Keeping Humidity High in Low Humidity Areas?

AZJ0SH

New Member
I live in Arizona, easily one of the driest states around, and I was wondering if others in dry areas had trouble keeping the humidity up in the enclosure?

I am going to be running a dripper, and misting regularly, but with a fully screened enclosure and my A/C running a good part of the day I can only imagine it would be tough.

I did block off one side that gets hit by the A/C.
 
I use a cool mist humidifier I got from walmart and hooked it up to PVC pipe so the fog rolls directly into the top of the cage. After a few minutes the humidity rises by about 30% when it's on. I also wrapped 2 or 3 sides of the cage loosely with clear shower curtain liner. If you don't wrap more than 3 sides you still have good air flow through the cage. I just taped the edges to the cage frame so there were some gaps to increase air flow, but I don't think tighter would necessarily be a problem. My humidifier is on a timer to come on for about an hour several times a day. The cage dries out completely between sessions and at night, which is important. Using a misting system on a timer will help a lot as well. If you have an aquarium with fish and can put it in the same room it helps keep the room humidity up. Live plants in the cage also helps.

Bad options to try to raise humidity: keeping moss in the cage wet, putting in substrate, leaving moist towels in the cage, standing water in the cage or waterfalls. All of those options harbor significant mold and bacteria.
 
Well I live in a pretty dry place,cali in the mountains I use a mist king with a timer and every 2 hours I soak every thing down
 
I use a cool mist humidifier I got from walmart and hooked it up to PVC pipe so the fog rolls directly into the top of the cage. After a few minutes the humidity rises by about 30% when it's on. I also wrapped 2 or 3 sides of the cage loosely with clear shower curtain liner. If you don't wrap more than 3 sides you still have good air flow through the cage. I just taped the edges to the cage frame so there were some gaps to increase air flow, but I don't think tighter would necessarily be a problem. My humidifier is on a timer to come on for about an hour several times a day. The cage dries out completely between sessions and at night, which is important. Using a misting system on a timer will help a lot as well. If you have an aquarium with fish and can put it in the same room it helps keep the room humidity up. Live plants in the cage also helps.

Bad options to try to raise humidity: keeping moss in the cage wet, putting in substrate, leaving moist towels in the cage, standing water in the cage or waterfalls. All of those options harbor significant mold and bacteria.

Thank you for the response. I thought it was dangerous to use a humidifier around chameleons? How did you rig the pipe to move the mist?

I am using 2 live plants, running a dripper, and misting. I have kept levels of 40% with no chameleon in there, don't I need closer to 60%?
 
Don't let the humidifier get moldy or gross, and I clean mine thoroughly when it empties before I refill it to keep bacteria levels down. Using a hot mist humidifier can burn a cham so use cool mist. I know lots of people use humidifiers successfully.

The pipe goes directly to the opening of the humidifier and I just taped it together to prevent leakage.
IMG_0365.JPG

The pipe goes up, splits to go to both cages and is just aimed where I want it:
IMG_0366.JPG

My boys will go sit in the mist during the afternoon. 40% is a good minimum imo if you're looking at a panther. That's what my humidity is when nothing is on, and it goes up as high as 70% when the humidifier is on. Your mist king should help a lot. I'd try wrapping the cage if you still can't get it higher. Using clear shower curtain liner doesn't make it an eyesore - people don't even notice it when they come over.
 
It's a Crane Teardrop model. I picked that one out specifically because of how well the top fits to the pipe. I had to ask them to ship one in from another store for me but I'm sure you can order it online too if you can't find it.
 
I found it online, I am just going to order it from the website.

What size PVC pipe did you use? I was thinking of running a pipe across the top, drilled with holes so it comes out more spread out across instead of just from one area.

I appreciate your replies.
 
1.5 inch pipes I believe. I would have liked to have made it so it came in from above but didn't have the tools to cut PVC so had to work with what I had. If you have the means go for it and let me know how it works out! May have to alter my setup in the future if that works well for you. ;)
 
1.5 inch pipes I believe. I would have liked to have made it so it came in from above but didn't have the tools to cut PVC so had to work with what I had. If you have the means go for it and let me know how it works out! May have to alter my setup in the future. ;)

My plan is to take your idea, run a pipe up from the humidifier, then use the corner elbow like yours and run another pipe out towards the front of the enclosure, running it along the side/roof of the enclosure, and driling it every 1".

If not, I am just going to copy your setup.

Thanks again for your replies.
 
mine is the same brand but looks like a frog. lol I took his eyes off. and attached pve pipe to the hole. he he he. I have a thread on it with pictures. mine runs all day and gets turned off at night when I cover my chams cage for bed time. plus I have a vicks one that runs all the time. hopefully your not asthmatic. sometime moisture can really mess with a persons asthma.
 
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