Cool end vs. Hot end vs. Humidity... Help?

[justyna.ewa]

I have recently acquired a bluey, and I am having an impossible time balancing temperature in the cool end and the basking end with the humidity. Apparently, I live in an extremely humid area :s about 50% humidity, and so I have bought a dehumidifier and a digital hygrometer/thermometer. Every time I manage to regulate one end, the other goes off by a few degrees or the humidity rises to above the ideal 25-40 range.
I have tried leaving a bowl of raw rice in his tank overnight as was suggested to me, but it seems not to have worked very well. My dehumidifier also releases a lot of heat, making the task of lowering the temp in his cool end (even with an AC on) quite complicated.
Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I have honestly tried everything I can think of and I may be a hypochondriac, but I am worried about him. ):

[Fatal_S]

It looks like you have a Merauke. High humidity isn't bad for them at all. Most people have the opposite problem, trying to raise the humidity. I suggest not worrying too much about it.

Options to lower humidity: use aspen bedding. Use an under-tank heater. Make sure there's lot of airflow.

[Jeff]

It looks like your skink (in your avatar) is a gigas. You probably don't need to worry too much about high humidity. They are equatorial skinks that most likely live in areas witth pretty high humidity. I would focus on the temperatures alone at first, and then look at the humidity later. Are you having a hard time getting a basking spot around 93-95f? I would suggest doing whatever it takes to achieve that, then measure the temperture at the cool end.

What are the dimensions of your enclosure? It should not be hard to get a good temperature gradient if it is long enough. What is the ambient temperature in the room where the enclosure is located? The cool end of the enclosure should usually not be more than 2-3 degrees warmer than the room temperature.

Don't stress to much. BTS can handle just about anything short-term. Just focus on getting one element right at a time.

[justyna.ewa]

It looks like you have a Merauke. High humidity isn't bad for them at all. Most people have the opposite problem, trying to raise the humidity. I suggest not worrying too much about it.

Options to lower humidity: use aspen bedding. Use an under-tank heater. Make sure there's lot of airflow.

That is the bedding I am using; thank you for that though.
Do you think it is a huge problem if his cool end is ~25-26 and his hot end is ~33? I need to go to a hardware store and by a thick plank of wood to raise his basking end by a few inches...
The man I got him from kept him in a carpet bottom tank and used a regular light bulb, and this notion traumatizes me.

[justyna.ewa]

It looks like your skink (in your avatar) is a gigas. You probably don't need to worry too much about high humidity. They are equatorial skinks that most likely live in areas witth pretty high humidity. I would focus on the temperatures alone at first, and then look at the humidity later. Are you having a hard time getting a basking spot around 93-95f? I would suggest doing whatever it takes to achieve that, then measure the temperture at the cool end.

What are the dimensions of your enclosure? It should not be hard to get a good temperature gradient if it is long enough. What is the ambient temperature in the room where the enclosure is located? The cool end of the enclosure should usually not be more than 2-3 degrees warmer than the room temperature.

Don't stress to much. BTS can handle just about anything short-term. Just focus on getting one element right at a time.

You guys are making me feel so much better. I have been a neurotic mess about this ever since I got him four days ago.
His cool end is now at 25C and his hot end is maybe a 2C below what it should be at. I have his little wooden bridge propped up on some rocks, but I am trying to get it a bit closer to the heat lamp. The tank is 18" x 36" (floor) x 20" high.

[Jeff]

I apologize for using Farenheit in my post. I forgot you were not in the U.S. 25-26 is great for the cool end. 33 is not horrible for the basking temp for a gigas, but I would try to bring it up a degree or two if possible.

[justyna.ewa]

As for the

I apologize for using Farenheit in my post. I forgot you were not in the U.S. 25-26 is great for the cool end. 33 is not horrible for the basking temp for a gigas, but I would try to bring it up a degree or two if possible.

I am definitely working on that. Hardware store tomorrow, it is.
As for the undertank heating pad - can this be on all the time, or just during the 12 hour heat lamp cycle? Do I need to put anything under the aspen shavings or is it okay as it is? Should I trust that it knows what temperature it should be at?
(I know, I know. Me = and I apologize for that.)

[Fatal_S]

The heat pad can be left on 24/7 if you like. You don't need anything under the aspen, but the tank does need to be raised so there's airflow under the heat pad. A rheostat to keep the temp safe is recommended.

[Spindown]

Like already mentioned, aspen is pretty great at reducing humidity. Dont stress, they are quite hardy, and can hang in there for something as slight as a few degrees off while you figure out how you want to tackle it. Getting the basking spot closer to the heat source is a great idea, just make sure your skink cant make contact with it and burn itself!

(I know, I know. Me = and I apologize for that.)

haha you should see some of my posts

[justyna.ewa]

The heat pad can be left on 24/7 if you like. You don't need anything under the aspen, but the tank does need to be raised so there's airflow under the heat pad. A rheostat to keep the temp safe is recommended.

I think mine is built in to the tank... I don't know if there is a space or not, but it does seem like there's maybe half an inch between the bottom of the heating pad and the bottom of the tank. Thanks very much for your help.

[justyna.ewa]

Like already mentioned, aspen is pretty great at reducing humidity. Dont stress, they are quite hardy, and can hang in there for something as slight as a few degrees off while you figure out how you want to tackle it. Getting the basking spot closer to the heat source is a great idea, just make sure your skink cant make contact with it and burn itself!

(I know, I know. Me = and I apologize for that.)

haha you should see some of my posts

:3 I have been trying to tell myself he is not that fragile, but he just looks at me with that grumpy facial expression and I cannot help but worry about him.

[Spindown]

lol yeah, I can understand that one

Sorry if I missed this, but how are you measuring the temps? IF you dont have some sort of temp gun, you should get one...makes life SO much easier and you will feel SO much more secure!!!!

[justyna.ewa]

lol yeah, I can understand that one

Sorry if I missed this, but how are you measuring the temps? IF you dont have some sort of temp gun, you should get one...makes life SO much easier and you will feel SO much more secure!!!!

You are right, I really need to get one of those. I was planning on going today, but everything was closed.
I was using the dial hygrometer/thermometer that came with the tank but it lied to me all the time so I got a digital hygrometer/thermometer. I go by the digital one.

[Richard.C]

As long as basking temps right,doesnt matter if cool end temp is quite low,gives them a bigger temp gradient which is great as it offers more choices for them to thermoregulate