Montanes, humidifiers, and temp drops??

[jamest0o0]

Figured I'd condense this all into one post. So to start, I've read that Montane species need temperature drops down to 50-60 degrees at night. How do you guys that keep them achieve this without just blasting A.C. through your house and/or drying out the air too much?
I saw A.C. units that create humidity for dry climates, any one have experience with these? How would they work in a state like PA? Sounds way too good to be true. I mean cool temperatures and humidity!?

To add to that I've been looking into some room humidifiers in the 100ish dollar range with hygrostats. Anyone use these upper end ones? Do they work well and can you recommend any? I had the $40 ultrasonic fogger and I didn't really like it, it got gross fast and was more work than I'd like to rely on. Then I broke it on accident . The good side was, my cham enjoyed it and it looks sweet. I'd like to find a replacement.

 

[Carlton]

I'm not sure an AC with a hygrostat would create enough humidity on its own. They probably have the ability to raise the room humidity level back to the average comfort level in a human home (supposed to be more like 30-40%, not the 60% or higher a cham would respond to). But, I've never used one so can't really say. As for cooling, I don't think you'd need to drop the temp down to 50 at night, but if you get at least 10-15 degrees cooler than the cage would get during the day. What about a room AC? You could manage that room separately especially at night and use a humidifier in there too. A fogger can help a lot, but it does need to be managed by using distilled or RO water and being cleaned out regularly. An evaporative humidifier will also have its issues....mostly the wick which will collect the impurities in the water and create a grungy mess over time unless you change out the wick frequently or again, use the RO or distilled water.

 

[Mawtyplant]

what speacies are you thinking about?

 

[laurie]

Having kept montanes in Montana, I have tried everything. My temps dropped at night very naturally, when my humidifier came on. I buy only the best - ok not! I get the cheap humidifiers at target. I love the ones shaped like an elephant. They have a trunk that you can point at your Cham I did clean it mostly daily. But it was fast, easy, and I had to refill the water everyday anyway. I am a timer person. Everything is on timers, light, humidity, water, drippers, I kept a lot of chams so I had to make it easy. Now I have only a very spoiled parsons that I cater too! But I love the silly Titan.

 

[jamest0o0]

@Carlton Yeah I was just afraid the A.C. would dry the air too much. My room stays at about 50% now. So youre basically saying any humidifying unit is going to require constant cleanings?

@Mawtyplant I just have panthers now, but I'd really like to keep some other species down the road. I'm interested in the Johnstoni, quads, Jackson, parsonii.

 

[jamest0o0]

@Carlton btw with the A.C. humidifier thing, I wouldn't just use that for humidity, but I thought it might be nice to supplement it a little rather than dry out the air. I'm just not sure how well those would work where I live in PA.

 

[Carlton]

@Carlton Yeah I was just afraid the A.C. would dry the air too much. My room stays at about 50% now. So youre basically saying any humidifying unit is going to require constant cleanings?

@Mawtyplant I just have panthers now, but I'd really like to keep some other species down the road. I'm interested in the Johnstoni, quads, Jackson, parsonii.

Yes, using humidifiers other than a fancy sterilizing type means cleaning them. It isn't constant or that bad really if you use distilled or RO water. A misting system also needs cleaning. You said your room (without an AC, right?) stays at 50%. That is borderline for montane species if it never goes up much even when you are misting. If your room is getting too warm and not cooling off at night now, using AC will dry out and cool the air, but how much depends so much on your particular room and the local temps. Providing the temp drop at night and controlling daytime heat is more important for montane chams...both the one you have now and the other species on your wish list. Like most things the real answer is "it depends". The AC will dry out the air, but the humidifier and misting will counter act it. Keeping montane species in an area with hot summers indoors in a city situation is a lot different than a wild rainforest area that has all sorts of microclimates available. They actually don't get that hot low under the canopy where chams live. You'll find humidifiers are a valuable tool...well worth it unless you have an auto misting system that runs many times during the day and can handle all that water drainage. Trial and error will be the way to decide what's needed.

 

[jajeanpierre]

Figured I'd condense this all into one post. So to start, I've read that Montane species need temperature drops down to 50-60 degrees at night. How do you guys that keep them achieve this without just blasting A.C. through your house and/or drying out the air too much?
I saw A.C. units that create humidity for dry climates, any one have experience with these? How would they work in a state like PA? Sounds way too good to be true. I mean cool temperatures and humidity!?

To add to that I've been looking into some room humidifiers in the 100ish dollar range with hygrostats. Anyone use these upper end ones? Do they work well and can you recommend any? I had the $40 ultrasonic fogger and I didn't really like it, it got gross fast and was more work than I'd like to rely on. Then I broke it on accident . The good side was, my cham enjoyed it and it looks sweet. I'd like to find a replacement.

I would definitely not try to humidify the room--you can create a huge mold problem that might make your home unsaleable.

Most of my cages are solid sides with screen doors. Some are completely glass. You can also raise humidity with ultrasonic humidifiers with a tube going to each cage.

I think it depends on the species as to how picky they are about temperature drops. If dealing with a wild caught, individuals in the species will be collected from different climes, so will have different individual preferences/needs. Often animals are not collected from where we think is most likely (per a researcher in Madagascar).

I have montane species and have them in a variety of places in my house. Some get big temperature drops. Some don't. My T.q.quadricornis and T.q.graciliors have done well and bred in all kinds of temperature ranges. I do run a lot of mist through the cages, more than most people I think.

 

[jamest0o0]

Good point thank you for that @jajeanpierre ! I just have trouble getting low temps without it being dry here, I guess a room A.C. and heavy mist is the main answer. How do you feel about the bacteria build up in foggers? Is it a danger?