You can decrease the humidity by improving ventilation, using a smaller water bowl, replacing the substrate, using a dehumidifier, turning up the AC in the house, and removing live plants in the cage.
8 Ways To Lower Humidity in a Leopard Gecko Tank:
1. Increasing the Tank’s Ventilation
One of the reasons why a leopard gecko’s habitat might become too humid is if there isn’t enough airflow.
Therefore, the first thing you should do if you notice that the moisture levels are too high is improve ventilation and air circulation in and out of the enclosure.
You can increase the airflow in two simple ways. First, if the tank doesn’t have a meshed top and comes with a solid lid, you need to change the latter for the former. The meshed top will allow free air circulation and let excess moisture escape from the cage.
Conversely, you can install a fan inside the enclosure. Today, you can find USB fans that can offer great air circulation inside the cage. The best part is that these fans offer impressive air circulation and flow while being energy efficient.
2. Reduce the Water Bowl Size Inside the Cage
You must provide your leopard gecko with clean drinking water at all times. However, most keepers don’t remember that this water may be evaporating and raising the humidity inside the cage.
A large water bowl means more water vaporizes and increases the enclosure’s moisture levels.
Switching the massive water bowl with a smaller one will reduce the surface area and the amount of water vaporizing, hence lowering the humidity level.
Additionally, you must keep the water bowl on the cooler side. When you place it in the hotter zone, the heat will keep vaporizing the water, and humidity will keep going up.
However, it’s essential to note that using a smaller water bowl will mean that you’ll need to keep filling it with water to ensure that your reptile friend always stays hydrated.
3. Invest in a Dehumidifier
As a norm, dehumidifiers suck up extra moisture in the air, helping decrease the humidity levels effectively and safely. However, you won’t need expensive home humidifiers like those used in our homes.
Mini-dehumidifiers designed to help you decrease humidity in smaller spaces, such as a leopard gecko’s tank, are available on the market. The mini-dehumidifiers leverage non-toxic silica technology to absorb excess moisture from the air.
You can purchase small, portable dehumidifiers that fit inside your leopard gecko’s cage from reliable online merchants like Amazon.
However, always monitor the moisture levels when using a dehumidifier to ensure that the humidity levels don’t plummet below 30%.
4. Replace the Substrate
The type of substrate you’re using inside your leopard gecko’s cage could be holding more moisture, making the terrarium too humid.
For example, if the leopard gecko’s cage floors are lined up with soil or organic mulch, they will retain a lot of moisture and increase the humidity levels.
To decrease the moisture levels in the tank, you should switch out the soil and organic mulch with modern, low-moisture substrate options. The most suitable substrates for leopard geckos include:
- Paper towel
- Reptile carpet
- Tiles
- Shelf liners
Once you replace high-moisture substrates with low-moisture substrates, you can combat the issue of too much moisture in the leopard gecko’s habitat.
5. Address the Humidity Issue in The Room
Have you stopped to think that the humidity problem in the leopard gecko’s tank may be due to high moisture content in the room where the tank is placed? This may be more common in humid areas, such as coastal regions.
So, you must address the moisture issue in the larger room to lower the humidity levels inside the leopard gecko’s tank. First, you should open the windows and doors to allow proper air circulation in the room.
You can also install a fan to increase air circulation. Lastly, you can turn up the AC or place a dehumidifier in the room close to the enclosure.
No matter the option used to lower the humidity, ensure that you monitor the moisture level inside the bearded dragon’s cage to ensure it doesn’t go below 30%.
6. Get Rid of Live Plants
Although live plants help create a more natural habitat and improve aesthetic appeal, they can also increase moisture levels in a terrarium.
Live plants absorb, retain, and release water slowly into the environment. When introduced into the cage, they continue to release moisture, thereby increasing the humidity levels.
While live plants play a crucial role in helping increase humidity in the leopard dragon’s cage, you may want to get rid of them if you want to reduce the humidity levels in your leopard gecko’s tank.
Instead of the live plants, you can use faux plants and vines. The latter will maintain the natural appeal and be alluring to the eye. Faux plants and vines will provide your reptile friend with climbing options while keeping the tank dry.
7. Place Dry Rice Socks in the Tank
Dry rice has some unique properties that allow it to absorb moisture. If your leopard gecko’s tank has high humidity levels, placing dry rice inside the cage can drop the moisture level by up to 5% -10%.
You need to place one or two socks of dry rice on one end of the terrarium and leave it for some time.
For keepers who don’t have rice, there are other alternatives, such as wheat flour, silica packets, or cornmeal, that you can use to lower the moisture content in the cage.
8. Install Low Wattage Ceramic Heat Emitters
As mentioned earlier, the more the heat in the terrarium, the high the humidity. The best way to ensure heat efficiency in the leopard gecko’s terrarium is to install top-quality ceramic heaters. However, you should opt for the low-wattage ceramic heat emitters to avoid vaporizing the water in the water dish.
Although adding a source of heat will definitely increase the temperature, having an efficient heat bulb will ensure constant heat that won’t affect the terrarium’s humidity. Ceramic heat emitters with 60 or 75 watts will be ideal for leopard gecko terrariums.
What is The Ideal Moisture Level in a Leopard Gecko Enclosure?
The optimal humidity for a leopard gecko tank should range between 30% and 40%. But since moisture levels can fluctuate during the day, your gecko won’t have a problem if the temperature goes up to 50% for a few hours. However, you must take action if the moisture level stays above 40% for a long time.
One crucial thing you have to note is that these reptiles will need higher humidity levels when shedding. When they are about to shed, the moisture levels in their terrarium should be maintained at around 70% to 80%.
However, since shedding lasts around one week, you can increase the humidity by placing a moist sphagnum moss in the cage to support shedding and remove it once it’s over. But ideally, the moisture levels in the leopard gecko’s cage should be maintained between 30% and 40%.
What Will Happen If the Leopard Gecko’s Tank Is Too Humid?
Like any other animal, leopard geckos require certain conditions to enjoy a healthy, active, and happy life. When one of the conditions is compromised, their health and quality of life will be in jeopardy.
For instance, if the humidity levels in a leopard gecko’s enclosure stay too high for an extended period, your reptile friend can develop severe health complications. This includes conditions such as respiratory infections, skin-related illnesses, and pneumonia.
Conversely, the high moisture content in the tank creates a suitable environment for the growth of fungi and bacteria, which might lead to additional health issues. Leopard gecko keepers must find ways to lower the humidity when it rises beyond the recommended level.
How Will You Know That a Leopard Gecko Tank is Extra Humid?
Investing in a hygrometer is the most accurate way to monitor and determine humidity changes in a leopard gecko’s cage. There are various kinds of hygrometers in the market, including analog versions, but digital hygrometers are highly preferred since they are easier to read, operate, and automate.
If you don’t own a hygrometer, other things can help determine whether the humidity in your leopard gecko’s enclosure is above the ideal range.
First, if you observe a steamy or foggy appearance inside the cage, this is a clear indication that the moisture levels are too high. Conversely, you may also observe condensed moisture droplets dripping on the walls of the cage.
Additionally, the tank might be too humid if you spot pathogens growing inside the tank. Usually, pathogens, such as bacteria and fungi, thrive when there is high moisture inside the cage.
Lastly, the behavior and temperament of the leopard gecko can help you determine whether the humidity levels are too high. If the reptile friend is sickly or lethargic, has a skin infection, or shows respiratory infection signs, this may result from too much moisture in the cage.
Now, you have a solid idea of the ideal humidity level for a leopard gecko’s tank, the dangers of too much moisture in the reptile’s cage, and how to know when the humidity is too much. So, let’s now turn our attention to the various means we can use to reduce the humidity level in a leopard gecko tank.
Final Verdict
As emphasized in the article, you must provide your leopard gecko with humidity levels of between 30% and 40% for it to be healthy and active. However, due to various reasons, the humidity inside the terrarium may rise beyond the 40% mark.
High humidity can lead to various dangers, including the growth of pathogens, respiratory diseases, and skin infections.
However, as detailed in this guide, there are practical ways that leopard gecko keepers can use to decrease humidity in their pet cages.
First, you should increase airflow and ventilation in the leopard gecko’s cage. Then, consider other things such as:
- Consider reducing the size of the water bowl
- Install a mini-dehumidifier
- Control the humidity in the room where the cage is placed
- Switch live plants with artificial ones
- Replace the substrate
- Place dry rice in the cage
- Install low wattage ceramic heat emitters
However, ensure that you invest in a high-quality hygrometer to help monitor the humidity as you deploy the moisture reduction techniques.