# Crested Gecko Terra - Too Humid?



## bloodsyre

My Crested Gecko is coming to live with me next week, and i've been checking my temperatures and humidity levels for the past couple of days to make sure i've got it all right before he moves in.

My temperatures are fine, at 21/23 during the day, and dropping to 19/20 in the night... (well, fine, from what I've read up and things, feel free to tell me if you don't think they are...)

My humidity is the issue, it's always up in the 70% during the day, and 80+ in the night... I have opened the doors, to try and let it out a bit, (obviously won't be doing this when I have my gecko!!) then it gets down to about 60%, but within 10 mins of closing the door again its back up to 70/75 ..

From what I've read, I'm meant to let the Tank "dry out" during the day... I know this doesn't mean DRY, but just lower the humidity ... 

My tank is a 45x45x60 Exo Terra, Mesh Top, with a compact canopy over half of it, and I'm using Eco Earth as substrate ... (the Gecko I'm getting is over a year old, and I plan on feeding him live out of the terra to reduce risk of impaction.)

Any input would be greatfully accepted. Thankyou


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## GlassWalker

What sort of meter are you using to measure it? The cheap dial ones can be highly inaccurate, but generally digital ones are ok.

How much water are you putting in? Try cutting back? The substrate can hold a lot of moisture, so at initial setup it can be much wetter than you would run with normally. Assuming that is the case, give it some time to dry by itself.


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## bloodsyre

Im using Exo Terra Digital Thermo and Hygrometers ... 

I misted it the first night I had it all set up and the humidity shot up to 90%! 

I havent misted it since... :/ obviously, I'll have to mist when I do get my Gecko, so should I just hope my substrate dries out a bit by then?

I dont want my humidity to be too hight so that it both harms my gecko, and becomes a breeding ground for bacteria :whip:


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## GlassWalker

You said you used eco earth, if it's the same as the stuff I get, it comes in a brick you re-hydrate? If so, when you first do that it is wetter than normal for a while. What was the humidity like before you misted the first time?

I still think if you let it dry out, then moderate the amount of moisture added after that, it should be ok.


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## Oxide

GlassWalker said:


> You said you used eco earth, if it's the same as the stuff I get, it comes in a brick you re-hydrate? If so, when you first do that it is wetter than normal for a while. What was the humidity like before you misted the first time?
> 
> I still think if you let it dry out, then moderate the amount of moisture added after that, it should be ok.


I had this 3 days ago,i set up my new VIV and like you said you rehydrate a brick(in my case coco fibre) it will stay wet a long time and i found my humidity not going down at all.

MY pulse stat came this morning and my humidity level is down to 50% already so i can start misting in the evenings as i used to.

Don't worry it should get back to normal soon :2thumb:


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## bloodsyre

Pheeee-eeew ... Yeah, it's the rehydrating stuff.. The humidity was about 80% when I first put my digital hygrometer in ... and it went down to 70% by the next day, so I misted (maybe i shouldnt have?! :blush and it shot up to 90!! 

I think i'll just not mist untill it dries out or until my gecko comes to live with me... - he doesn't have a name yet :whistling2: ...










Any ideas?! hehe..

Thanks for your input, I'm not quite so stressed now!! :crazy:


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## Oxide

Yeah let it dry out before you spray again or you might get mould.

After night spraying i get about 80% humidity by the next evening it would of gone down to about 40% then i spray again.

only one have i had to spray a light one in the morning in my exo only because i left heating on overnight :whistling2:


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## bloodsyre

Yeah, I was worried about it starting to mould if it was kept that high for a prolonged period..... :gasp: 

it goes down to 40% ?! oh dear, I hope it does dry out soon then... I don't want the lil guy to be.. erm.. damp all the time... :roll:

so, what do I do if it hasn't gone down by the time I get him? I can't NOT mist the lil guy can I?! *meep*


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## Oxide

bloodsyre said:


> Yeah, I was worried about it starting to mould if it was kept that high for a prolonged period..... :gasp:
> 
> it goes down to 40% ?! oh dear, I hope it does dry out soon then... I don't want the lil guy to be.. erm.. damp all the time... :roll:
> 
> so, what do I do if it hasn't gone down by the time I get him? I can't NOT mist the lil guy can I?! *meep*


it will go down,like i said it took mine 3 days to go down (without heat) now my pulse stat is running a ceramic its gone down fine.

You say you have a canopy? what light/heat you using?


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## bloodsyre

Oxide said:


> it will go down,like i said it took mine 3 days to go down (without heat) now my pulse stat is running a ceramic its gone down fine.
> 
> You say you have a canopy? what light/heat you using?



I only have a repti glow 2.0 in it at the moment, (for a day/night cycle more than anything else) as my temps are fine without additional heating I think... and an Arcadia Blue LED Strip light for night viewing... I did wonder if I needed additional heating, but id only need to raise my temps by a degree if that.. 

What would you recommend? My house gets REALLY hot in the summer, so I need to look into cooling methods aswell if you could give me a heads up for that also id be greatful! :notworthy:


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## Oxide

bloodsyre said:


> I only have a repti glow 2.0 in it at the moment, (for a day/night cycle more than anything else) as my temps are fine without additional heating I think... and an Arcadia Blue LED Strip light for night viewing... I did wonder if I needed additional heating, but id only need to raise my temps by a degree if that..
> 
> What would you recommend? My house gets REALLY hot in the summer, so I need to look into cooling methods aswell if you could give me a heads up for that also id be greatful! :notworthy:


I can only give you my exp but i had a 13 watt 5.0 reptiglow and a heat mat for night, gave me temps of 21/22 deg c and i would find in the morning it would be down to around 16/17 deg c and really cold nights cresty would be under substrate keeping warm.

This was all in an exo but i have a vivexotic now and i havent been through a summer with a reptile yet so can advise you on that im afraid.

Do you have heating on during the night at all?


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## bloodsyre

Oxide said:


> I can only give you my exp but i had a 13 watt 5.0 reptiglow and a heat mat for night, gave me temps of 21/22 deg c and i would find in the morning it would be down to around 16/17 deg c and really cold nights cresty would be under substrate keeping warm.
> 
> This was all in an exo but i have a vivexotic now and i havent been through a summer with a reptile yet so can advise you on that im afraid.
> 
> Do you have heating on during the night at all?


I live in relatively new build apts, so the insulation is pretty good... Room temp with no heating on is around 21 during the day and 19 in the night... Do you think I need additional heat with these temps? It's only going to get warmer ...

I have the heating on sometimes in the evenings but tbh, not for long enough that it makes a massive difference to the exo .. It's only on for an hour of so, and even then, it just warms up by my bed, and not the side of the room my exo is on... If that makes sense? I think the highest the temps been in the night is 21... Is that too high? 

I'll keep looking around for answers about cooling my crestie down when it gets too hot... I have an air purifier and that,ought bring it down a bit, but .. Hhmmmm, I dunno... :bash:

Thanks again


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