May 4, 2007, Newsletter Issue #73: Making The Most of Moisture: Humidity tips and tricks for your herp cage

Tip of the Week

Different types of reptiles need different levels of humidity, or moisture in their cage. Desert animals need a lot less than tropical animals, but even desert animals need some - especially come shedding time, or egg laying season. Here are a few simple tips to help you maintain humidity at the proper level in your herp cage without creating problems such as mold or insect infestation.

Make sure you know how much humidity your pet needs and can tolerate before you add a lot of moisture to the cage. Good substrates (cage bedding material) that will hold moisture and increase humidity are sphagnum moss and vermiculite. You can purchase both of these things at a hardware or garden supply store.

For animals that need less humidity, you can offer the dampened substrate inside the cage in a portable "hide box", a plastic shoebox with a hole cut in the side for easy reptile access. Remove this box and replace its contents with fresh material if it starts to become moldy or attracts undesirable insects.

Vermiculite should be mixed with just enough water until you can squeeze it and make it hold a shape. This makes a great substrate for egg laying. Sphagnum moss can be sprayed with a water bottle until slightly damp. Some tropical species such as chameleons and arboreal boas and vipers may require one or more sprays inside the cage with a water bottle every day.

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