Should I get a humidifier or misting system?

[johncjb]

Hey Guys

I am thinking of getting a four horned chameleon (quadricornis) and would like to know which would be better for this mountainous species: A humidifier or a raining-misting system.

Would a misting-raining system scare a chameleon?

Wouldn't it just soak the place?

However, in the wild, chameleons get rain. So they also should in captivity.

Please tell me if a misting-raining system is better or worse than a humidifier

BTW if anyone knows where I can get a four horned chameleon please send me a private message.

 

[bbprinting]

Someone else was looking for a Quad the other day with no luck so there does not seem to be any available right now. Most people use a humidifier when the misting system cannot keep the humidity levels where they need them. Seldom have I seen where someone uses a humidifier instead of a mister.

 

[johncjb]

Thanks for the feedback. Ill probably use both. The mister to provide droplets of water and the humidifier to keep the humidity where I want it.

 

[VigilantSpearIII]

If you can get both, then by all means get both. They are not an essential part of upkeep, but they are great at helping create an autonomous system. Excellent if you are busy with work, school, family, etc. If you have the time though, nothing beats a mindful eye and a hand-bottle, haha. I use 3 Vicks humidifiers for my cham-room and an Aquazamp system to run all my cages. I still use a hand-bottle though. One thing I should mention about humidity levels is that you should shut-off the humidifier every so often for maintenance cleaning and to let the enclosures dry out. Letting humidity levels drop every once in a while is not a bad thing. If you do get a humidifier that is not a reptile-name brand, I advise to go with a warm mist vaporizer over an ultrasonic. The reason being is that although mist is less visible on a vaporizer, it is both more reliable and does not promote mold-growth. Ultrasonics, while being cool looking, are sometimes unreliable, difficult to clean (not all of them), and get moldy quick.

When it comes to misting systems, Aquazamp and Mistking are both top-notch. DIY systems can be made with any booster pump. Good luck pal.



Almost forgot to answer your specifics...

1. Some chameleons are afraid, some are not. Most will adapt and get tolerant of misting.
2. If you are unsure about how much to water, get a tray and overdo it a little. It is best to err on the side of more not less, when it comes to watering. If you are confident in your observation skills, and the enclosure has enough foliage, It is possible to not need a tray for watering. I do not use trays, from time to time I do drip some water, but never enough to soak my floors.
3. The best store-bought rain system hands-down is made by Aquazamp. Summoner12 is a longtime member of this forum and a very knowledgeable cham-keeper.
4. A rain or mist-system is much more useful than a humidifier. If you can afford only one, then get a mist-system. Remember though, they are both luxuries, and not a mandatory item. They are very helpful though.
5. I do not know where to get a Quad at the moment, but Backwater Reptiles gets them from time to time. They mostly have wild-caught and although they do not have the best reputation, they really are just middle-men and cannot be blamed too much for cham conditions. Backwater does have good deals from time to time. There are plenty of options though, expos, other members, and local ads. You would be surprised to see how lucky you can get sometimes with local ads.

 

[johncjb]

Thanks for the reply. Are "Zoo Med" and "Exo Terra" good brands? Also, if I do go with a reptile name brand, is it ok if I use ultrasonic?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[VigilantSpearIII]

Thanks for the reply. Are "Zoo Med" and "Exo Terra" good brands? Also, if I do go with a reptile name brand, is it ok if I use ultrasonic?

Thanks for the feedback.

Zoo-Med and Exo-Terra are both good brands. Like with anything though, there is no single best brand. They all have their great and not so great products. Zoo-Med has great lights, decent supplements, and good heat pads. Exo-Terra has really nice terrariums. The misting monsoon system that is made by ET is a good and runs well, the only problem is that it is prone to breakdown after a few months. My brother had one and it broke down after 3 months, he returned it and Petco replaced it for free. His latest monsoon has been running for over a year without a hick-up. If its on sale, then it might be a good buy. If not on sale, Mistking and Aquazamp basic systems are around $99, so not much more expense than an Exo-Terra monsoon.

The humidifier that Zoo-Med sells is pretty neat, but it has 2 major faults. It is prone to breaking down, and it is difficult to clean for people with large hands. I bought 2 Zoo-Med humidifiers, both leaked on the inside and broke down. They must have a faulty seal and bad quality control where they are made.

An ultrasonic is just fine, keep in mind though that it needs cleaning once a week. Use an old toothbrush and make sure to get any slimy residue out. They sell some anti-mold plastic balls that you can drop into the water reservoir, try those out, they might help fend off mold.

Hit the gavels and give me some rep pal, hehe.

 

[johncjb]

I'll keep that in mid.