Humidity...

[Jennie]

I'm having an issue with the humidity in my cresties tank, its one of those smaller kitter keepers since my baby is only about 3 months. I mist it once or twice a day and it still wants to drop in the 40ies. the substraight I'm using is the same that the breeder has been using for 13 years now with no prob. Its like a jungle earth type, fine not clumpy. I dont know if I just havnet mositen it enough, but I dont want it to be completely soaked either.

I was also having an issue with the bedding as well when it comes to feeding. When my little guy goes after a cricket sometimes he will get a mouthful of the stuff! Like I said, the breeder has been using this stuff for a long time and has never had a prob with it whatsoever! He makes up the bedding himself and sells bags of it for geckos and all other types of reptiles. So instead of feeding my baby his crickets in his tank, should I set him in another? He only gets 4 crickets every 2-3 days so its not like its an everyday thing. I just want the best for my Oni.

 

[Bunny]

With the humidity you can try covering about half of the top of the tank with a towel, plastic wrap, a book anything that would work best to keep the humidity in but not start on fire or melt. So that depends on how big the cage is and how your heating it. All of my high humidity cages have half the top covered with plastic wrap with a heat lamp and I have no problems with them. I also have a fogger and a waterfall in two of my lager cages. If possible you can also mist it 3 or 4 times a day.

I use eco earth in all my tropical set ups and I’ve never had any problems. I have had a couple of mine eat a little bit of the eco earth and they still poop and eat just fine. But there is the risk that they can get impacted if they eat too much of it so if you’re worried I would suggest either moving him when feeding of you can switch the bedding. Hope that helps

~Jamie

 

[Jennie]

Thanks! I just have a kritter keeper since our crestie is just a baby and our room stays about the right temp so we didnt need any additional heat source. I'll try covering half the tank with the wrap and see how that works out! Yeah, Im going to start feeding him/her in a separate tank from now on, and I have been keeping an eye out for poops, haha, he/she has been doing find in that area. >.<

 

[Haroldo]

While "cresties" are from New Caledonia--a somewhat "rainforest" type of habitat, they do not do well [in captivity] being exposed to constantly high humidity. Putting saran wrap [or other alternatives] will only make the air stagnant and prone to fungal growths, etc. inside the cage. I'd ditch the substrate for an animal that young and replace with paper towel or newspaper. Add a live plant if you're concerned about humidity. I've been keeping Rhacodactylus for years and for the first few, I even kept them in screen cages. (Mind you, I'm in the Midwest where its usually pretty dry) Just make sure you spray at least once a day. Humidity for this genus should be in cycles not constant. Even Phelsuma (high humidity loving for many species) need humidity in cycles instead of constant...Just something else to consider...

 

[Bunny]

I live in an extremely dry area. The average humidity around here 20% so all the geckos that need to be around 70% it takes everything i can do to keep it in that area. Just watch the Humidity and if it stays where it should be for them your fine.

 

[Jennie]

Well, its keeps dropping in the 40s, I mist in there at least 2-3 times now, where I live its been getting on the hot side aswell, but the temps been stayign where it should be.

I just talked to the breeder about the substrate and it is fine to use. This is one that he makes up himself and its safe to use with juvie cresteds. I dont feed the baby in that tank eitherway, I feed him in a separate tank where it would be easier for him to eat.

 

[Leopardbreeder]

PSSSS!!Not trying to be rude but, you know their is a crestie form right?

 

[Jennie]

The question had nothing to do with "just cresties" I was asking about humidity, which I thought anyone could help me with.

 

[Franks_Geckos]

I think you should go back and read Haroldo's post as it was well put and right on.

 

[Bunny]

Haroldo's was very well written and directed for cresties. Mine was just in general and while I know having something on the top to keep in the humidity up can cause growths in there tank I have to do it or i would spray my tanks and within a hour it would be down to around 35%. And my geckos need a high humidity all the time. I also am a clean freak with all of my geckos. I've never once seen any kind of mold or what not in my tank. I also bake all the wood once a month on top of my normal disinfecting just to make sure nothing is starting to grow that i'm not seeing.

I would listen to what Haroldo says about cresties needs with humidity. I don't know that much when it comes to cresties.

 

[Jennie]

Thanks so much everyone for all your help!