Drinking glasses?

[GlennFrog]

So I just came across this post on the /r/chameleons subreddit. The poster is a mod that claims (s)he's used drinking glasses as a water source for their chams for about a decade. Has anyone here used still water successfully? I (being an admittedly novice keeper) have always read that they won't drink from still sources, and that drippers/misting is the way to go. Any experienced keepers have some insight on this? Thanks.

 

[GCash]

Something just doesn't sit well with me on this. Sure, if a person convinces themselves that bacteria is an issue with the misting of their dirty cage, then the lack thereof, I'm sure, would "train" a chameleon to drink from a shot glass pretty quickly. I'd rather replicate natural conditions to elicit a more natural response that doesn't require "training". And Yes, I know chameleons are likely to use natural plant reservoirs like bromeliads offer, personally, my aesthetics would rather see that than one drinking from a shot glass. To each their own. Not saying it wouldn't work, as long as the chameleon is getting adequate hydration and all the other essential needs are met, have at it if it works for you.

 

[werecat]

Yes, people have been successful from time to time in "training" a chameleon to drink from a standing water source. I have even witnessed a pet store cham do this. However, as mentioned above, this is not natural behavior. Why try to force any animal to start performing an everyday task in a way that they are not comfortable with just to make things more convenient for the human? Also, while some chams will learn to do this, many will never take to it, no matter how desperately thirsty they are. Putting the animal through the "training" process could be harmful or even deadly in this case.

 

[fluxlizard]

No comments on the guy's opinions about bacteria and his rationale other than seems a bit off considering nearly everyone else in the world is misting or dripping to provide water.

But as for will they learn to drink from bowls- many (most?) veileds and panthers will learn over time if a drip system lands in a glass catch bowl. I did this for years and eventually most learn to go to the bowl even when the drip is not going, although I never relied on them to do that. I always dripped, but usually the bowl was left in place until the following day when it was cleaned and replaced and dripped into again for about 20-30 minutes. The movement from the drip definitely resulted in a more eager response to use the bowls.

I used that system because 25 years ago I was using smallish glass tanks to keep and breed chameleons. I couldn't mist enough for drinking without causing a soggy mess in the tanks.

Nowadays I use screen cages and mist- it is far less work than cleaning all those bowls and filling drip cups every day!

 

[Gavinsons]

Yes, people have been successful from time to time in "training" a chameleon to drink from a standing water source. I have even witnessed a pet store cham do this. However, as mentioned above, this is not natural behavior. Why try to force any animal to start performing an everyday task in a way that they are not comfortable with just to make things more convenient for the human? Also, while some chams will learn to do this, many will never take to it, no matter how desperately thirsty they are. Putting the animal through the "training" process could be harmful or even deadly in this case.

my work forces me to perform tasks that i'm not comfortable with everyday just because it makes their lives more convenient.