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Thread: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

  1. #1
    Bedore
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    Default Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    My pacman frog is getting bigger so I decided to move him to a new enclosure. I setup a 10 gallon standard tank today, and am having some problems.

    First is humidity. I cannot seem to get humidity much higher than 40-50%. I can spray a lot of water and it will spike to 80% or so, but will drop back down to 50ish in no time. His old enclosure (Exo-Terra 12x12x12) was hard to keep humidity up, but not as difficult. I have a screen top with a little over half of the top covered by plexiglass.

    Second is heat. I am using a ceramic heat emitter. I live in the cold northeast so the only way to give him proper heat was by using a CHE. I started with a small bulb but ended up having to run a 100w CHE bulb to get day time temps in the lower 80's. The temps are usually around 80-82 during the day. I know 100w is too much, but the smaller bulbs just do not work. Ambient room temps are a low of 68 to a high of 72-73, depending on how often the furnace runs. Any suggestions here?

    Lastly is probe placement. I have a analog temp/humidity gauge that I mounted near the top. I have an exo-terra digital combo gauge and I put the probe down by the substrate. And lastly I have a zoo-med temperature/humidity controller and I also put that probe down near the substrate. So I have 3 different sources of information and they all are roughly showing the same. Sometimes I accidentally spray the probes and that messes it up until they dry, so I try to avoid that now. Both probes for the digital gauges are on the same side of the tank as the ceramic heat emitter. Is this proper placement or would you suggest I move them?

    As you can see I am pulling my hair out trying to get everything correct. I may have to go back to the Exo-Terra 12x12x12, but it seemed kinda small. Not to mention that the top plastic has been warped by the heat from the CHE. Any help is very much welcome at this point.

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  3. #2

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    What type of pacman frog do you have. And is it male or female, and its size.

  4. #3
    Bedore
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    Default Re: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    C. cranwelli, not sure on sex, and not quite but almost 4" STV.

  5. #4

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    The exo terra is fine for now. If your frog is a male then the exo terra 12x12x12 will suit him fine for his entire life. If your having problems with heat your can get an under the tank heat pad or two and place it on the side of the enclosure. You can also tin foil the top and cut out holes big enough for the lights. That will help holding heat in as well as humidity.

  6. #5

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    I used plexiglass for a while but did not like it. It warped and put off a chemical smell when heated.

  7. #6

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    As for probe placement. I got a velco strip and attached it to the back of the probe and placed it about two inches above the substrate, in the middle, on the back wall of the enclosure.

  8. #7

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    If you want to go all out on your frog purchase a hygrotherm and reptifogger. Will cost about 100 dollars all together off of amazon. They will keep all temps and humidity in check.

  9. #8
    Bedore
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    Default Re: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    Thanks for the response. I figured I would end up going back to the Exo-Terra. I did have it setup before with aluminum foil, and covered the top except where the CHE was. Worked out pretty good, although humidity was an issue but not as much as it is now. Tomorrow I will switch him back.

    ETA: I do have the hygrotherm already for controlling heat, and was gonna buy the Fogger but read too many negative reviews so still deciding on it.

  10. #9
    100+ Post Member Louis Charles Bruckner's Avatar
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    Default Re: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    Quote Originally Posted by Bedore View Post
    ETA: I do have the hygrotherm already for controlling heat, and was gonna buy the Fogger but read too many negative reviews so still deciding on it.

    I have 4 of them.
    and yes I have had to replace a fan in one of them but it was easy and Zoo med sent me one for free. (even though it was almost a year old.)

    I think the key is to make sure you have it on a level surface.
    and use either distilled water or store brand drinking water that does not have added minerals.

    My oldest fogger has been running on target brand bottled water for over 1 1/2 years with no problems.
    I do clean it out with distilled water every 2 or so months during the summer months and once a month during the winter.
    Since it runs more during the winter.

    I have my Pepito a 3in stv male in a 24” x 18” x 12” exo terra
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    And with one heat pad on the side and one attached to a ceramic tile under the tank and a 75 W ceramic heat emitter
    everything is good.
    I did have to place plexi glass under the cfl hood and a small pice of plexi on the rest of the top with a 3/8 inch gap around the
    heat lamp.



  11. #10

    Default Re: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    I used destilled water and had the fogger running two enclosures with the hygrotherm.

  12. #11
    Bedore
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    Default Re: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    Ok, I setup and put him back in his Exo-Terra enclosure. As you can see he looks right at home and ate 5 nightcrawlers tonight. Temps are good, humidity is OK...but tends to fall fast the hotter it gets. I plan to add a reptifogger, but still annoys me how fast the humidity tends to drop. I have the top of the screen closed off w/ aluminum foil. I have a small opening for the CHE. I suspect the CHE is drying it out but gotta run it to keep temps up. It's a never ending battle, hah. Thanks for the help/advice.
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  13. #12
    100+ Post Member Louis Charles Bruckner's Avatar
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    Default Re: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    Well I have three sources of heat.

    The first and the hottest is the 75W ceramic heat emitter that is in a mini dome reflector on the top left of the enclosure.
    The second is a medium zoo med heat pad on the right side above the substrate line.
    The third is a zoo med mini heat pad stuck to a glazed ceramic tile placed under the enclosure in the middle.

    I have a zoo med hygrotherm controlling everything with a night time differential of 5°F
    and I have the sensor in the back stuck to the glass with some velcro.

    I also have a separate digital thermometer that is normally used for aquarium use
    with the sensor placed under the substrate in the middle to make sure it doesn't go above 75.

    The reason I put a heat pad on the tile under the enclosure but not attached to the bottom glass
    I didn't want to burn my babies bottom.

    With plexi glass covering the area that is under the CFL light and the majority of the area in front but not under the
    75W heat emitter and a house temp of 66 to 68F and forced air gas heating it can get really dry in the house.
    but the fogger uses 1 full bottle a week or so. about 28 oz



  14. #13
    Bedore
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    Default Re: Enclosure/Heat/Humidity Questions & Problems

    I have a Styrofoam background so I put the probes on the right side of the tank. I have the hygrotherm probe about 2 inches above the substrate on the right side, and my exo-terra combo gauge probe on the same side but further back and a bit closer to the substrate, about 3/4" above or so. I also put my zoo med UTH pad on the left side of the tank. I have a 100W CHE on the back right side and the rest of the top has been closed off with aluminum foil. It holds humidity great during night time temps, but during the day it's a bit difficult to keep it where I'd like it to be. That said, it's much better now that hes back in the exo-terra as opposed to the 10g.

    I am thinking about getting a new housing for the CHE. I have an exo-terra fixture that is open wire. It didn't heat worth a damn, since it was completely open (stupid design) so I wrapped it in foil and that made a huge difference. I know the CHE produces a lot of heat, and didn't think any old fixture could be used, but maybe it can? What do you use for a fixture and what do you recommend? I think it might be time to try a new fixture. I do have it attached to a pole and it's about 1.5-2" above the screen top, as setting it on it directly caused the plastic to warp and even with it 2" or so above it's still very hot.

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