Humidity Issues

[Nick]

I noticed the humidity in my tank was at 60%! I have a 40G Breeder, temps are fine and I switched from newspaper to sand substrate. With the sand the humidity dropped to 50% but thats still horrible. The tank has a screen top and I put a fan on top of the tank to help and theres no water in the tank. Im not sure what else to do

 

[Germ]

While 20-30% humidity is ideal, if the climate where you live has a higher Humidity, there isn't a whole lot you can do about it, short of dehumidifying the room or whole house. Which, at least for me, is not an option to keep all windows closed up tight. I have some reasonably older dragons, my first, while it is in my nieces care right now, is a healthy 10+ years old, the oldest of the 4 that I have keeping me now, is 8, with 2 not far behind. All have been raised in a climate of 40%-60% humidity, including 2 years when I lived on Vancouver Island with 70+% humidity for 8 months of the year, with absolutely no issues. Provided you don't combine high humidity with unreasonable cold, there is not likely to be problems. Of the 8 BDs that I have kept, 6 of which are over 6 years old, all but one that passed away at 18 months of unrelated issues, have been raised in these conditions their whole lives, are thriving & quite healthy. Other than the aforementioned unfortunate happening, I have never had a sick BD, none of the others have ever seen a vet or taken any meds other than the multi-vitamin Herptivite.

This is not to say that you should not try to keep the humidity as low as possible, but when there is not much that you can do about it, short of moving to a drier climate, they will adapt quite well.

Might be different story, if you take a BD that has always had a drier environment, with no variation, has not had the opportunity to adapt & suddenly put it in a cooler high humid environment, respiratory infection could quite possibly be a result in that scenario.

 

[Nick]

Alright thank you and I know the answer to this next question but I figured Id ask anyway. Lets say I was to get a 125G tank, would it be possible to keep the BD and lets say a tortoise together? Humidity and temps would be the same. I dont see a problem but I thought id ask, opinions? =]

 

[Germ]

I never recommend cohabiting of BDs with any other species. I think it would have to be a large Tortoise, that the BD would not think that it's protruding limbs, head & tail, would not be food crawling out from under a rock. But to be quite truthful, that is only speculation, because if it is smaller & moves, to a BD, it's food.

I really can't say, because I haven't, wouldn't try it myself, don't know of anyone who has, so have nothing to base a Yay or Nay on, other than the well known, previously mentioned BD characteristic. With any luck, someone else may have more relevant input.

Good Luck in your choices.

 

[Mairzee Dotes]

The tortoise would probably eat the bearded's poop, and that would cause problems with the tortoise. They always eat the scat (poop) of meat eaters. I would recommend separate places.

 

[ThDude]

i would guess being that it is now summer time, humidity has gone up for most everyone. and short of what germ has alredy said there is nothing u can do to lower it.

if you happen to spray your BD inside his cage with mist everyday or at all then stop and it may lower humidity. insted give him more then one bath a week/ spray him outside of his tank.

 

[James Edwards]

Sand??? NOOOOOO!! I would suggest paper towels, tiles, or ever aspen snake bedding.

 

[Germ]

Ya right, yes on Aspen chips, no on Play sand, give me a break

 

[Aleena]

Sand??? NOOOOOO!! I would suggest paper towels, tiles, or ever aspen snake bedding.

Aspen chips? Snake bedding is appropriate for snakes, not BD's. They would ingest it and it would cause impaction. Childrens washed play sand is a suitable substrate as long as you screen for any larger pieces and remove them, of course, on any particle substrate the BD needs to remain well hydrated.
I don't ever recommend calci sand or the like, and I use newspaper myself. Tried the washed play sand and I had too many allergy related issues with it.