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How can I lower my humidity levels?

laanxx99

laanxx99

New member
I have the Kernal in the basement and the humidity hovers near 60% most of the time. When my wife is washing clothes it can even get closer to 70%. The only way I know to dry it out is to heat it up but my temps are right at 80 degrees most of the time. The heat lamp will dry it out but make it too hot. I dont want to leave less water in the viv because I dont want my animals thirsty. What should I do?
 
That a hard one.
What type of Viv are you using? One with a screen lid or a wooden one or plastic tubs.
 
It's a mix of aspen shavings and reptile bark. He has a corner water dish, a hanging vine (plastic), and two hides. One is a log half and the other is a coconut shell half.
 
I cant tell you 100% positivly but you might want to try a paper towel or newspaper layer for a week or so and see if that helps. :shrugs:
 
Trying to lower it is a hard one. I believe this is due partially to the humidity the the Viv is in. Which I would check to see what that is and/or different location in that room. You might have to move the Viv. Changing bedding as suggested might work. :shrugs: Do you have a light on the Viv to see? Moving that to a new location, away from the water might do something or move water. But mainly I would think you need more air ..ventilation, to help dry thing out. :shrugs: Sorry couldn't help more.
 
I did just move my vivs away from the air conditioner vent. I moved them to the other side of the basement because at night the air conditioner would come on and the temps would get down to 65-70 degrees. I always had a heat lamp for them but I was just afraid that the temp was too low for them to be healthy. I didn't think about the air conditioning keeping the vivs dryer though. I might have to move them back. Will there be any dangers if the humidity stays in the 60-70% range?
 
It could pose a health problem. Respiratory infection scale rot or whatever it called but don't quote me on any of that. You have to wait for more experienced folks to chime in, Your shooting for 40-50% range. Do you have a good hydrometer, has it gotten wet lately???
 
I suppose this is something I'll have to consider, too? The humidity in my apartment has been in the mid-70%s, and it won't go down until...February?
 
Here in Florida (where many wild corns live), the summer daytime temps are in the low to mid 90s and about 55% humidity daytime, with lows of 75F and 90 - 100% humidity at night. Of course, animals can control it somewhat by hanging out in deep shade. breezy trees, or even a tortoise hole if they want. So I am not suggesting you force them to endure 90+F! But they can't really escape the humidity in the SE US summertime. The main difference is that there is plenty of fresh air so they are not always surrounded by mold, fungus, bacteria, etc, which could take over a stagnant, humid viv.

I usually get my herp room to about 84 - 86F every day for at least several hours, and cooler at night. I have to use a/c to do that, so that also removes some humidity. I suggest raising the temp on your warm end to at least 85 or a little more (no more than 90F), assuming that the cool end is considerably cooler. That will burn off some humidity and also give him a chance to "bask" in the heat if he desires. Be sure to have plenty of ventilation. Just monitor your conditions and watch for mold or fungus, or temps that get too high. I don't think it should really be a big problem.
 
Thanks Kathy! I've been watching their humidity closely. It has dropped down to the mid-50% over the course of the day. I think that, maybe a little lower, should be ok. There has been no sign of mold in either of my tanks before and hopefully there wont be any time soon.
 
If you've managed to find a solution, that's good. If not though, you might get good results by changing to a wooden vivarium with glass sliding doors, and using ceramic heating rather than a heat mat. You'd need a good lamp guard and a dimmer thermostat, of course, but ceramic heating does dry the air quite considerably.
 
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