An idea for creating humidity.

Damnathius

Arachnosquire
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Jun 17, 2003
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I've been doing some "experimenting" lately with creating humidity in my spider enclosures, and I think I have come up with a way to keep the humidity high without soaking the substrate.

Perhaps it has been discussed before, but I haven't been here long enough to have seen it.

I use the small round Fluker's thermometers and hygrometers. My first try at keeping the humidity high was in a relatively small critter keeper with the green plastic vented lid. This is the enclosure I keep my Pinktoe in. I placed a hygrometer on the substrate, which was dryer than I normally keep it, and the reading was about 30%. Temperature was in the 70 to 75 degree range.

I then covered the enclosure with a wet paper towel, leaving the vents on the angled side uncovered. In about 15 minutes the hygrometer was reading 80% at the substrate. Cool!

For several days I didn't mist the substrate, but kept the paper towel wet, which in the desert here required a morning and an evening soaking. Even though the substrate continued to dry out, the humidity remained at 80%.

My next try was on my 10 gallon aquarium style terrarium where I keep my Curly and my Rosehair. (divided of course) I again placed the hygrometer on the substrate and covered most of the screen lid with several layers of wet paper towel. Soon, the humidity was up at 80%+.

This morning, I noticed my wife's Ball Python 20 gallon cage had a humidity level of 40%, and asked her if I could do my "experiment". I covered about 90% of the screen lid with a wet paper towel, and 1/2 hour later the humidity is at 85%.

Today I am going to the thrift store to pick up some cloth kitchen towels. I have noticed that the more paper towels there are, the longer they retain moisture, which lessens the frequency of wetting them.

With the concern over mold growing in the cage, I think this method will greatly reduce the chance of that happening since wetting the substrate can be greatly reduced while maintaining high humidity.

I'm sure that results will vary with climate and temperature, but it seems to work well here in the desert where humidity levels are, on average, about 25% to 30%.

Being new to this, any input is appreciated. :)

Dave
 
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Immortal_sin

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Dave,
sounds like a good idea, especially in a very dry desert environment. If you have alot of inverts, the only real downside I can see is it might be a bit time consuming. To keep humidity up for my slings, I have them in small vials inside a large rubbermaid tub, kinda the same sort of idea.
I'm all for dryer substrate, I keep my Ts on the very dry side, and haven't had any problems.
The only exception to this would be H lividum, and I keep their peat moss a bit damper, but with major ventilation.
I may try that with my P imperator's aquarium. (your idea)
Holley
 

sunnymarcie

Celestial Spider
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Feb 13, 2003
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Sounds good to me:D
Humidity is always an issue where ever you are.
All but one of my T's are on bone dry substrate and they
have a dish of water big enough to swim in. I have never
put in a humidity gage. All have molted with no problems, so
I really do not worry about the humidity.
My A. avic is the only one with damp substrate. I am on
constant watch for mites with that one:eek:

SO, I guess it comes down to whatever works:D
 

Dafne

Arachnobaron
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Mar 11, 2003
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It seems to be very good idea, Dave :) I think I will try it soon. If it works, I will use it when I will go out of the town and will have to leave my T's alone for some time :D
Thanks for sharing :)
 

Kugellager

ArachnoJester of the Ancient Ones
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Jul 24, 2002
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Dafne, you brought up an interesting idea when you mentioned you were going out of town...this caused me to think how you could keep the towels moist while you were away...I got to thinking of using one of those herp drip canisters with tube things they have in the stores. You could use the drip device turned to a low drip rate and allow it to drip on to the towels therby keeping it wet for quite some time.

John
];')
 

chau0046

Arachnobaron
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Mar 17, 2003
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I`ve used wet towels to cover my scorpling tanks and if i was to leave for the weekend, i would place the wet towel on top of the cage and then cover 90% with plastic wrap. The towel was placed in between the lid and the encloser but i`m not sure if you want to do that with T`s. Great way to keep humidity up. Also false bottom enclosers work great, 1-2" of gravel underlayer from the soil retains water yet doesn`t flood the substrate or evaporate that easily. Another way for larger container would be to fill up a mini pla pen plastic herp cage with water and put the lid on it. With this placed in the cage , the humidity will rise and stay around the same level.

Mat
 

Static_69

Arachnobaron
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Feb 14, 2003
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Yeah...that's how I keep the humidity in my T. blondi's keeper up.
I just put a wash cloth over the lid and spray it with a spray bottle about twice a day.





Risto
 

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
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Jan 1, 2003
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I do the same thing, but I don't use paper towels. I just use regular hand towels. I find they stay damp longer, and it's more cost effective than tossing out used paper towels all the time.

N.
 

Nixy

Arachnoprince
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Feb 6, 2003
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How would chamois ( spelling :? ) work?
Those suckers hold a ton of water, are avaliable in most automotive stores or stores with an automotive section.
Come in varius colors, are easy to cut to size and don't fray at the edges. Maybe add a more decorative touch to the idea, for enclosiers that are in rooms for display.

Or what about capilary moistening the towel? Or whatever you use? If the enclosiers are close enough, set up pull wicks for each towel and or chammy or whatever, sit a gallon of water in a pertiful pot or something and allow the towels to "pull" the moister to them?

Or the same basic idea hanging above with a drip... like Kugellager said, just on a bigger scale,, some aquarium tubing and diddling around and experimenting.....

anyway, thinking out loud.
 

Damnathius

Arachnosquire
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Jun 17, 2003
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I'm sure that anything that retains moisture would work fine. I would imagine that how much you cover the enclosure would determine the humidity level to a certain extent.

My wife's python cage actually hit 88% about an hour after covering it. It is now stabilized at 82%.

I like the "wicking" idea. Perhaps a rectangular plastic planter along the back of the enclosure, or whatever shape you need to suit, might work well for wicking.

All in all, it leaves a wide area for experimentation with different materials and setups.
 
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