Controlling the Heat and Humidity in a Reptile Terrarium

What Heat and Humidity Do to Reptiles

Most people don’t like being cold. But when a reptile gets too cold, they may not be able to process their food or their skin could get infected. And if a reptile terrarium gets too hot, your pet runs the risk of overheating. Then, there’s the whole humidity issue.  

High humidity levels can trap heat and may even cause mold and fungus to grow in your pet’s tank. That’s on top of making them more prone to skin infections. In contrast, lower humidity in a reptile tank could lead to respiratory conditions that would affect your pet’s ability to regulate their body temperature or even cause them to dehydrate.  

In addition to making reptiles more vulnerable to infections, improper temperature and humidity levels can lead to a condition called “stuck shed.” These are patches of old skin that haven’t come off after a reptile’s normal shedding period. Stuck shed can lead to an array of serious health issues. Learn more about reptile shedding in our Reptile Shedding 101 article.

Knowing Right from Wrong

What’s considered the right temperature and humidity vary from species to species. For example, if you were setting up a leopard gecko tank, you would want the humidity to be somewhere between 60 and 70%. The hot spot of the tank should be between 85° and 90° F while the cool spot about 75° F. Talk with a veterinarian about your pet’s specific requirements. You can also pick up a care guide from your local Pet Supplies Plus store our read some of our articles about reptile tank set ups for these reptiles:

• Leopard Gecko
• Bearded Dragon

Regardless of species, keep your reptile terrarium away from anything that could cause temperature and humidity levels to fluctuate, e.g., drafty areas, windows, air vents and direct sunlight. We also suggest a hygrometer (i.e., humidity gauge) and thermometers (one for a tank’s hot spot another for the cool spot) to help you monitor your tank’s environmental conditions.   

How to Control Humidity in a Reptile Cage

This can as simple as using a spray bottle to spritz water all over your reptile’s enclosure; however, it’s not the only way to adjust and control the humidity in a reptile cage. You can also use: 

• A reptile fogger – Showers very fine water particles into the air of your pet’s tank. Unlike with a spray bottle, reptile foggers don’t normally saturate the décor or condensate on terrarium surfaces.
• Absorbent substrates– Examples include sphagnum or terrarium moss. Reference the substrate’s packaging to see if it’s appropriate for your species of pet. These substrates keep the humidity up in a reptile tank but doesn’t increase it. 
• Absorbent décor – Includes natural wood pieces and reptile-safe live plants. Besides making their enclosure feel more like home, this type of décor helps keep humidity levels consistent rather than increasing them.   
• A reptile-safe water bowl – Place the bowl in the warmer part of the terrarium so that the water can evaporate and increase the humidity. 
• Humid hides – Fill these covered shelters with an absorbent substrate. Place humid hides in the tank’s cool spot to prevent evaporation. These are especially helpful when a reptile is shedding.  

How to Control Temperature in a Reptile Cage

Don’t worry, this is much easier than it sounds if you equip your reptile terrarium with the following items: 

• Under tank heat pad
• Heat lamps – Also called “daytime bulbs.” Deciding on wattage may involve some trial and error due to variables such as tank size, room temperature and your particular under tank heat pad. 
• Infrared heat lamps – For nighttime use. 
• Digital thermostat – To turn devices on and off, giving you one less thing to worry about.  
• Dry hides – These covered shelters give your reptile a place to warm up if they’re feeling a little chilly, so place them in the warm area of the tank. 
• Cooling hides – These should be put in your tank’s cool area to give your pet a place to seek relief if they’re overheating. 

Conclusion

To truly give your pet reptile all the comforts of home, make sure their tank is at the proper temperature and humidity for their specific species. Getting them wrong could lead to serious health issues—but don’t let that keep you up at night. Nobody’s perfect. And at Pet Supplies Plus, we have the products you’ll need to control the heat and humidity in your pet’s enclosure.