and yet another learning expirence!

[sara]

O.K. temps have really dropped. today its only about 50 for the high. I have been haveing issues trying to keep temps up for bert. I cant use the humidifyer at this moment casue it seems to make it even cooler. I cant run the heater all day. So he has been staying under his heat lamp all day. what feels warm to me isnt as warm for him.
So, tomorrow its off to home depot to buy a small space heater for his room. then i can get the humidifyer running agian.
This is such a learning expirence. I also notice he doesnt eat or go to the bathroom when he gets too cold.
All this is why i have decided Alaska is not the right place for him. I would go crazy trying to give him what he needs there! I really hope either someone who has the perfect set up gets him or at the least he goes someplace warmer.

 

[PeanutbuttER]

Are you using a cool mist humidifier? Those will cool things down a bit. If you're using the warm mist type that just boils the water, then I have no idea why its getting cooler.

I just bought a warm mist humidifier at a thrift store for $2 and it seems to get the job done.

 

[dmmj]

I need to find one for 2 dollars

 

[HarleyK]

Yeah temps are definitely dropping. I am looking to purchase a lamp stand so I can bring down the CHE a bit closer to the hide. I am sure you can work things out in AK. I use a Crane ultrasonic humidifier and it increases the room's humidity at least 5% whenever it is on. When the heater is on the humidity levels drop.

 

[sara]

Are you using a cool mist humidifier? Those will cool things down a bit. If you're using the warm mist type that just boils the water, then I have no idea why its getting cooler.

I just bought a warm mist humidifier at a thrift store for $2 and it seems to get the job done.

ya, its a regular mist humidifyer. Before when it was warmer there was no problem usuing it. but now that its cold,it isnt a good idea. I am hopeing that when i get a small heater it will warm it enough to where i can use it agian. Otherwise I will have to get one that makes a warm mist.

 

[Balboa]

something I tried on a whim, and is working well for me so far is a $5 crockpot from the goodwill. (in my case, this is a 40breeder with a 4inch redfoot rescue). I placed the crockpot next to the tank, with the reflector from an extra brooder lamp on top, (picture a moonshine still ) and taped a heating duct elbow I had to the tank suspended over the top of the crockpot. I think its a 6inch round to 2x10 rectangle or something like that, was like $3. I then through a towel over the whole works and half the tank. It keeps the humidity and temps both at 80 with 68 ambient in the room. I just gotta remember to keep it filled and wash it out every couple days. The steam off the crockpot heats the metal reflector creating an updraft into the vent and then the rising steam then humidifies and heats that air. (It also helps that I did this at the cool side, and the hot side creates an updraft on that end adding to the flow. If you need pics I'll make some.

It was surprisingly effective, cheap and easy and that sounds like what you need right now. As to the safety? that I can't swear to, but I've had no problems so far. I don't think it would be a good idea to let the crock pot run dry, nor to go long without cleaning everything as bacteria may build up. That's the nice thing about the Vick's Warm Mist humidifier I have. It sterilizes the water (by super boiling/vaporizing, whatever). It is however a little more money and awkward to effectively use on the 40 breeder (I tried and it was a wet, soggy mess).

there may be other items to use in place of the brooder reflector and duct piece, just gotta get creative. Maybe a couple tin pie pans and a baking pan or something like that.

hope this helps.

 

[Madkins007]

This is why I love my Tortarium and the undersoil heating cables. It is about 65 in the house right now (have not turned the furnace on yet) and the tortarium was running warm enough I turned off the small CHE, so just the cable and MVB are heating the space. The middle zone is running 85F.

The damp substrate is producing so much nice humidity that most of the plexi is misted over.

I think the trick to living with Red-foots as you move north is to have them in their own room or mini-room that you can heat, light, and humidify nicely.