New to forum - here is Luna!

[idonegetit]

I've been lurking around the forum for a while in my attempt at giving my new leo Luna the best possible care and I finally decided to introduce her to you all! So here she is taking a bath after a shed (was a clean shed though random fingers of hers are whitish and I am overly cautious haha). She is set up in a 20L tank with slate tiles which work great with the UTH which is programmed with a thermostat to 90 degrees. It usually keeps it a degree or so below which she seems to prefer. Her air temps are 84-86 degrees on her warm side and about 74-76 degrees on her cool end.

I got Luna almost 2 months ago at the annual reptile show. She is a new addition though I am not new to leos. I got my first Leopard Gecko Aurora almost twelve years ago (she now resides with a family member) but I have been out of the hobby for the past couple years. Getting back in to the hobby has been interesting, there seems to be much more information about these animals available now which is great and obviously helps us provide the best care. I was also amazed at how prices have changed, I paid $80 for Luna (SHTCT) which is probably a third what I would have paid for her when I bought my first leo.

Anyway I do have a quick question for anyone that lives in a really dry climate or would be able to make a recommendation. Up here in Canada in the winter months it gets extremely dry. Like 10-20% humidity dry no joke. Luna has a proper humid hide with dirt that I spray down daily but I am wondering if it would be beneficial to raise the overall ambient humidity with a terrarium fogger or something of that sort. I am looking at these products as options:

Repti Fogger? Terrarium Humidifier

Exo Terra : Fogger / Ultrasonic Fog Generator

Exo Terra : Monsoon RS400 / High-pressure Misting System

I imagine I would need something programmable or adjustable as to not raise the humidity too much. I have noticed Luna prefers to drink water droplets off surfaces and doesn't really do anything other than walk through her water bowl so I might consider adding a fountain/waterfall to her set up, which might help humidity levels as well. Anyone have experience with any of these products?

 

[cricket4u]

All these products will provide too much humidity for a leo in this size enclosure. You can try a small waterfall which will entice her to drink as well.

 

[Conched]

I would just stick with a humid hide on the warm side of the enclosure. Too much humidity can cause skin and respiratory infections. A larger moist hide with adequate substrate should do the trick. I also use a large corner water dish that will add a bit of humidity in the enclosure.

 

[cricket4u]

I would just stick with a humid hide on the warm side of the enclosure. Too much humidity can cause skin and respiratory infections. A larger moist hide with adequate substrate should do the trick. I also use a large corner water dish that will add a bit of humidity in the enclosure.

I have a neighbor who uses a small fountain in an Exo terra. The fountain will not increase the humidity much in a screen top enclosure. I have also been keeping my humidity at 40-50% for as long as my oldest gecko which is 13 yrs old. He has never had a problem what so over. The humidity would have to be over 60% constantly in order to become a problem. When you here about upper respiratory infection, it's due to lack of heating. Remember that they spend most of the day in burrows trying to avoid dehydration in their natural habitat.

 

[Conched]

I have a neighbor you uses a small fountain in an Exo terra. The fountain will not increase the humidity much in a screen top enclosure. I have also been keeping my humidity at 40-50% for as long as my oldest gecko which is 13 yrs old. He has never had a problem what so over. The humidity would have to be over 60% constantly in order to become a problem. When you here about upper respiratory infection, it's due to lack of heating. Remember that they spend most of the day in burrows trying to avoid dehydration in their natural habitat.

Humidity levels that are too high can and will cause respiratory infections in reptiles. Providing a humid hide allows the leo choose the higher humidity as it see's fit. If the overall humidity in the enclosure is too high the animal will suffer from respiratory ailments.

 

[cricket4u]

Humidity levels that are too high can and will cause respiratory infections in reptiles. Providing a humid hide allows the leo choose the higher humidity as it see's fit. If the overall humidity in the enclosure is too high the animal will suffer from respiratory ailments.

Yes, but you will only know what too high is when you have provided a variety of humidity levels to choose from. 40-50% is the areas that my leo chose in their enclosure about how many times we have heard of leos not leaving their humidity hide much when the humidity is low. The humidity in their humidity hide is much greater and laying on moist substrate for too long can lead to bacterial of fungal skin infections.

There's a ton of discussions on this topic already. Unfortunately it's buried and how many have the energy to keep repeating.

The op stated that the humidity in the enclosure is 10-20% which is too dry. Dehydration and shedding difficulties is huge in leopard geckos.

 

[Alix411]

She looks like my Cookie.

 

[Conched]

Yes, but you will only know what too high is when you have provided a variety of humidity levels to choose from. 40-50% is the areas that my leo chose in their enclosure about how many times we have heard of leos not leaving their humidity hide much when the humidity is low. The humidity in their humidity hide is much greater and laying on moist substrate for too long can lead to bacterial of fungal skin infections.

There's a ton of discussions on this topic already. Unfortunately it's buried and how many have the energy to keep repeating.

The op stated that the humidity in the enclosure is 10-20% which is too dry. Dehydration and shedding difficulties is huge in leopard geckos.

The products that the OP inquired about in the thread are products designed to replicate a rain forest environment. I suspect you did not click on the links the OP provided.

 

[cricket4u]

The products that the OP inquired about in the thread are products designed to replicate a rain forest environment. I suspect you did not click on the links the OP provided.

Did you read post#2?

All these products will provide too much humidity for a leo in this size enclosure.

I did not have to look at the links because I'm totally familiar with the products. I use and have used 2 of them. I have other reptiles besides leos, although I have used the repti fogger in the past to increase the humidity for the leos. However, I blocked a portion of the flow( too much, even turning the knob down to the lowest setting). This was before I started using a room humidifier. Perhaps you have not read my earlier posts? About 4,000 posts earlier. :biggrin: I house my leos in larger wooden enlcosures. I also live in an area where the humidity in my home drops to about 10% RH during the winter.

 

[Conched]

Did you read post#2?

All these products will provide too much humidity for a leo in this size enclosure.

I did not have to look at the links because I'm totally familiar with the products. I use and have used 2 of them. I have other reptiles besides leos, although I have used the repti fogger in the past to increase the humidity for the leos. However, I blocked a portion of the flow( too much, even turning the knob down to the lowest setting). This was before I started using a room humidifier. Perhaps you have not read my earlier posts? About 4,000 posts earlier. :biggrin: I house my leos in larger wooden enlcosures. I also live in an area where the humidity in my home drops to about 10% RH during the winter.

Hopefully the OP will get it figured out. And, yes I missed your earlier post from 4,000 posts ago.

I would love to see the enclosures you currently use, perhaps you could re-post a few pics.

 

[CinnamonGirl]

She's beautiful!!