Having a pet like a crested gecko needs to ensure a natural-looking Habitat and a comfortable environment where they can thrive. As a responsible reptile owner, you need to do everything you can to keep your crested geckos happy and healthy.
One of the main focuses of responsible crested gecko owners is the humidity level. In this article, I am going to answer a fascinating question: do crested geckos need Humidity? If so, how much Humidity do crested geckos need?
Being sub-tropical reptiles, they like living in a humid habitat. It has been believed that these reptiles don’t need high temperatures or humidity levels to thrive, which is not valid.
Humidity plays a vital role in the life of crested geckos and their wellbeing, which should never be neglected. Let’s know: do crested geckos need Humidity?
Do Crested Geckos Need Humidity?
Crested geckos do need Humidity for their well-being and to thrive happily. They need related Humidity of around 70-80% in captivity. Higher Humidity, more than 80%, is directly going to impact their health.
Humidity will cause dehydration in crested geckos. Shedding problems are common due to dehydration as well.
It is essential to maintain good Humidity and lighting. There are lots of factors that come into play when you regulate the humidity level for the cresties.
You should continuously regulate and adjust humidity levels that fall in the ideal range for crested geckos. Humidity level constantly fluctuates from day one, which is why misting is needed.
In this article, I will tell you what a good humidity level is for crested geckos. Along with that, you will learn how to create a comfortable environment around them.
Crested gecko’s surroundings should never be too humid or too dry.
Let’s learn why crested geckos need Humidity, and after that, we will talk about how much Humidity crested geckos need.
Why Do Crested Geckos Need Humidity?
Crested geckos are used to being in Humidity due to being adapted to living in a humid environment. Humidity plays a vital role in their well-being to keep them happy and healthy.
Lots of shedding problems are generally caused by dehydration. Low Humidity causes dehydration in reptiles, which is why the humidity level should be maintained.
The too low humidity level will result in dehydration for crested geckos. These kinds of problems can be easily avoided if taken care of cresties effectively. Let’s talk about how much Humidity crested geckos need.
How Much Humidity Do Crested Geckos Need?
Crested geckos need a humidity level between 70-80% all day around. Their environment should never be too humid or too dry to thrive. If the humidity level is high, health issues can be a significant irritant.
Humidity plays a vital role in your crested geckos shedding. This is why I recommend always helping cresties during shedding season by keeping the humidity level at the ideal range.
It will be a good idea to provide your gecko with an excellent humid hide full of moist moss on the warmer side of their enclosure.
The humid hide will provide them with a good humidity level between 70-80%. Make sure to keep the other end cooler of the tank.
What do Humidity Do Crested Geckos need During Day & Night?
It’s necessary to regulate the humidity level at night. At night, humidity levels tend to drop slightly. This is why proper misting is needed. Ideal Humidity will be around 70-80% all day long.
Consider keeping your crested geckos in an enclosure with a screen top or equivalent ventilation. This kind of tank helps crested geckos and their section be dry.
Ideal Humidity For Crested Gecko At Daytime
During the daytime, crested geckos need an ideal humidity level of around 70-80 %. This is the best for their needs and health. Keeping the humidity level around 85% in the shedding season will boost the process and help them.
Ideal Humidity For Crested Gecko At Nighttime
At night, humidity levels usually drop. It is essential to regulate the humidity level accordingly. It is necessary to control the humidity level from both sides of the tank for 24 hours. At night time, the humidity level for crested geckos should be around 68-75%.
Can Humidity Be Too High For Crested Geckos?
Humidity can be too high for cresties if it exceeds 80%. Too high humidity can cause serious health issues in crested geckos like pneumonia, respiratory diseases, infections, and skin-related problems.
Adding to that, the high humidity level inside crested geckos results in bacterial and fungal growth. Bacterial and fungal growth can also lead to another host of health problems for your crested geckos.
How Humid Should A Crested Gecko Tank Be?
By keeping the humidity level at around 78%, you need to ensure you made a comfortable terrarium for them. Many factors can influence the humidity level.
It is essential to ensure that the Humidity you want to achieve in the enclosure is not affected by other factors. From a humid standpoint, it is best to get a vivarium for crested geckos.
The vivarium/terrarium is best in keeping the humidity level ideal while providing good ventilation. Consider the region you are living in because the outdoor environment can interfere with the enclosure’s environment.
Other than that, it would help if you also chose live plants and moisture-holding substrates. Substrates that retain moisture will always lift the humidity level high.
Make sure to consider the general humidity level in your house when regulating the temperature and Humidity for crested geckos.
Do Crested Geckos Need A Humidifier?
Humidifiers will be good to regulate the enclosure’s humidity level according to crested geckos’ needs. It is best to install a hygrometer on both ends of the vivarium for accurate reading 24/7.
A humidifier is not a must, but having one always gives you an advantage. Make sure to mist crested geckos with tap water that contains minerals.
How To Lower Humidity In Crested Gecko Tank
If you find the humidity level in the crested gecko tank too high, then here is how you can reduce it. Here, we will talk about the effective ways to reduce the humidity level in any crested geckos tank.
Maintain Your Room Humidity
The room where you keep their enclosure should not impact Humidity your crested gecko’s experience. If your room humidity level is high, then it is best to increase the airflow.
Opening the windows is best to allow natural airflow. Alternatively, you can turn on the fan or AC to drop the humidity level drastically.
Place a small fan near the enclosure from outside to circulate the air around it.
Ventilation
There are many ways to do it, but we primarily recommend using two ways to increase the enclosure’s ventilation quickly.
One is by making sure to have the enclosure mesh lid with a solid screen top. If your enclosure doesn’t have one, you have to change that now.
Enclosures with mesh tops allow excellent air ventilation for cresties.
A second option will be to invest in a good-quality USB fan and install it inside the tank. It will be very effective in drawing out the air outside the tank.
Amazonbasics 3-speed air circulator is best at offering outstanding performance in air circulation. It comes with three-speed settings and direct airflow.
Substrate
If you are using moisture-holding substrate in the tank, then an increase in Humidity is apparent. The best substrates for crested geckos include shelf liner, paper towels, tile flooring, and reptile carpet.
Dehumidifier
If you are having issues reducing the humidity level in your room or inside the enclosure, consider investing in a quick solution.
Having a mini dehumidifier inside their tank always helps when Humidity is too extreme for their wellbeing.
I recommend using a good room dehumidifier like Pro Breeze electric mini dehumidifier. Although it is expensive, it is an effective way to reduce humidity levels.
If you are looking for a more affordable solution, Eva dry wireless mini dehumidifier offers the best value for money. It is effective in absorbing around 4 to 6 oz of moisture from the air.
Interesting Further Reading
- What Can Crested Geckos Eat? 7 Safe Foods+ 3 Tips
- Do Crested Geckos Change Colors? 6 Reasons Why?
- How Do Crested Geckos Drink Water? (2022 Review)
Water dish
Placing a water bowl or water dish on the cooler side of the tank always helps drop the humidity level. When you accidentally or intentionally identify the water bowl on the warmer side of the tank, it results in quick evaporation and the humidity rise.
If you are still struggling with getting the proper Humidity, consider reducing the water bowl size.
Adding to that, reducing the quantity of water you live inside the water bowl/dish will also help reduce humidity levels.
Dry Rice Socks
I don’t know if you know this or not, but dry rice effectively absorbs moisture. It’s more like a DIY solution, but believe it, putting dry rice socks in your crested gecko’s enclosure can effectively drop the humidity level by 5-10%.
Alternatively, you can use wheat flour or silica packets in the socks.
Live Plant
Placing live plants in their enclosure always raises the humidity level. If there is any live plant in your crested geckos’ enclosure, you should consider removing it immediately to control the humidity level.
How To Maintain Humidity In Crested Gecko Tank?
Maintaining the humidity level inside the crested gecko’s enclosure is not a daunting task as long as you have installed a hygrometer on both ends to get accurate readings all the time.
You can maintain the humidity level by using a water bowl inside their tank and misting all substrate, plants, and the tank itself.
Misting constantly helps keep crested geckos hydrated because the droplets of water formed on the leaves and the tank wall open an opportunity window for cresties to lick it.
Conclusion
Wrapping Up: if you want to preserve your crested geckos’ health, then keep them in optimal humidity levels ranging from 70 to 80%.
If the humidity level is too low, then consider investing in a good humidifier. Alternatively, to reduce the humidity level, consider investing in a dehumidifier.
Plus, you can also take help from this article and use one of the methods to reduce the humidity level.
Make sure to share this post with others who have been struggling to adjust the right humidity level for their crested geckos.
If the humidity level inside the terrarium varies slightly, consider changing the water bowl placement or size. Adjust or remove life plants.
If there is any drastic change in the humidity level every other time, then consider investing in a humidifier or dehumidifier.
I tried my best to give you all the information needed: do crested geckos need Humidity. I hope you check out our other article on crested geckos as well. Till then take care & goodbye.
94% of pet owners say their animal pal makes them smile more than once a day. In 2007, I realized that I was made for saving Animals. My father is a Vet, and I think every pet deserves one. I started this blog, “InPetCare”, in 2019 with my father to enlighten a wider audience.