of the "day bulbs" (Repti Glo full spectrum terranium lamp 26w) those are both in the hood then i have a duo light fixture sitting on top one side has the "basking lamp" (neodymium basking ulb 100w uva) and the other side has the "night light" (nightlight red reptile bulb 100w) the light fixture has 2 diff switches so the bulbs can be turned on seperatly. the terranium is the "exo terra rainforest terranium 18''x18''x24'' petsmart sells it if you wanna see a picture.

 

[Pepito2011]

thats fine and all that 45 isnt to high but i am afraid he isnt going to want to go to the bottom being as its super foggy. i am worried it will drop dramaticly if i turn the humidifier down

 

[carol5208]

ok, do you have UVB lighting? You do not need the night light! No ligting in the cage at all. Chams like it very dark. So ditch the red night light. As far as 100W for basking that has gotta be cooking him in that glass enclosure. Way too much light I would imagine. What size is your tank? What are basking temps and ambient temps. Both super important. edt on the size thing, I see what you got. 100 watt too much!

 

[jojackson]

Sounds like a bit of overkill Pepito, maybe just one uvb bulb/tube, and one heating bulb will be enough. If your cage is not very tall, you want the minimum amount of heat that will be sufficient for your lizard, since a short 24"(vertically) cage wont offer much of a range of temperatures.
Depending on how cool your room gets overnight, you may not need the night heating at all. You dont say how hot its getting in your cage mate?

If you could provide as much info as you can about the cage and the lizard, we will be able to suggest more suitable conditions/changes needed to give your lizard the best possible environment.

If you can add your answers with these questions (cut and paste), this will help much.

Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.


Pictures are helpful

 

[Pepito2011]

i said before the tank is 18x18x24 inches. and the "day bulbs" are UVB. and i was told i need the red nightlight as they have to be at around 75 degrees at night and my house isnt that warm. it is wisconsin, lol. i have a temp gauge by the "basking bulb" and its at around 100 degrees which i was also told was basking temp.

 

[carol5208]

omg 100 degrees for a basking temp? you are gonna fry your chameleon! If he is a juvi he should be basking at about 85 degrees MAX! And they are wrong about the nightlight and the 75 degrees too. You can let you cage drop into the low 60's or so and you will be fine!!!

 

[carol5208]

Also, I am not familiar with that UVB lighting. If you are smart and you wanna do the right thing, then return that UVB and get a Zoomed Reptisun 5.0 Linear Tube light, not the compact. They are the best bulbs for chameleons.

 

[Pepito2011]

Your Chameleon -veiled chameleon, umm age...few months got it from pet store he is like 1 1/2'' without tail. with his is like 3ish. just got him today so i am new at this!!
Handling - just took him out of the cantainer from pet store and put him in tank i am to scared to stress him out being as he is in a new home
Feeding - i have crickets and flightless fruitflys havent fed him just yet since he is in a fresh tank. they said at the store he tipically ate 2-3 crickets 2 times a day. and gut load i have flukers high calcium cricket diet that i feed crickets that says its supposed to "gut load"
Supplements - i bought reptivite with d3 to sprinkle on crickets
Watering - have not seen him drink yet cant tell what he does just yet and i mist the fake plants 2 times today and have a reptifogger humidifier
Fecal Description -i am assuming they were tested upon arrival to petco have not seen him poop yet he hasnt even went to the floor of the terranium
History - like i said he is new to me and i am new to this
Cage Info:
Cage Type - 18''x18''x24'' all glass sides mesh wire top front has to class doors that open like a cuboard
Lighting - "basking bulb"(all living things neodymium basking bulb 100 watt UVA) "daytime bulbs" (exo terra repti glo full spectrum terrainium lamp 2.0 UVB 26W) "night bulb" (zoo med nightlight red reptile bulb 100W) i was told to leave "basking" and "daytime" bulbs on all day then when i go to bed to turn both off and turn on the "nightlight"
Temperature -norm temp in tank around 82 degrees basking area is at around 98 and overnight i am unsure as this will be oue first night i am using a digital thermomiter for the normal tank temp which the probe is lower in the tank on the opposite side of basking lamp and the basking temp is measured with the basic ones not the stickers though.
Humidity - humidity is at 45 but thats at the top half the tank i dont have a humidity gauge at the bottom where it is extreame fog like i said i have a zoo med repti fogger and i measure these with the normal gauge like the temp one
Plants - no live plants all fake
Placement -near heater vent but vent is on floor about 2 feet from bottom of tank in semi high traffic near hallway top of cage is aprox. 4 feet from floor Location - i live in wisconsin

Current Problem - that the humidity is at 45% towards the top but the floor isnt visible due to the humiditys fog. so humidity isnt even throughout tank

 

[Pepito2011]

uvb lighting

problem with the zoo med 5.0 one is that i think it was over the wattage cappacity for my hood thing. whats the wattage on yours?

 

[carol5208]

mine is 5.0, don't know of the wattage. You want more uvb than a 2.0. Your young chameleon should be pounding down easily about 15-20 crickets a day. Is that all they were feeding him or all that he was eating? If the temps are too hot it will effect their appetite. You also need two other supplements. The calcium with d3 should be used sparingly like a couple of times a month and also get yourself a multivitamin and use that two or three times a months as well. Get a plain calcium with no d3 and use that at every feeding. If you cannot find it at the petstore you can order it on line at LLL reptile. I use the Sticky Tongue Farms Minerall Outdoor forumula for my plain calcium. Ditch the flukers for your crikcet gutload. Use a variety of fresh fruits as veggies, such as Kale, mustard greens, romaine, carrots, apples, oranges etc. much healthier for your cham. Oh and your ambient temp is about where you want your basking temp to be! 82 is WAY too hot, you want the mid to low 70's to have it comfortable for your cham. Oh and set your lights on a 12 hour cycle, not when you go to bed. Something like 7 am to 7 pm, in that range. Edit: What size crickets were they feeding him? Should be around 1/4 in and if that is the case, then 15-20 is good.

 

[Pepito2011]

5.0 or 2.0 whats the difference? and actually my tank has dropped down to about 75.4 just since you have been giving me helpful hints. i just turned on the nightlights would it be ok to turn them on at 7 or 8 for just this once to start that cycle? and what are all the temps and times i should know im going to write it all down and put it by the tank so my husband knows what were all doing and where it should be at too. just till we get it memorized.

 

[Pepito2011]

als what would you suggest for the floor since the wood chips are a no go?

 

[carol5208]

You should not have the nightlight on at all. Lights really interfere with chameleons sleeping. You are trying to simulate them living in the wild. You want a drop in the temps at night just like they have in nature when the sun goes down and night falls. Just try and keep your temp in the over all tank around 70-75 deg. 80-82 basking 85 max Make sure your basking light is off to one side of the tank. You don't want it to cover the whole tank. Your cham needs to be able to cool off. As you chameleon grows here in the next couple of months that terrarium is going to be too small. I would get yourself a Screen enclosure 24 X 24 X 48 or 36 X 30 X 18 and he can live in that as an adult as well.