wooden vivs/humidity

[ianpudlich]

hi.i'm using a light bulb and a heat mat.now i mist in the morning and at night,but i just can't keep the humidity up.is there any other ways of getting the humidity up in wooden vivariums?

[starmom]

There are, but can you let us know what the dimensions of the wooden viv are, and anything else about the environment (substrate, etc.)? Thanks!

[ianpudlich]

There are, but can you let us know what the dimensions of the wooden viv are, and anything else about the environment (substrate, etc.)? Thanks!

i got 3 wooden vivs.2 of them are 30" x 18" and the other is 36" x 18".i use aspen in 2 of them and repti bark in the other.i got a water bowl in the cool end in each one

[starmom]

Hello! I would think the most simple way to bump your humidity would be to move the water bowl to a warmer part of the cage! Also, I switched a couple of my bowls to a more shallow but more surface area bowl which also bumps humidity big time. You could also get sphagnum moss and dampen that (in a container) and place that on a warm portion of the viv.
Also, the light bulb is what is really zapping your humidity; is there a reason why you are using that (since you have a UTH)? What do you have as the top of your viv? Is is mesh or screening of some sort? If so, cutting a piece of plexi to fit over the top of the cage, while allowing non-plexi space for the lamp, helps a ton!!! But really, why use the lamp????
Let me know if this makes sense to you and if I can be of further help. Good luck with all of this- I really think it is the lamp that is causing the headaches!

[gmcclurelssu]

it sounds like you have something similar to what i just got done setting up. either plexi or heavy plastic window wrap does the trick. i have mine sealed with plastic now, and even with two holes cut for lamps, i can get my humidity as high as 70% when i need it. right now its at about 55%

[ianpudlich]

hi.thanks for the advice.my vivs are completely wooden including the tops.as for using the lights will the heat mat,which is inside the viv,give enough heat to keep the temperature above 30 without any other heat source.i do agree it's the light that's draining the humidity.should i just stop using the bulbs and leave the heat mats on 24/7? thanks