# humidity question



## telsa.the.tegu (Jan 25, 2013)

right now i have to use a humidifier rigged up to my tegus all glass home to keep the humidity up. and i just got a wood on with a screen top an glass front will i need to rig this up again in the wood cage?


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## james.w (Jan 25, 2013)

Yes you will. It will be no different than the glass if they both have screen tops.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 25, 2013)

Is there a way you could close up that screen top and vent someplace else? I was told screen tops are a no for holding in humidity... james? 

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## james.w (Jan 25, 2013)

Screen tops are no good for holding in heat or humidity. Most adult size enclosures don't need any ventilation, daily opening of the doors for feeding, water changes, spot cleaning , interaction, etc will allow for enough air exchange.


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## Dubya (Jan 25, 2013)

james.w said:


> Screen tops are no good for holding in heat or humidity. Most adult size enclosures don't need any ventilation, daily opening of the doors for feeding, water changes, spot cleaning , interaction, etc will allow for enough air exchange.



What about mold and excess heat from the MVB bulbs during the summer months? My tegu will be outdoors in the summer, but some may be in indoor enclosures in non air conditioned rooms. Some extra ventilation may be necessary to drain off some heat.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 25, 2013)

I am interested in this as my large enclosure is still in progress. I'd like to do everything right from the get go... 

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## james.w (Jan 25, 2013)

Dubya - I would recommend switching to a smaller wattage bulb. If the ambient room temps get over 80, you will need to provide some sort of a/c to give the tegu the opportunity to cool down.


BatGirl - if vents are needed, they can be easily added.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

I'm planning on halogen, as mentioned in another thread. Using a double socket. The uvb is already mounted on back. It's a tube-type. I'm wondering about winter warmth though. Dubya had said something about night heat bulbs on cool side and rob I think uses heat panels. Deciding what would be best since enclosure is 4ft high.

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## laurarfl (Jan 26, 2013)

I have my tegus in the garage. In the peak of the summer, I have to shut most of the bulbs off from about 2-4pm because it is so hot and they are not basking. Or I use a fan to ventilate. I have screen vents on the top and side. In the cooler weather, I cover the top screen vents. Humidity usually isn't a problem. If I need to boost it, I bring the hose over and mist the substrate.


My enclosures also have two sockets on each side, so I can add ceramic heat elements for night heat if needed. Being infrared, RHP's do not heat up the ambient air much, but heat whatever is beneath it.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

Ok thanks for that info. It's good to know. 

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## james.w (Jan 26, 2013)

Laurafl, you are in Florida which I think would play a big role in humidity. What is the humidity in the garage and outside?


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## laurarfl (Jan 26, 2013)

Yes, that's why I don't usually respond to humidity and enclosure questions. Right now, humidity is about 50% outside and 70% in the garage.


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## james.w (Jan 26, 2013)

laurarfl said:


> Yes, that's why I don't usually respond to humidity and enclosure questions. Right now, humidity is about 50% outside and 70% in the garage.



Definitely makes a difference.


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## Dubya (Jan 26, 2013)

BatGirl1 said:


> I'm planning on halogen, as mentioned in another thread. Using a double socket. The uvb is already mounted on back. It's a tube-type. I'm wondering about winter warmth though. Dubya had said something about night heat bulbs on cool side and rob I think uses heat panels. Deciding what would be best since enclosure is 4ft high.
> 
> Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2



Yes I use night spot bulbs on the cool side 24hrs a day because the upstairs is cool. I use a halogen and MVB on the warm side during the day and when they are off at night, the cool side becomes the warm side. He never sleeps in his hide on the cool side. He just burrows under his basking rock which is a slate paver about 5/8in thick. his enclosure is only about 26in high or maybe a little taller so that it fit through the doorway.



james.w said:


> Dubya - I would recommend switching to a smaller wattage bulb. If the ambient room temps get over 80, you will need to provide some sort of a/c to give the tegu the opportunity to cool down.
> 
> 
> BatGirl - if vents are needed, they can be easily added.





I agree, but an adjustable vent may be a good idea.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

Can I use halogen floods or must I use reptile specific ones for the basking areas. ( was that a stupid ques.?)

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## james.w (Jan 26, 2013)

Halogen floods will work fine and be cheaper, both to purchase and to run. Just make sure you UVB is within the proper distance. 

Dubya - of course an adjustable can be used, I prefer those that can be completely closed though.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

Uvb Proper distance from floods or animals? I have the uvb tube mounted on the back wall of enclosure ...hold on, I'll try to post pic. [attachment=6245]

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I don't have any better ones, damn. And we took it apart to get it out of the way while remodelling but will put it back together and complete doors and other things soon... ugh. 

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## james.w (Jan 26, 2013)

Proper distance from the animal. I used a hanging 4 ft fixture and suspended it with the provided chains to get the proper distance.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

It's mounted on the back wall. The bulb is open on 3 sides. Will this not give proper exposure? Does it need to be suspended by chains to give appropriate rays to animal? 

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## james.w (Jan 26, 2013)

That is something I am not sure about, I have always hung them from the ceiling of the enclosure.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

I suppose I'll have to figure it out... i know the bulb needs to be like 12 in from animal for the uvb to reach it properly but not sure about the direction of the light, like if it has any bearing on the effectiveness... i certainly have it mounted low enough and in the area where the basking lights will go. It actually takes up more than half the cage's length because it is 4ft. I had to order it because stores only carried shorter ones. Thanks for the input though. 

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Damn now that I'm thinking of it I wonder if because the light is not coming from above, the rays are becoming 'uneven ', if you will...like some points reaching the animal at 12in and other points further and so on. Am I over analyzing this and will it really matter that much in its effectiveness for its purpose? I don't know. Ugh... 

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## Dubya (Jan 26, 2013)

BatGirl1 said:


> Uvb Proper distance from floods or animals? I have the uvb tube mounted on the back wall of enclosure ...hold on, I'll try to post pic.
> 
> Sent from my ZTE-Z990G using Tapatalk 2
> 
> ...





If it was one of those fixtures with no reflector, I would put it on the back wall like you did. Since yours has a reflector, side mounting it doesn't allow it to shine straight underneath. I would hang it from the chains like james said. Also, for adjustable vents, you could use floor register vents from Home Depot in the heating and ventilation aisle. They have a lever on them to opwn or close them as much as you need to.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

The tube isn't in the fixture in the photo. The tube is open on all sides when it's in. Is that what you meant? Like, nothing is encasing the bulb and the only solid part is the part that is mounted on the wall. Wish I had a pic with the tube in... :/

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## Dubya (Jan 26, 2013)

I mean that the reflector itself blocks the light from shining straight down if it is mounted on the wall. I pm'd you about another thing.


Also, any herpetologist will tell you that in Argentina, the indigenous people use jack-o-lanterns to scare away the tegus that eat their newborn children. You may want to rethink the decor.


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## BatGirl1 (Jan 26, 2013)

Can I put something behind the tube to stop it from doing that? The entire bulb is exposed... what a pain in the booty if we have to pull it off the wall and rewire, etc. 

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[attachment=6246]

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[attachment=6247]

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[attachment=6248]

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See? Where the tube light goes isn't blocked by anything... 

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