How to raise humidity in a chameleon cage?
Humidity is a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air. It’s important for chameleons to have enough humidity because they can’t produce their own moisture, and it keeps them from dehydrating.
There are a few ways to raise the humidity in a cage: misting daily, adding live plants or other moist materials like moss or peat moss, using a humidifier under tank conditions, and/or installing an overhead fogger system.
In this blog post, I’ll be going over how to set up your own overhead fogger system at home and raise the humidity in your chameleon cage!
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What Makes Chamelons Different From Other Reptiles?
Chameleons are arboreal (tree-dwelling) lizards native to the warmer regions of Africa.
These highly specialized creatures have developed special adaptations that allow them to blend into their surrounding environment with startling ease.
The ability to change color is also an adaptation that makes these little lizards look strikingly different at different times, but it is 10s more than camouflage. This skill allows them to thermoregulate, dissuade predators, and attract mates. Keep reading for how-to information on keeping a chamelion as a pet.
Chlorophyll in plants converts carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen through a process called photosynthesis.
This is the basic energy-producing mechanism of all green plants. The brilliant color of chameleons comes from a group of pigments called, appropriately enough, “melanins.”
These pigments are also responsible for our own skin colors and come in two main types: black eumelanin and red pheomelanin. Chameleons produce more than just melanins, however. Some lizards have yellow or white pigmentation as well.
Tongue extension in chameleons has evolved independently at least four times with some distinctive variations among species.
For example, some camouflaged chameleons can project their tongues as much as 1/3 the length of their own bodies.
A chameleon’s tongue is a complex arrangement of bone, muscle, and sinew crammed into a tubular structure that can be opened at the base to emit their sticky tongues at very high speed.
The amazing sticking power of a chameleon’s tongue comes from two-barbed tips on the tips of its tongue, as well as special attachments near the tip, which create a powerful chemical attraction between the tongue and prey.
Even if prey were to move before being struck by the tongue, it would still stick, thanks to those chemicals I mentioned earlier!
Some chameleons have been clocked at catching insects moving 34 body lengths per second. About 50 miles per hour!
How to Raise Humidity in a Chameleon Cage?
So, how you can raise humidity in a chameleon cage?
One of the major problems that many chameleon owners are facing is humidity. It’s important to know how to increase humidity in your chameleon cage.
By following the steps below, you will be able to successfully raise humidity and keep your chameleon healthy and happy.
First of all, you need to set up a good chameleon cage, making sure that it has all the proper conditions for keeping your lizard healthy and happy.
The common mistake people make when setting up the cage is adding too little substrate because they want to avoid high humidity levels. However, low substrate level leads to poor ventilation, which results in high humidity levels inside the cage.
It’s best to use paper towels as a substrate and replace them every other day to make sure that the humidity levels remain between 70 and 80 percent.
Another thing we need to know about how to raise the humidity in the chameleon cage is how often you need to mist your lizard.
The answer depends on many factors such as the number of lizards, their age and size, the type of substrate used, etc. In order to achieve optimal humidity levels between 70 and 80 percent, you will need to spray your chameleon with warm water 1-3 times a day (avoid spraying directly into your pet’s face).
Important tip: The best way to raise humidity levels in the cage is by using a hygrometer. By keeping an eye on the humidity levels, you can easily tell when it’s time to mist your lizard.
Another good idea is to put a large water dish inside the cage so that your chameleon can drink as much as it wants and stay hydrated at all times.
One more important thing worth mentioning is that low humidity is just as dangerous for chameleons as high humidity.
The reason for this is that low humidity makes it difficult for them to shed their skin properly. This could lead to serious complications such as retained eye caps, infections, etc.
If you are wondering how often your chameleon should shed its skin, the answer is at least once a month.
If it doesn’t happen that often, there’s no need for concern because this might be seasonal and temporary. However, if your pet’s skin seems very old even after shedding many times, it’s best to take him/her to the vet for a health checkup.
High humidity levels in a chameleon cage can be dangerous, too, because they can cause respiratory problems.
It’s also worth mentioning that high humidity makes it easier for parasites to reproduce inside the cage, so you see your chameleon might get sick because of that.
It’s best to try and maintain humidity between 70 and 80 percent at all times in order to keep your pet healthy and happy.
In case you notice unusual health complications, don’t hesitate to take your pet to a vet or contact a chameleon breeder for more information on how to properly look after these unique creatures.
Do Chameleons Need to Be Misted?
You need to make sure that your chameleon has the correct level of humidity. You should mist the cage 2 times a day.
The cage needs to dry out completely between mists.
For starter/intermediate enclosures (10 to 55 gallons), I would suggest daily misting depending on the species you have and your local area’s temperature and humidity levels.
You can test how humid it is by simply checking the weight of your substrate (floor/dirt). If it has hundreds of grams of water weight in it, then you know you have pretty good humidity.
If it only has a few grams of water weight, then try misting more often and/or switch your substrate to something with better water-absorbing properties such as eco earth or hydro balls.
For larger enclosures (70+ gallons), I would suggest misting at least once a day but probably more like twice a day depending on the species and local climate conditions.
How to Drain Chameleon Cage?
Chameleons are notorious for having very little body odor. However, they produce quite a bit of feces and urates, which can quickly become overwhelming if not kept clean.
Because of this, you should always have an easy-to-access door that provides access directly into their enclosures or cages.
For my cages (all of which house various types of large chameleons), I personally use screen doors with magnets that secure them shut so there’s no risk of a pet escaping.
When it comes to the substrate, I use aspen chips, which are easily found at most local pet stores and less expensive than those available from reptile supply companies.
The best part about using aspen chips is the fact that they’re completely safe for chameleons as well as your family members and pets, meaning there’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about!
You should change out their bedding or substrate every 1 to 2 weeks depending on how many animals you have within the enclosure.
When doing so, just remove around 50% of the old substrate/bedding and replace it with fresh. As far as cleaning daily goes, you really don’t need to do this unless your chameleon has an accident or if they’re not feeling well and have a nasty mess stuck to their back.
In this case, you should remove as much of the soiled substrate as you can before adding clean bedding/substrate.
Draining your chameleon’s enclosure is really easy, but given that they often live in high-humidity environments, it can be quite a bit more cumbersome than cages that house other types of lizards.
However, chameleons will become extremely stressed when having to deal with low levels of humidity, so it’s important you do not neglect this part of their care!
In order to drain your chameleon’s enclosure, first, find a safe place on solid ground for them to sit while you work at removing all of the substrate/bedding.
Next, take a large Tupperware or storage container that’s clean and fill it with just enough water to where at least half of their enclosure is submerged.
Once you’ve done this, all you have to do is grab your tongs (or some other tool designed for moving animals) and carefully lift your chameleon out of the habitat while simultaneously draining the water!
Be aware that baby chameleons may become stressed when taken out of their enclosures. Therefore, if they’re young, I would recommend using something like tongs instead of trying to carry them by hand.
When you’re finished placing your chameleon on safe ground (someplace that’s dry and comfortable for them), be sure to drain out all of the old substrates and replace them with fresh ones.
Once you’ve finished this step, your enclosure is given a chance to dry out, which will keep it from becoming too humid or moist.
In addition, while some people like to use misters (misters provide humidity within an enclosure without affecting the ambient room temperature), I personally do not like using them for chameleon cages because they’re extremely messy!
When it comes to cage cleaning for any reptile pet, always be sure you take everything out of their habitat (food/water dishes included) before dumping out the water.
After doing so, make sure you rinse them thoroughly in order to remove any debris or residue that may have accumulated on top of them. Otherwise, if you leave it there, your chameleon may accidentally ingest something they shouldn’t while eating.
Another thing you should take into consideration is the fact that any type of wood or tree bark that’s in/on your chameleon’s enclosure could be extremely harmful to them.
While all types of cages will require some sort of substrate, if yours happens to have any wood chips or bark in them, I would definitely recommend removing them before putting your pet back inside.
Conclusion
After reading this blog post, you should be able to answer the question of how to raise the humidity in a chameleon cage. This article has given many helpful tips and tricks on how to keep your pet happy and healthy through the dry winter months.
Stay tuned for more information about raising humidity levels in other types of cages!
