ReptiFiles received a free Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister system in exchange for an honest review, whether positive or negative. The review below is my honest, unbiased opinion.
One of the most common complaints I see from tropical reptile owners is that they’re struggling with inconsistent humidity. They mist the enclosure, and then an hour later the humidity levels have plummeted once again. There are several reasons why an enclosure might be struggling with humidity maintenance (inadequate/inappropriate substrate, not enough surface area to collect water droplets, high ventilation, low room humidity, poor humidity probe placement — to name a few). However, instead of looking to address the problem holistically, the usual advice given is to reduce the enclosure’s ventilation.
I strongly dislike this advice. Reducing airflow in a tropical enclosure is a myopic solution at best. At worst, it increases the animal’s risk for stagnation-related illnesses such as respiratory infection and scale rot. Furthermore, it also reduces the enclosure’s oxygen concentration. Before reducing airflow in an enclosure that is struggling with its ambient humidity levels, it’s better to try other solutions, such as using a thicker and/or more moisture-retentive substrate, adding live or artificial foliage, or even adding a humidifier to the room (this can be good for your health, too!). Another solution is to mist more frequently, but with shorter durations so you don’t accidentally flood your setup.
For most of us, misting more often than once in the morning and once at night simply isn’t practical. There’s school, jobs, and you know, having a life. Thus you see the appeal of automatic misting systems:
- Standardized mist session frequency and duration
- More stable humidity levels
- Easily adjustable seasonal humidity levels
- No longer having to worry about missing a misting (or few)
- No more needing to ask a friend to mist your animals when you’re not around
Automatic misting systems should be a no-brainer. Why doesn’t everyone have one? The main problem is that the top-performing misting systems on the market are out of the budget for the average reptile owner, and furthermore, setting up the misting system can be an intimidating prospect for those who aren’t very handy.
Meet the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System
Repti Zoo is one of the leading budget reptile supply distributors on Amazon. I’ve been keeping an eye on them for a while (one of those “I really should test drive those products sometime” situations), so when Repti Zoo reached out to me about doing a product review, it was like fate! After looking through their catalog, I settled on three representative products that I was most curious about and felt could be the most beneficial to improving reptile husbandry.
The Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System is essentially a miniature automatic misting system. Aside from its approachable size, it also caught my attention because it’s inexpensive and advertised as “easy to install.” I’m not handy — I’ve emphasized this point in almost every review I’ve done. One look at Mistking’s installation instructions had me running to bribe my husband to set it up for me!
What I’m hoping to see from the POCKET Timing Mister System is a low-budget automatic mister that has beginner-friendly installation, can satisfactorily maintain a single enclosure, and deliver intuitive and customizable functionality.
Product Specs
- Includes:
- Pump
- Spray nozzles, x2
- US power adapter
- Intake filter head
- End cap
- Bracket hook
- Black tubing, about 6’
- Suction cups, x2
- Instructions booklet
- Capable of pumping water at least 4’ up
- Control panel located on the pump
- Plug-in for power, not battery-operated
- Digital timer sets spray durations between 2-120 seconds and intervals between 1-24 hours
- Intervals can be 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, or 24 hours
- Spray duration can be set to 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 30, 60, or 120 seconds
- Can also be manually turned on/off for an extra mist session
- Maximum 2 nozzles per unit
- Nozzles have a 360° adjustable spray angle
- Dimensions: 2.6”L x 1.2”W x 4.5”H
- No reservoir included
- Safety shutoff after 5 minutes of operation (wet or dry)
- 1 year warranty for purchases directly from the Repti Zoo store
Discussion
Unboxing
The packaging for this product is gorgeous. It’s very eye-catching and I think the iridescent lettering is a fun touch!
There’s an interesting sticker on the box which reads: “Attention: The product has passed the water test to ensure the function before delivery. There may be some residual water in the pump! This is a normal phenomenon, please feel free to use it!” It’s thoughtful that they mention this to prevent any unpleasant surprises. Plus, I appreciated the reassurance that this product went through a QA process.
I was thrilled to find an instructions booklet included in the box, rather than a QR code directing to the site (or no reference at all) like a lot of manufacturers seem to be doing these days. I understand it’s easier for the manufacturer, and more eco-friendly, but in my opinion, a paper instructions booklet is always better. It’s easier for the customer and discourages customers from trying to DIY and potentially making big mistakes (yes, I am speaking from experience here).
The English on both the box and in the instructions booklet is a bit rough. It’s not a huge issue, since it is comprehensible, but it’s also not very reassuring when for someone in the market for a high-quality product. When the manufacturer decides to overlook the detail of quality translation when the rest of the marketing is good, it raises some questions.
Assembly
This little mister is pretty straightforward to put together. In brief: Mount the pump/control unit, add desired reservoir and trim intake tubing to desired length, determine where you want the nozzles to go, trim the tubing accordingly, connect it to the pump, and cap the end.
The pump is intended to be mounted with the included bracket and suction cups. It doesn’t hook onto the thicker frame of a Zen Habitat or similar enclosure, but it does hook onto the frame of a glass terrarium (Repti Zoo, Exo Terra, Zoo Med, etc.) quite nicely. I ended up mounting the pump with a large command strip because the suction cups don’t work on their own. To make sure the command strip would adhere well, I cleaned both the frame and the back of the pump with a bit of ammonia-based window cleaner first. I also mounted the pump to the frame of the enclosure, not the door, as it would fall off or get tangled in the tubing if mounted to one of the sliding doors.
Speaking of tubing, there’s not much of it available! 6’ doesn’t go super far, but it is enough to supply as large as a 4x2x2, so it should be perfectly adequate for use with a smaller enclosure as long as you’re not wasteful. One way you can make the most of the tubing is by placing the reservoir on the same surface as the enclosure. If it’s on the floor, that will significantly limit how far you can go with the outbound line. As a note, the tubing will “lock” into place once it’s been inserted into the pump unit. However, if you make a mistake, simply depress the blue piece around the insertion point and it will come free!
To create my reservoir, I used a plastic gallon jug of distilled water and poked a hole in the cap with a Philips screwdriver to accommodate the intake. This is optional – I simply could have taken off the cap, but there’s quite a few fungus gnats buzzing around my reptile room at the moment due to the new bioactive, so I took extra care to prevent contamination. Plus, having a tight fit with the cap also helped keep the tightly-coiled tubing from sneaking out of the reservoir.
The misting heads were easy to install. Choose where you want them to go, then cut your tubing to the appropriate length and insert. They’re designed to use suction cups to stick to the inside of a glass terrarium rather than be mounted on top through mesh, but since I was installing them in a PVC enclosure with a textured background, I simply cut holes in the mesh with a pair of small wire cutters and poked the nozzles through. They don’t stay in place quite as well as Mistking, since those have clamps for that purpose, but they do well enough.
The nozzle positions and stream size are adjustable. The latter is comparable to Mistking nozzles, but they’re definitely not as flexible. I didn’t find this to be a problem. Spray coverage at widest is about 12” wide 12” below the nozzle.
Design & Functionality
I decided to test the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System on my ball python’s Zen Habitats 4x2x2 enclosure, as my smaller tropical setups are already covered by my Mistking unit. I love the ventilation on Zen enclosures, but humidity retention can be difficult in a dry climate – and frankly, I’m not a huge fan of foggers. I’m hoping that an automatic mister will solve this problem and help with my peace of mind. Plus, now that I have a baby, I need to automate as many chores as possible!
The Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System is clearly designed for small glass terrariums rather than larger wood or PVC enclosures, so I’m bearing that in mind as I try to compensate for using it with this enclosure. After running it for a couple of days, I decided to install an additional unit to add two more mister nozzles to the setup, and that helped substantially.
How loud is it? The pump’s operation is quite quiet. I barely notice it if it turns on and I’m in the room – most of the noise actually comes from the nozzles rather than the pump. It’s definitely quieter than my Mistking!
How well does it run dry? Just fine. The automatic shutoff feature helps prevent things from going out of hand.
Is the timer for duration and interval accurate? Yes. It’s not quite as customizable as Mistking’s product, but the Repti Zoo is more responsible to on/off commands.
Does it keep its settings after being unplugged? Yes.
What is the mister’s capacity? Any, due to the fact that there’s no included reservoir. I recommend using a reservoir of a half gallon (US) or more just so you’re not constantly refilling it.
What is the droplet size? Fine. The nozzles can be adjusted to create a more focused stream, but I can’t imagine why you would want a narrower misting pattern, as this increases the pressure and can create an unpleasant experience for any reptile caught in the “line of fire” when the mister turns on.
What type of water should be used? Distilled or reverse-osmosis will give you the best results. Using tap water risks creating mineral buildup within the hose and nozzles and/or clogging due to the presence of debris.
Summary
What I Liked About the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System:
Inexpensive. This unit costs a fraction of the price of Mistking’s “starter” unit, and it’s also less expensive than the Exo Terra Monsoon and the Zoo Med ReptiRain, making it very friendly to reptile keepers who are just looking to service 1-2 small enclosures without breaking the bank.
Highly customizable. Repti Zoo’s mister is not quite as user-friendly as the Exo Terra or Zoo Med, but it still offers more functionality than one would expect at this price point: more than Zoo Med, the same as Exo Terra, and less than Mistking.
Efficient. I like the idea of using one misting system per enclosure because it allows for greater customization to each animal’s needs and the size/ventilation of their enclosure – all of which are factors which influence appropriate misting interval and duration. This is actually something I dislike about Mistking when used for multiple enclosures.
Compact. Repti Zoo’s mister isn’t very powerful, but it’s arguably smaller than the Zoo Med or Exo Terra since they combine the control panel, pump, and reservoir all in one unit. With the Repti Zoo (similar to Mistking), you can enjoy access to a streamlined control panel while the bulk of the unit remains hidden.
Hygienic. Because there’s no reservoir included with this unit, if you use disposable (recyclable) plastic jugs of distilled water, then that eliminates the need for periodic reservoir cleaning. This takes one more chore off your plate and helps prevent bacterial buildup.
What I Didn’t Like About the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System:
Stingy tubing allotment. It’s better to have more tubing to work with rather than less if you make a mistake, and if you want to repurpose the unit for a different enclosure, you’ll have to buy more tubing.
The “filter head” piece isn’t very useful. It will filter large debris, but it can still suck up small debris which is capable of clogging the nozzles. A finer filter would easily prevent this problem, which seems common since it’s in the product troubleshooting guide.
Nonspecific programming. You can’t program mistings to take place at specific times of day or specific days of the week, so if you want irregular intervals, you’re out of luck.
Incompatible with a hygrostat/humidistat. This means you can’t wire in a separate device to automatically turn the mister on and off based on the enclosure’s humidity levels.
Conclusion: A wallet-friendly way to automate humidity in single enclosures
ReptiFiles Rating: 4.5 stars
The Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System is a great little tool for facilitating more precise reptile husbandry, and my favorite thing about it is that it makes better humidity management more accessible for novice reptile keepers and those operating on a lower budget. Although there’s a bit of a learning curve for figuring out how to program it, and the tubing doesn’t want to stay in the reservoir, and it’s a little clumsy when mounted through mesh, overall I find it quite satisfactory for the price point.
Note, however, that this rating is PROVISIONAL, as there are reports of this and similar products “frying” within year of installation. I do find Repti Zoo’s 1-year warranty on the mister to be promising in this area. I will be returning to this review within the next 18 months to report whether the unit is still going…or not.
If the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System withstands the test of time, I can foresee myself buying more of them in the future.
What reptiles can the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System be used with?
This automatic mister can be used with essentially any small to medium-sized reptile which benefits from regular misting. It can be used for enclosures with a 24” x 24” footprint or smaller by itself, but a footprint of up to 48” x 24” will require two units. For larger enclosures, I recommend investing in more powerful misting system such as the Mistking Starter.
Examples of reptiles which may benefit from the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System:
- Anoles
- Cave geckos
- Chameleons
- Corn snakes
- Crested geckos
- Day geckos
- Emerald tree skinks
- Fire skinks
- Gargoyle geckos
- Garter snakes
- Hognose snakes
- Kingsnakes
- Leaf-tailed geckos
- Milksnakes
- Mourning geckos
- Ocellated skinks
- Red-eyed crocodile skinks
- Tokay geckos
ReptiFiles’ tips for success with the Repti Zoo POCKET Timing Mister System:
- Plan on at least 1 nozzle per square foot of space.
- For moderate- to high-humidity species, program for short duration but frequent intervals. For moderate to low-humidity species, program longer durations, but also longer intervals to allow the enclosure to dry out thoroughly.
- Use distilled or reverse-osmosis water, not tap! Mineral buildup will reduce the life of this device.
- If you use a command strip or otherwise to mount the main unit to a sliding-door enclosure, mount it to the frame, not a door! Otherwise the movement of the door will rip your intake tube out of the reservoir.
- Cover your reservoir to help prevent debris from getting into your mister’s supply and clogging your nozzles.
- Make sure to clean the surface well before attaching suction cups or command strip. I might get criticized for this, but few things do the job quite like a bit of ammonia-based glass cleaner. Just make sure to use it in a well-ventilated area and don’t go overboard.
- Avoid running dry. Although there’s a built-in automatic shutoff, it’s best not to push your luck. I imagine that running the pump dry enough times will eventually break the unit.
Unlike other misting systems like Mistking, the Repti Zoo mister doesn’t have a clock for scheduling misting sessions at specific times of day. Instead, it’s interval-based. So once you set it to a particular frequency and duration, it will use the time of setting as its baseline and go from there. For example, if it’s 5:41pm and you set it to go off every 4 hours for 20 seconds, then it will go off at 9:41pm, 1:41am, 5:41am, 9:41am, and so on.
I just got one of these. How do you get it to start working? I’ve set up the cycle time and the duration time. I’ve manually turned it on to prime the pump and check for leaks. Now how do I get the cycle timer to start?