Humidity - Some Thoughts...

[Miss Lily]

I am now confused about the misting thing. I have always misted my chams twice a day regardless, especially as Tommy drinks every time.

However, I showed Tommy's casque problem photos to the reptile shop where he came from. I have had a reply saying that they have seen that type of thing occur before. (They also do rescues, rehabilitate the lizard/snake and rehome them.) Their opinion is that Tommy has had a fungal infection that has healed underneath retained shed, finally coming away completely. It is more commonly seen on their dorsal spines and the top of the casque.

Their advice was to keep humidity lower whilst shedding so that the skin can really dry out and fall off fully. Since speaking to them yesterday I have not misted either Tommy or Amy, who is now in full shed also. I have watered them via a dropper and they have drippers running all day. Having arrived home after work to find Amy looking like she has exploded and is having a really good clean shed in a matter of hours (the fastest in a while), I am now really confused as to what the humidity should be!

We are constantly told that humidity should be higher when shedding to aid the process, but I am beginning to think that the opposite is actually true. I don't want to start a huge debate, but as Veileds come from very hot places in the wild, it is making more and more sense to me to keep them drier. As I said earlier, Amy is having the cleanest, fastest shed that she has had in a while and I am sure it is not just a coincidence.

 

[warpdrive]

Tiff,

I'm going to keep it simple...
higher humidity durring a shed will always help prevent retained shedding.
this doesn't mean you go crazy and mist 20 times a day when a shed is happening...but don't alow it to be too dry as well.

Harry

 

[summoner12]

If I am not mistaken gecko keepers use a moist sand or dirt mixture for their geckos to burrow in, this is meant to help the animal shed. I have yet to build one of these dirt bowls for my gecko since her tank isn't big enough.... but I have seen it in use and told by the user it really helps to make the shed fall off pretty fast.

 

[jannb]

Tiff,

I'm going to keep it simple...
higher humidity durring a shed will always help prevent retained shedding.
this doesn't mean you go crazy and mist 20 times a day when a shed is happening...but don't alow it to be too dry as well.

Harry

I fully agree with Harry. When Luie and Camille are shedding I mist them alittle longer and maybe an extra time.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I see no reason to provide extra misting during shed, likewise I see no reason to reduce misting during shed.

I dont change humidity at all during shedding or any other time. The humidity in the room remains between 40% and 60%. I mist about once a day (drinking water comes from drippers, my misting is just for eyes and skin), and of course for a short time during/after that misting the cage humidity spikes up. Then it returns to normal. I've never encountered issues with shedding.

 

[Carlton]

I am now confused about the misting thing. I have always misted my chams twice a day regardless, especially as Tommy drinks every time.

Their opinion is that Tommy has had a fungal infection that has healed underneath retained shed, finally coming away completely. It is more commonly seen on their dorsal spines and the top of the casque.

We are constantly told that humidity should be higher when shedding to aid the process, but I am beginning to think that the opposite is actually true. I don't want to start a huge debate, but as Veileds come from very hot places in the wild, it is making more and more sense to me to keep them drier. As I said earlier, Amy is having the cleanest, fastest shed that she has had in a while and I am sure it is not just a coincidence.

Tommy certainly could have had some type of infection but it wasn't necessarily due to humidity. Consider that thermal burns are more common on top of casques and dorsal spines so you can't really rule that out without a tissue analysis. Veileds may come from Yemen, but they don't just occur anywhere in the deserts. They are from densely brushed coastal river valleys that actually get quite humid for part of the day because of fog and dew condensation. Some theories are that the extra large casque on a veiled promotes concentration of dew which runs down their face for them to drink. If Tommy drinks every time you spray he must need to. If he didn't drink that often I might think differently. A really well hydrated cham in good body condition in the correct humidity level may not drink that much every day.

Are your two chams the same age? Younger chams usually shed really quickly and more easily than mature adults.

 

[Leedslad88]

'Tommy certainly could have had some type of infection but it wasn't necessarily due to humidity'

I fully agree with this... there could be numerous variable factors that could cause such a thing.

 

[draetish]

There is a difference between humidity and a "wet" chameleon. If the RH in the room is between 40-60% then misting the cham and enclosure would only be necessary to get their swallowing mechanism working so they will begin to drink. My RH stays in the 40-60% range and I mist the enclosure in the am to get the chams to drink from their dripper and will mist the cham too but not everyday. I don't wet my chams when they are in full shed and they seem to just pop the skin right off by twisting, stretching and yawning. It sounds like paper tearing. All of my chams have never had an issue with shedding. Just my honest opinion.