BLUE TONGUE SKINKS

I know it says in a lot of places aim for 40% humidity for a northern BTS and I had no problem with keeping in the 40s over the summer. However, recently it’s sort of hanging around 60% and I’m not sure how to reduce it. In the summer I had to keep the vivarium door slightly open with a mesh panel on the cool end to keep the temps down so I think that may have helped, but at the moment the temps are good with the doors closed so the humidity is staying a bit higher. I have found quite a few posts on here with people saying 40-60% is fine for a northern but I wanted to check anyway.

If it is slightly too high can you recommend something to reduce it? At the moment he’s on a substrate of orchid bark and coco husk about 50/50 and his water bowl is in there all the time at the cool end. Is there something I could add to reduce humidity or change the mix slightly?

Also how long should I leave his humid hide in? He gets it when I think he’s about to shed and a day or two after in case there’s the odd scale left but should it be less or more? I don’t think that’s affecting the humidity as it doesn’t change when it’s in there and the doors do get opened daily for spot cleaning and handling him.

So far there’s no signs of any problems and he’s shedding really well but I don’t want the higher humidity to give him a respiratory infection or it to affect his health in some other way.

I think you are a little over concerned, too humid of a climate isn't nearly the problem as too dry. At the moment I'm keeping a Uromastyx in the same room as my Skink and he is doing fine under the lamps and with dry bark substrate. If you are still concerned, a ceramic heat lamp for the basking spot may help. They are noted to quickly rid an enclosure of humidity, must have something to do with the long wavelength infrared.

Thanks. I thought I was worrying too much but as some places say stick to 40% or it's too humid I just wanted to check. If the humidity keeps rising I'll try a ceramic bulb, I have one in the cupboard so just have to add the holder.

Hi! I live in New York on Long Island and no matter what I do I can't get the humidity lower than 60 (summer) in any of my enclosures. My Northerns are just fine. No more shedding issues either since I switched from aspen, which made them (and myself) sneeze a lot!