My Reptifogger died again

[dwright27]

Good morning everyone,

My (third) Reptifogger bit the bullet yesterday. I don't want to buy another one. They last for about 6-10 months and they're $80 CAD.

I've been looking online (Amazon, mostly) and I'm having a heck of a time finding a humidifier that has a spout on it that I can connect to the Reptifogger hose. I have looked at other threads on this but the links are often broken and the posts are old. I dumped a spray bottle of water into the warm end, so that should work for now (and hopefully not drown my clean-up crew), but I really want to get the humidifier.

Please recommend!

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

I use a Crane Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. It's a cool mist humidifier, which you may not want, but I don't find the temperature change problematic (because the cool mist blows under the heat panel so it quickly becomes warm mist). I've had it for three years now with no issues, but I only need to turn it on occasionally so I don't know what it's lifetime would be if you run it more frequently than I do.

This is the one I bought: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0046A6WJI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 I had to cut the spout a bit to get it to fit the tube I use.

 

[dwright27]

Well, Story isn't in a completely closed chamber, so I've had the Reptifogger running on a timer every half hour or so throughout the day and it shuts off completely at night (because I don't want it to be too humid and cold).

I have the problem of mineral deposits wrecking the fogger (and making Story's shell white) so I need something with a filter I guess. Otherwise, I'll be spending a TON of money on distilled water (I've looked up ways to distill water myself, but I don't know that I would even remember to do it on time..)

 

[dwright27]

Although I will say, this is adorable lol http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/crane-ultrasonic-elephant-humidifier-0436187p.html

 

[dwright27]

Oh, and the cool mist is probably fine.. it comes in under the heat lamp too.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

You can't distill away the minerals, unfortunately, but you could buy a water softening system for your home if it's a really big problem. We have reasonably hard water where I am, but not so bad that we can't just do an occasional vinegar rinse to help our appliances. I rinse our humidifier basin with vinegar when I clean it and that takes care of the mineral deposits and preserves the efficiency of the unit.

I don't know how the being turned on and off all day would affect it it though. Closed chambers really do make everything so much easier. When you make your next enclosure, you'll be really happy with the convenience it'll bring.

 

[dwright27]

I've tried vinegar with the Reptifogger but it doesn't seem to work

I do look forward to having a better setup, but that's not going to happen just yet... So I need to work with what I've got.

 

[dwright27]

And the Crane ones look just as expensive as the Reptifogger... **sigh**

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

And the Crane ones look just as expensive as the Reptifogger... **sigh**

$45 CAN plus free shipping on Amazon.ca? That's better than the reptifogger prices I can find.

 

[dwright27]

Ah, okay. More expensive locally. Thanks

 

[leigti]

You can Jerry rig something to cover your enclosure relatively cheaply. A clear heavy duty shower curtain and some PVC pipe and your set. Much easier then trying to do it with an open table. If you post a picture of your enclosure people might be able to give you some easy cheap options.

 

[dwright27]

Well, it's mostly covered, except where the lamps are. But heat and humidity still gets out a bit.

 

[leigti]

Well, it's mostly covered, except where the lamps are. But heat and humidity still gets out a bit.

I just laid the plastic directly over the lamps. Hasn't melted yet. And unless I purposely make a little vents in there it gets to 90% humidity very quickly. This is the work in progress. I will make a frame and get the plastic up off the lamps but for now it's working fine. I don't know if you can tell but do you notice the condensation? I actually have to make it a little less humid in there now, I just leave a little part open but it still stays warm and humid. There is a mercury vapor bulb in one dome and a CHE for night in the other. And a high output bulb in a 48 inches fixture.

 

[leigti]

Here's the reading right now. and that is the cool side.

 

[leigti]

Use the heavy duty shower curtain, works much much better than even the medium weight one.

 

[dwright27]

Thanks, I might try that soon. Right now I have a piece of drop sheet and tinfoil for around the light. I just ordered a thermostat for my che and the humidifier Sarah recommended.

 

[leigti]

Adding a real plants can also make it more humid. As well as making the substrate relatively deep.

 

[dwright27]

Lolololol I tried plants, she tramples them. I have seeded the tank with clover which she eats as soon as there is any kind of growth. That's fine though, seeds are cheap and you can't get much fresher than that! The larger enclosure will have more plants, I just have to figure out how to do it so that I can have a steady supply for when she smashes everything. What a jerk. <3

 

[leigti]

Put the plants in pots. Or in low enough containers she can eat it then you can take the container out and let the plant grow back. My Russian goes in cycles, she won't bother any of the plants for a long time and then one day she will demolish and devour one for no apparent reason. Even in the pots she can still destroy them. I had a bunch of plants I was going to put in the enclosures outside, forgot to bring them in and they froze solid. Opps. So they won't have as many plants this year. They'll have to wait till spring when they can go outside again.

 

[Wherethetortiroam]

There's some pretty helpful youtube vids out there I've seen how you can make a normal humidifier into a pretty rad fogger