Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I felt the need to post something concerning humidity. Because I have kept my rooms at 90 to 99% for the last few months, bumped up from roughly 70-75% when I got better humidifiers. I posted on here on more than one occasion that higher is better. I retract this statement. For several weeks I was getting this ungodly mold growing on the ceilings and under papers. I had posted a few times asking advice on if anyone knew what I could do to erradicate it. Nobody did. So I kept cleaning it and bleaching it, but it would return in just a few days. Only in a few of my darker cages, not in all. But nontheless I was concerned. It should have occurred to me sooner what was causing this. But one day as I was pondering this problem I asked myself,. what is the most recent change or different aspect in these rooms? The higher humidity! So I turned the humidifiers down until they maintained approximately 70 to 75% once again. Damned if any existing mold didn't literally disappear. The change was just incredible. It was just GONE. Like not even a residue of what once was mold. So in short, I no longer advise anyone to keep their cages at any humidity level higher than 75%
-----
If 50% of one's enemies are still breathing,... it just means you're doing a half-assed job.

Brian, I, too, believe that burms do better with relatively higher humidity levels (but still have EXCELLENT air flow). Rather than boosting ambient humidity levels in the entire room, we simply manipulate the environment in each cage. This includes manual misting, pro product misting systems (awesome product), soaking logs/furnishings in warm water so that as they dry out in the cage they give off great humidity, etc. My guess is that my humidity levels for burms range from the mid 70's to the upper 80's. For convalescing burms, we crank it up to the 90-95% level. Humidity is a great topic for discussion because I feel that a lot of the problems associated with RI and other ailments are due in large part to improper temperatures and humidity levels (along with adequate exercise). Some friends of mine had a burm with chronic RI...the cage was warm and humid but the room that they allowed their burm to roam around for 3x weekly exercise was very cold and the snake was on an even colder cement surface....duh, of course you are going to have problems. Keepers need to develop an eye for detail to these sorts of things.

But Brian, I think that taking your humidity levels down a bit will be for the better because if you are having spore growth of fungus/mould/etc. that is also being inhaled by your burms which is probably not good. I have also incorporated JWR air purifiers in all of my herp areas and I have been real happy with their performance (even my allergies are almost gone!).

So, in short, I like to provide humidity levels (including actual water misting on a daily basis) in the 78-88% range with a decent temp gradient (78-80 deg F on the cool side to the mid 80's on the warm side with a basking area between 90-95 deg F.)....I know that this is where you and I have philosophical differences as you maintain high ambient temps with little gradient but you have done seemingly well. Last, CLEAN, fresh water, suitably sized cage with GOOD air flow and periodic exercies and a proper diet....sounds so simple doesn't it?