The Best Reptile Misting Systems (2022)
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One of the challenges you will face as a reptile owner is keeping your pet hydrated. Reptiles have dry skin and it doesn’t hold water well, so they lose water easily.
You can keep your pet hydrated by giving it water to drink and dip in, but that isn’t enough.
You will need a way to ensure the humidity of the enclosure is at optimum levels and that can be done using the best reptile misting systems.
The humidity levels you should provide for your pet depends on its native environment.
Those from the arid regions do not require as much humidity as those from forest regions.
Since reptiles are not made to adapt to unfavorable conditions, you should try to replicate its native home exactly.
Increased humidity above the normal level for your pet could lead to respiratory problems as well as shell rot for turtles and tortoises, and reduced humidity would cause dehydration.
Proper humidity levels are good for their eyes, skin, and respiration. It also helps during skin shedding.
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Complete Guide for The Best Reptile Misting Systems
Humidity is the measure of the amount of water vapor present in the air.
It is usually presented as a percentage and is referred to as relative humidity.
A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure relative humidity and you should have one in your reptile’s enclosure for proper monitoring and care.
Many tropical species in particular require a higher percentage of humidity, and it can be a bit challenging to achieve.
The amount of humidity that your pet reptile needs ultimately depends on its native home.
The wrong humidity can lead to a lot of health problems such as skin infection, or respiratory infection if the humidity is too high, or dehydration and even death if the humidity is too low.
If your pet is one of those that require low levels of humidity, a water bowl would be fine, but for those that require higher levels of humidity, you need to make use of the best reptile misting systems to maintain the humidity at an optimum level.
Reptile Misters vs Reptile Foggers
Reptile owners can either make use of misters or foggers and you must understand the key differences between these two so you can be sure of what’s best for you.
Reptile Misters
Reptile misters make use of narrow hoses and spray attachments to squirt water droplets on areas of the tank you want to spray.
You can attach a different number of spray heads depending on the system you are using, this way you can get water vapor everywhere you want no matter the tank size.
The water is pushed out of the reservoir by the action of a fan or pump through the spray heads, and it creates a mist of rain in your pet reptile’s cage.
Reptile Foggers
Reptile foggers make use of ultrasonic sound to vaporize water and shoots it in the air creating a fog-like effect.
They are also effective in maintaining the humidity of your pet’s enclosure within normal limits and are quiet in their operation.
Important Considerations When Using a Reptile Misting System
Use The Right Type of Water
When it comes to your reptile misting system, water isn’t water.
While normal tap water can contain beneficial minerals for human consumption, using it could be a serious issue for your misting system.
Over time, the minerals present in such type of water can build up and make your system work under stress thereby shortening its lifespan.
In some situations, the sprayers could get blocked and cause the mister to overheat.
To avoid these kinds of situations, only use distilled water or reverse osmosis water as they lack minerals and impurities.
Have Good Control Over Your Misting System
Some misting systems over-spay and empty their reservoir in a short time, causing the enclosure to get flooded.
Even though some misters have control for moisture produced, it doesn’t work properly in some cases.
So it’s worth it to use a timer that puts the mister on and off.
Avoid Low Water Level
Your mister is at the risk of burning out if it runs out of water.
Imagine turning your kettle on when it’s empty.
So monitor the water level in your mister regularly to avoid causing damage to the system.
If you would be too busy or forgetful, consider using a model that has a large reservoir that wouldn’t require constant refilling.
Regularly Disinfect Your System
Stagnant water can get bad easily especially in warm weather.
The entire environment encourages the buildup of bacteria and other pathogens and their presence is a threat to the health of your pet reptile.
They can also cause an unpleasant smell, and shorten the life of your misting system.
So to prevent this, practice regular cleaning and use a disinfectant to make your equipment sterile and safe.
The Best Reptile Misting Systems
1. Repti Zoo 10L Reptile Mister Fogger Terrariums
First on our list of best reptile misting systems is the Repti Zoo 10L Reptile Mister Fogger Terrariums.
It can hold up to 10 liters of water, eliminating the need for constant refills.
So if you won’t be around for a while but need the humidity of your pet’s enclosure to remain optimum, this is the right product for you.
It works without the humming noise in the background so you don’t get disturbance when the system is running.
The nozzles are carefully designed and adjustable to ensure that your pet gets misted with water rather than sprayed.
If you have a large terrarium, you can attach up to 20 nozzles here to meet up with your tank size.
The internal backwater technology is an alluring feature of this product.
It ensures that water is pulled back from the nozzle when the pump stops so that water doesn’t drip and pool at the terrarium.
Pros
- Large tank capacity of 10 liters
- The spray nozzle can be rotated for 3600
- The mister system can connect up to 20 nozzles, allowing you to spray even very large tanks
- Internal backwater technology and adjustable rainfall system
Cons
- Can get noisy when in operation
2. Exo Terra Monsoon Solo High-Pressure Misting System
This misting unit is highly programmable to mist your pet’s terrarium at any interval you choose.
It gives you control and allows you to adequately meet up with your pet’s humidity needs.
Its tank capacity is half a gallon, making it portable and would require refilling more frequently.
So only get it if you are equal to the task.
Two flexible nozzles allow you direct water flow, so you can make every dry spot wet easily.
It’s a great unit for small terrariums and meets the humidity needs of your pet reptile.
Pros
- Programmable to mist at intervals
- Portable
- Acceptable noise levels
- Flexible nozzles
- Easy to install
- Easy to refill
Cons
- Small reservoir size
3. Evergreen Pet Supplies Reptile Humidifier/ Fogger
If you have a large tank and want to increase the humidity, this unit is a great way to do so.
Setting up is easy and it has a collapsible tubing that you can place in your tank.
It’s best if you first collapse the tubing before it enters the tank, then you expand it.
This way fog doesn’t condense before leaving the tube.
This product doesn’t come with a programmable timer, so you will need to get an external one, but it has dry run protection to trip the machine off once the reservoir is dry.
If the air gets dry even at night, you can leave it throughout the night at its lowest setting to increase the humidity and keep your pet comfortable.
Pros
- Large tank and has dry run protection
- Adjustable fog output
- Can be used with any reptile and amphibian too\
- Compatible with all enclosures
- Easy to install
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a timer
4. Zoo Med Reptifogger Terrarium Humidifier
If your reptile is from the forest regions and requires high levels of humidity, the Zoo Med Reptifogger Terrarium Humidifier is a great unit for you.
It makes use of ultrasound to turn water into a vapor that creates a fog in the terrarium making it look like a rainforest.
Its reservoir is however small but easily refilled. The small size is because it was made to be compact and simple to use.
You can use this unit to either maintain the humidity levels in small terrariums or create microclimates in large ones.
Pros
- Can be used to increase the humidity levels in small terrariums
- Compact and easy to use
- You can refill easily
- Comes with a safety cut off
Cons
- Reservoir is small
5. Hagen Exo Terra Mini Fogger
We will round up this list of the best reptile misting systems with this Hagen Exo Terra Mini Fogger.
It’s compact and generates a dense fog that turns your reptile’s terrarium into a tropical rainforest.
So even if you have flora and fauna in there, the conditions would be favorable to their growth.
It’s one of the best alternatives for small terrariums and it works silently.
A downside to its use is that the diaphragm on the mini fogger tends to wear out after a while but it can be replaced easily.
So if you are on a tight budget and need something cheap but effective, you can’t go wrong with this unit.
Pros
- Can operate in water as shallow as 2 inches
- Generates morning dew in desert terrariums
- Generates low clouds in tropical terrariums
- Increases humidity by up to 100%
Cons
- Diaphragm wears out easily
Things to Look Out for in A Good Reptile Misting System
Size of Water Reservoir
If you are usually busy, or the forgetful type, then really need a large size reservoir.
This way you won’t need to refill it often, and the life of your mister won’t be shortened.
Small size misters may require refilling multiple times a day and it can get stressful and equal to using a manual spray gun.
Outlet Pipe Length
The outlet pipe that transports mist from the system to your reptile is usually adequate and not a cause for concern in most cases.
Most of them are several feet long and acceptable for use in most scenarios.
However, if you intend to spray a large tank, then the best choice you would make is to select a unit that has a long outlet pipe.
Presence of A Safety Cut-Off Feature
Even though you use a unit with a large reservoir, and are careful not to let it run dry, it could happen anyway and in that situation, your system is at a high risk of danger.
Some systems handle this quite well by incorporating a safety cut off to prevent burns when the reservoir gets empty, thereby preventing damage.
Getting such systems are great and will save you the worry of severe damage the first time things go wrong.
Durability
Misting systems tend to break down a lot and it makes them very unreliable.
There are some however that last for a while and you should look out for these.
Constantly replacing the misting system is expensive and will inconvenience you.
Commonly Asked Questions About Reptile Misting Systems
Do You Need a Pump for A Misting System?
Even though low pressure misting systems can run on the natural pressure in your home, most people still use a pump to get the most out of their misting system.
High pressure from the use of pumps produces fine water droplets that would quickly evaporate.
How Much Pressure Should Be in A Misting System?
You must have a minimum water pressure of 35 PSI for your misting system to function properly.
Conclusion
Now you can meet up to your pet reptile’s humidity needs be it tropical or desert species with these best reptile misting systems that have been reviewed here.
No matter your preferences, there is something here for you.
So if you are on a budget, require a silent unit, or you need a unit for a large terrarium, you have something that best suits your choice here all to keep your pet as healthy and comfortable as possible.
The Repti Zoo 10L Reptile Mister Fogger Terrariums, Exo Terra Monsoon Solo High-Pressure Misting System, and Evergreen Pet Supplies Reptile Humidifier/ Fogger are all good systems that have proven themselves to offer great performance.
So no matter the unit you go with, you will be satisfied.
Last updated on March 20th, 2022.
