Jojos tank has high humidity at night HELP!!!

[MattRL]

I had recently purchased a juvienille bearded dragon named Jojo about three weeks ago and starting last week i noticed at night the humidity would rise to an insane amount! It would be 55% to 70%!!! Ive tried everything including: putting rice and salt in a small cup over a sock, changing location, using a dehumidifier, taking the water dish out. Maybe the reason why the humidity is high bc of me re hydrating freeze dried veggies and they shrivle up again bc of the moisture coming out of the food therefore causing high humidity but the humidity only happens at around sundown or when its 8pm est. i need help FAST!!! My beardie might have R.I. (Respiratory Infection) but im not sure ive looked the symptoms up and they match to how Jojo is acting. If he does have R.I. how can i cure it without going to the vet? I need answers and solutions to lower the humidity as fast as i can get it!!!!! Every tip is appreciated!!!

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Is the humidity that high throughout the entire house?
A little bit of high humidity for short periods shouldn't cause a respiratory infection.
If you think she could be having some trouble, be sure to increase the basking temperatures
a few degrees during the day & keep her tank around 80 overnight. That alone, may be
enough to decrease humidity overnight somewhat.
Is Jojo eating pretty well?
Are you doing your rehydrating in the kitchen?

Tracie

 

[kingofnobbys]

55 - 70% RH is not an issue .

 

[EllenD]

His humidity is fine. Beardies aren't effected by humidity levels as tropical reptiles are, and many people have tanks that are in the 50-60% range all the time. Your humidity is absolutely fine, not an issue at all. If he was wet and cold all the time then that's would be an issue, but humidity typically is not a factor in beardie issues. Not at all.

 

[MattRL]

55 - 70% RH is not an issue .

But ive been reading that the humidity should be 20-30% for beardies? And thank you people for the re assurence i really appreciate it! I couldve just been freaking out and in reality he doesnt have Respiratory Infection or any problems.

 

[MattRL]

Hello,

Is the humidity that high throughout the entire house?
A little bit of high humidity for short periods shouldn't cause a respiratory infection.
If you think she could be having some trouble, be sure to increase the basking temperatures
a few degrees during the day & keep her tank around 80 overnight. That alone, may be
enough to decrease humidity overnight somewhat.
Is Jojo eating pretty well?
Are you doing your rehydrating in the kitchen?

Tracie

Hes been eating a little less than other beardies (assuming that they eat a lot while juvienilles). He doesnt like crickets only mealworms but i watch out he doesnt eat a lot of mealworms due to possible impaction. He eats twice a day. Once when i wake up which is about 2 and a half mealworms and around 6pm est and he eats about 1 or 2 depending how he feels. I give him daily baths but he doesnt like it much so once hes done drinking he'll jump to the corner of the bathtub to tell me that hes done. I guess ive been over thinking it and in reality hes ok.

 

[kingofnobbys]

55 - 70% RH is not an issue .

But ive been reading that the humidity should be 20-30% for beardies? And thank you people for the re assurence i really appreciate it! I couldve just been freaking out and in reality he doesnt have Respiratory Infection or any problems.

Sure, ideally about 30% RH , BUT this is only the situation in their natural range in the DRY SEASON and the majority of beardie keepers here in Australia live very close to the eastern seaboard , and mostly in subtropical and tropical climates where it is very unusual to see RI under 50% - - 60% in summer unless they are west of the Great Divide.
I personally know folks who have pet beardies who live in Darwin and Cairns and Mackay where there are only two seasons , VERY HOT VERY HUMID (MONSOON) and HOT DRY (WINTER) , they successfully keep and breed bearded dragons under these conditions.

I am a bit concerned there may be issues with his set up , here's my cheatsheet, it will help you spot issues that need to be changed or tweeks to help improve his appetite (likely due to temperature and UVA issues) : cheatsheet here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=234738&p=1806050#p1806050

You have mentioned that he's a juvenile, two meals per day of live insects, chosen from :
> BSF maggot / phoenix worms / calcigents
> small (about 1 inch long) and medium (about 1.5 inch long) silkworms
> gutloaded & dusted crickets or roaches or locusts
mealworms are NOT suitable feeders or even suitable use as treats for a juvenile dragon.

 

[MattRL]

55 - 70% RH is not an issue .

But ive been reading that the humidity should be 20-30% for beardies? And thank you people for the re assurence i really appreciate it! I couldve just been freaking out and in reality he doesnt have Respiratory Infection or any problems.

Sure, ideally about 30% RH , BUT this is only the situation in their natural range in the DRY SEASON and the majority of beardie keepers here in Australia live very close to the eastern seaboard , and mostly in subtropical and tropical climates where it is very unusual to see RI under 50% - - 60% in summer unless they are west of the Great Divide.
I personally know folks who have pet beardies who live in Darwin and Cairns and Mackay where there are only two seasons , VERY HOT VERY HUMID (MONSOON) and HOT DRY (WINTER) , they successfully keep and breed bearded dragons under these conditions.

I am a bit concerned there may be issues with his set up , here's my cheatsheet, it will help you spot issues that need to be changed or tweeks to help improve his appetite (likely due to temperature and UVA issues) : cheatsheet here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=234738&p=1806050#p1806050

You have mentioned that he's a juvenile, two meals per day of live insects, chosen from :
> BSF maggot / phoenix worms / calcigents
> small (about 1 inch long) and medium (about 1.5 inch long) silkworms
> gutloaded & dusted crickets or roaches or locusts
mealworms are NOT suitable feeders or even suitable use as treats for a juvenile dragon.

Can i have links to some food for my beardie? And i do not have mounts for my lights. Where can i purchase them? I am currently mounting them on the mesh which is bad but i dont know where to buy mounts. Are there any temporary diy mounts i can make so i can give the best amount of uvb and heat as i can while i buy some actually mounts?

 

[EllenD]

Please post some photos of your beardie and his setup and lighting, because if your beardie is a juvenile and he's eating 1-2 mealworms twice a day and that's it, something is very wrong. Most likely it's going to be a bad UVB light that isn't appropriate for a bearded dragon that is being obstructed by a mesh lid and is too far away from his basking spot, and also improper temperatures inside his enclosure. These two issues are the most common causes of beardies not having any appetite, developing a calcium deficiency, developing MBD, and having severely stunted growth. So we need photos of his complete setup and then specific details about what UVB light and basking light you have, how old the UVB light is, and what his basking spot, Hot Side, and Cool Side temperatures are, and what type of thermometer you're using to measure the temperatures.

Mealworms are full of fat, contain little protein, and are mostly hard, chitlin shells that constantly cause impactions in bearded dragons. But even so your beardie isn't eating a quarter of the amount of food he should. How old is he? If he's truly a juvenile that means he's in the time of his life he should be eating the most food quantity he ever will because this is the time he should be constantly growing. They eat few if any greens or veggies until they are a year old or order, so don't worry about him not eating fresh greens, just be sure to offer them each day so that he's used to having them and he'll eventually start picking at them. But he should be eating 3 feeding sessions per day of live bugs, with each session lasting 10-15 minutes where he eats as many live bugs as he wants. And typically as babies and juveniles (up to 10 months to a year) they should be eating many more live insects than your guy is. So something is very wrong, but we can help you, we just need a lot more detailed information about him and his setup.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

Are you using a metal mesh type of screen top, correct? Or, a soft mesh like in a reptarium?
A lot of people use the 3M Command hooks, to mount a tube UVB light fixture, underneath
of the screen top. If you can get it mounted 6-8 inches typically, from your dragon, that is
ideal if you have a T8 tube bulb, like the Reptisun 10. Is that what you have now?
Definitely post some pictures of your tank so we can review your tank setup with you to be
sure everything is correct.

Tracie

 

[kingofnobbys]

55 - 70% RH is not an issue .

But ive been reading that the humidity should be 20-30% for beardies? And thank you people for the re assurence i really appreciate it! I couldve just been freaking out and in reality he doesnt have Respiratory Infection or any problems.

Sure, ideally about 30% RH , BUT this is only the situation in their natural range in the DRY SEASON and the majority of beardie keepers here in Australia live very close to the eastern seaboard , and mostly in subtropical and tropical climates where it is very unusual to see RI under 50% - - 60% in summer unless they are west of the Great Divide.
I personally know folks who have pet beardies who live in Darwin and Cairns and Mackay where there are only two seasons , VERY HOT VERY HUMID (MONSOON) and HOT DRY (WINTER) , they successfully keep and breed bearded dragons under these conditions.

I am a bit concerned there may be issues with his set up , here's my cheatsheet, it will help you spot issues that need to be changed or tweeks to help improve his appetite (likely due to temperature and UVA issues) : cheatsheet here viewtopic.php?f=6&t=234738&p=1806050#p1806050

You have mentioned that he's a juvenile, two meals per day of live insects, chosen from :
> BSF maggot / phoenix worms / calcigents
> small (about 1 inch long) and medium (about 1.5 inch long) silkworms
> gutloaded & dusted crickets or roaches or locusts
mealworms are NOT suitable feeders or even suitable use as treats for a juvenile dragon.

Can i have links to some food for my beardie? And i do not have mounts for my lights.
https://www.beardeddragon.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=234999&p=1807834#p1807834
and
http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Nutrition.html

Where can i purchase them?
google reptile food suppliers
I am currently mounting them on the mesh which is bad but i dont know where to buy mounts. Are there any temporary diy mounts i can make so i can give the best amount of uvb and heat as i can while i buy some actually mounts?

 

[MattRL]

The lighting is sitting on top of the mesh lid. I know thats bad but the mounts are expensive and the lighting i have is good but due to it sitting on the lid my beardie isnt getting enough so i am in the works of getting a mount and or making one