Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Any suggestions on how I can try to keep a little humidity in a 40 gal with a screen top?
I know I know...don't use a screen top.... Well, say you had to use a screen top - how would you keep it humid enough in there?
I have a towel over the top now covering most of it, except where the lights are and I spray/mist the hot spot everyday so it will evap and cause it to be a bit humid but its not getting to where I want it. Can I spray the towel on top? put a towel in there wet? move a second water dish under the heat lamp to up the humidity?
Other than "buy a humidifier" and "don't use a screen top", what can you suggest?

here's the current setup minus the towel on top:

what the sh!t? why the hell you tryin to kill it by grabbin its tail?

You must really love that screen top (lol) But, that is what's killing your humidity. If you have to use the screen top go out to the shed and grab that old styrofoam cooler and cut a piece to fit inside your screen top. Leaving a portion uncovered for you light. That will work much better than a towel, and it will look a little better.

Have fun,
Quinton

My thoughts on humidity is to not worry about it!! The only time I worry about humidity is when they go into shed and when they do I just spray them down every day until they shed, no problems!! Of course you wouldn't really have to spray them down even then if you had a different set up, but people worry about keeping the humidity up 24/7 all the time when they shouldn't have to worry, unless it is shed time!

Jason

that's a good suggestion. I hate styrofoam but I will get some as an option here. That sounds like an easy solution. I like that one.

I'm not in love with the screen top but I already bought it and have nothing else to use it for. And you know how people are with their sarcasm (insert the sarcastic "nooooooo...us????sarcastic???), I'm one of them, that would just say get a new top. I don't have a lot of spare change righ tnow cause of the vet bills for my lizards so the cheapest way out is my favorite right now

thanks

Your two problems are of course the screen top, cover it, the styro trick will work well, you can pic up a pretty cheap piece of plexiglass to fit into the top also ($2.00 at home depot). The next problem is that heat light, they suck the humidity out of the tank like you wouldn't beleive. Try using an UTH instead and limit the use of the lamp. Yes your humidity is important, for more than just the shed, it helps with all of their metobolic processes.
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Tosha

2.5.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and currently un-named)
0.1.0 Siberian Husky (Kita)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope)
5.4.2 Fish (1,2,3,4...)
0.0.1 Frog rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.2 Lizards rescued from pool skimmer

By using the suggestions I have gotten int eh past from this board, I now use a humid hide when they are going to shed. As soon as they start showing pink on the belly, I put the humid hide in there. NO PROBLEMS with shedding at all! They seem really happy with it and I get great sheds. Basically a humid hide, in case you don't know, is a hide with some Sphagnum moss in it, sprayed a little bit. I se a small rubbermaid container with a hole cut in one end for the snake to go in. This way I can open the top of the hide to spray a couple times a day. They seem to like it and I'm happy with the results.

Hope this helps.

Circusfan

use cyprss mulch....dampen it well..and dump a cup of water in there a day if needed?......

......moss in a hide box...same deal..wet as needed?......

..paper towel over lid?.........try plastic wrap..unless you will burn home down with lights...then try aluminum foil....?

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