Keeping Humidity Levels Up

Dre

New Member
Hey guys, Ive been planning on getting a baby panther chameleon and I've been working on getting his enclosure right for the past week. The enclosure has live plants which take up most the space inside of it. I have a manual mister and an Automatic one. During the day the humidity stays around the mid-30s, if I use the manual mister I can get the humidity up to 50% but only for about an hour or so until it begins to drop to normal levels again. I was wondering if I should be misting the enclosure regularly to keep the humidity levels up? Im planning on using the automatic mister twice a day, once before the lights go on and once after they go out, but I don't think this will be able to keep the humidity up for the entire day.

Extra Info:
Plants inside enclosure: Umbrella plant, Ficus
Hygrometer: Zoo Med Two in One Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer (I see how this might not be the most accurate, but I don't think it is inaccurate to the point where my enclosure is actually at its right humidity levels.)
Location: Southern California
Picture of Enclosure Below (the leaf looks like a chameleon but its not lol)
 

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You could try a humidifier,but I wouldnt use it all day for a risk of a respiratory infection or covering 2 sides if your cage and make it a hybrid
 
I was wondering if I should be misting the enclosure regularly to keep the humidity levels up? Im planning on using the automatic mister twice a day, once before the lights go on and once after they go out, but I don't think this will be able to keep the humidity up for the entire day.
You're right, but you can't mist 24/7. Twice a day may not be enough either. I mist at lights on, noon, lights off, and 3 more times during the night.

The problem is the humidity escaping. Humidity works very much like heat loss; moisture gravitates to dryer areas just like heat gravitates to cooler areas. So you need to wrap that all-screen enclosure (most of it, anyway) in a vapor barrier. Storm window kits (as per MissSkittles above) work well for this—inexpensive and readily available at home improvement stores or online.

Ideally, a hybrid enclosure is best at maintaining humidity.
 
Well you already got a lot of good advice. I just want to reinforce the fact that by covering the sides and back will definitely help you maintain humidity levels. I personally use corrugated plastic sheeting cut to size and glued to the enclosure. Others have used the window sealing that @MissSkittles suggested or even a shower curtain. So try these and you should have success. :)
 
@Gingero im currently using a zoomed two in one digital Thermometer and Hygrometer. Probably not the most accurate but I don't think it is inaccurate to the point where my enclosure is actually at the right humidity levels. Do you have a certain Hygrometer that you recommend?
 
@Gingero im currently using a zoomed two in one digital Thermometer and Hygrometer. Probably not the most accurate but I don't think it is inaccurate to the point where my enclosure is actually at the right humidity levels. Do you have a certain Hygrometer that you recommend?
Govee is a good brand to look into
 
@PoseidonTheChameleon @MissSkittles @Klyde O'Scope Thank you guys so much for the advice and information, I will most likely be getting a humidifier to try and raise the humidity and probably even wrap some of the sides if I'm not keeping it humid enough.
A humidifier won't do much good if you can't keep the humidity in. If your enclosure is all-screen, you'll definitely have to tighten things up. It's either that or raise the humidity in the entire room, and we humans aren't usually comfortable in those same conditions. ;)
 
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