Whenever a responsible person finds ‘humidity too low in bearded dragon tank,’ they start to panic and overreact, which makes them do things wrong when trying to raise the humidity.
Hence, if you are looking for a guide to help you learn what causes ‘bearded dragon humidity too low’ and how to raise it, you are in the right place.
On this site, we share valuable & informative content for bearded dragon owners so they can care about their pets with all the best information & love they have.
Since each & every method has its perks and drawbacks, you should read this guide thoroughly to find out what will work best for your beloved pet and its tank setting.
Before I tell you what to do for a ‘bearded dragon too low humidity,’ it’s important to learn what can cause the humidity levels to be low for your pet and what happens if you fail to address this situation ASAP. So, let’s start!
What Can Cause The Humidity Levels Too Low For My Bearded Dragon?
Inadequate Misting
Consider misting for added moisture—2-3 times a week may suffice, adjusting based on your dragon’s needs, environment, and season
It would be best if you were misting daily, especially in humid conditions or seasons. Not only does it maintain optimal hydration for your dragon, but it also promotes a healthier shedding process, supports respiratory well-being, and enhances overall comfort.
Using Air Conditioner Too Often
If the room’s humidity where the tank has been kept is low, the tank’s RH will also be influenced.
For example, turning on the fan or AC (majorly) decreases your home’s humidity level, affecting the enclosure’s environment by making it too dry.
Absence Of Water Bowl
Not only is it advised to place a water bowl inside the beardies’ tank for drinking purposes but also to promote moisture content present inside. Not having a water bowl often leads to low humidity in a bearded dragon tank.
Although your beardies stay hydrated through a moisture-rich diet, having a small & shallow bowl inside on the cooler end of the tank is recommended.
No Live Plants In The Tank
When you decorate the bearded dragon tank with live plants, you also water them, promoting evaporation & transpiration, increasing the humidity of the overall tank inside. Bearded dragons with too low humidity often occur when there are only live plants, not artificial ones.
Not Using Humidifier
Lastly, Another potential reason behind the bearded dragon’s low humidity could be not installing the Humidifier. Even though few experts suggest that a humidifier is completely unnecessary for desert dwellers like bearded dragons who come from very dry areas, my experience suggests that humidifiers come in very handy.
Even with the most experienced reptile enthusiasts, keepers & breeders, low humidity in bearded dragon tanks occurs for a shorter period due to seasonal changes, environmental factors, etc. So, having a humidifier gives an edge over humidity control & management.
Almost all beardies’ owners from our community have a Humidifier, dehumidifier, and appropriate heating elements in their pet’s enclosure. Without hesitation, you should invest in a Humidifier as it is handy in emergencies, like when humidity drops unexpectedly.
What Happens If Humidity Too Low In Bearded Dragon Tank?
Clogged Femoral Pores
If you’ve paid attention to the anatomy of female bearded dragons, you’ll find ducts called ‘femoral pores’ that allow their glands to drain.
Sometimes, these ducts can clog for multiple reasons, and improper humidity is one of them. Some other reasons for clogged femoral pores are:
- Loose Substrate
- Insufficient Bath
- Smooth, Soft & Denser Substrate
- Nothing To Rub Against (You should provide items like rocks or branches where they can rub their bodies effectively)
- (Of course) Improper Humidity
Dehydration
Undoubtedly, low humidity levels mean a dry environment in bearded dragons’ enclosure. In a dry climate/environment, beardies can quickly become dehydrated. Dehydration is common in low-humidity ranges.
So, provide easy & constant access to fresh water to your pet using a small water bowl placed centrally in the tank. Move the bow to the cooler/hotter end to decrease/increase the humidity of the tanks.
Dysecdysis (Improper Shedding)
Not only low humidity levels but also bearded dragons’ high humidity causes improper shedding. A 30-40% constant humidity is necessary in beardies’ housing.
And this becomes a particular priority when your pet is about to shed. Lack of Humidity caused dragons to struggle when shedding, leading to Dysecdysis.
Failure To Lay Eggs
Maybe you’d found a low humidity level at the wrong time when your female beardies are pregnant and about to lay eggs. Let me inform you that humidity below 20% may lead to the inability to lay eggs.
It’s a must to keep it between 30-40%. To know more about the risks of keeping beardies at 20% humidity, check my guide on ‘Is 20 Humidity Too Low For A Bearded Dragon?’.
Uti And Kidney Issues
Maintaining the right humidity is an important part of bearded dragon husbandry. When the humidity level drops below the comfortable range of beardies, it increases the risk of developing UTI & kidney issues.
Chronic kidney failure has been often reported by beardies owners, which typically results from improper habitat and diet.
Bearded Dragon Humidity Too Low: 5 Proven Ways to Boost
Keep A Water Bowl On the Tank’s Hotter Side of
One of the temporary methods I frequently used to raise the humidity level inside the bearded dragon terrarium is placing water near the hotter side of the tank. Place a large water bowl under the heating lamp or UVB light to help form water vapors, lifting humidity levels.
However, using this method for a shorter tank is best, as I found it effective in a 2-foot or shorter tank, especially when the water bowl is placed near the basking section of your bearded dragon enclosure. But you can also test different spots to attain the desired amount and choose the best, providing optimal results in tackling too low humidity of bearded dragons.
Mist More Frequently
Another great way to quickly increase the humidity level inside a bearded dragon tank is misting. If the tank is larger than 2 feet, consider misting it more frequently to resolve the issue of the bearded dragon too low humidity. You will be surprised & fascinated by how quickly misting helps to balance the humidity level inside the bearded dragon enclosure.
When spraying, the humidity might rise to 90-100 percent but don’t worry. Shortly after the spray, the humidity will drop rapidly. Sometimes, the humidity may drop slowly, depending upon the tank’s type of ventilation and quality. If you are busy and don’t have enough time to mist your bearded dragon enclosure frequently, you can try a misting system that uses dechlorinated & purified water for the same purpose.
Add Live Plants
Another effective way to create a balanced humidity level & environment for your bearded dragon is by adding plants.
Live plants are incredibly helpful in raising & keeping the humidity constant for a very long time through the process of transpiration.
Some of my favorite plants that are tried & trusted in many of my bearded dragons’ setup include:
- Aloe vera
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Echeveria
- Oregano
- Haworthia
- Parsley
- Turtle Vine
- Prickly Pear Cacti (With Spines Removed)
Install Humidifiers
Suppose you have some budget to invest in a good quality device. In that case, I suggest you directly go for a humidifier, which effectively raises the humidity level of any enclosure when installed correctly. Normally, you will find external devices with a connected hose, which need to be inserted into the enclosure.
You can also purchase a small and submersible internal device in the tank. You can also consider investing in foggers, but only if you have an extra budget. I don’t use foggers very often and prefer to stick with spraying.
Use Absorbent Materials
If the ‘bearded dragon too low humidity level’ is constant & recurring, you should recheck the decoration and the type of bedding used in the beardies’ tank. Choosing absorbent decorations over drier ones is best to maintain humidity levels effectively.
Although absorbent bedding & decoration are nowhere helpful in raising humidity, it has been proven to be the best in maintaining humidity throughout the day without constant misting.
My Dragons’ favorite decoration is natural wood pieces, which include absorbent bark layers. For reference, I have also started using troncho branches & oak branches. You can also consider crafting natural cork pieces as the tubes.
Maintaining Proper Humidity Levels Has 3 Health Benefits
Healthy Shedding
When you keep your beardies at the right humidity range, they feel comfortable and have an easy time with shedding. Being a reptile, bearded dragons desperately need to shed occasionally, and humidity plays a crucial role.
Low humidity always causes difficulties for our beloved reptilians, as it leads to retained skin & skin infections. Thankfully, we can control & manage RH with the right techniques & equipment in enclosed husbandry of our pet beardies to help them shed property.
Respiratory Health
Even though respiratory issues are rarely seen in pet bearded dragons who are kept in a controlled environment, they can develop under low-humidity environmental conditions.
Maintaining, measuring, and tracking the humidity level inside the tank daily helps prevent respiratory infections or any other related issues. Respiratory infections like pneumonia can occur in beardies when dieted poorly and in stressful or dirty conditions (including low humidity).
Digestive Health
As I told you earlier, low humidity in bearded dragon tanks often leads to dehydration. Moreover, dehydration can cause other health issues like impaction or other related digestive issues by compromising the immune system of bearded dragons. Maintaining proper humidity of 30-40%, which is comfortable for bearded dragons, promotes healthy digestion and prevents dehydration.
FAQ
Conclusion
Firstly, note that only some of the above options suit your pet or everyone. Every pet is different, with their custom settings and environment. Therefore, if you are still determining the best method for your beardies’ tank, you can contact me using the contact details at the bottom of this blog.
Coming back to the point, all the methods, claims, and warnings mentioned here are backed by hours of research, proven records, and my experience & expertise. So, don’t worry about going wrong with this article.
If you find this article fun, informative, and helpful, please share this content with other people who own bearded dragons like us. Every beardie wants to be cared for by a lovable and well-informed caretaker. Hence, I would like you to share this content and inform others why my bearded dragon humidity is too low. See you in the next post, till then, take care and goodbye.
Leave a Reply