Dripper

[SueAndHerZoo]

New hour, new problem: I made a homemade dripper by poking a small hole in the bottom of a plastic container. Drips at a good rate when I test it over the sink, but when I place it on the metal mesh on top of the enclosure, the water runs across the top of the cage instead of down into the cage. The openings in the mesh are very small/tight, so the water runs to the lowest point and pools up. This can't be good for the mesh top OR the chameleon who only gets a sudden blast of droplets when I work the puddle through with my fingers.

I guess I need a dripper that mounts to the inside? Suggestions?
Sue

 

[kinyonga]

Not sure it will work...but try raising the dripper container off the screen about an inch. Sometimes it works.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Not sure it will work...but try raising the dripper container off the screen about an inch. Sometimes it works.

Definitely worth a try! He's sleeping now so I will try that in the morning - thanks.
Sue

 

[SauceGandhi]

Can confirm raising it works

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Can confirm raising it works

Awesome - thank you both!
Sue

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Not sure it will work...but try raising the dripper container off the screen about an inch. Sometimes it works.

I was going to suggest that.

SueAndHerZoo, do you know what the screen material is? MistKing makes a rain nozzle that sits on top of an enclosure and—by design—pools water that then drips through—ostensibly simulating rain.

From the archives: https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/mistking-adjustable-rain-nozzle.165358/

I made a homemade dripper by poking a small hole in the bottom of a plastic container. Drips at a good rate when I test it over the sink, but when I place it on the metal mesh on top of the enclosure, the water runs across the top of the cage instead of down into the cage. The openings in the mesh are very small/tight, so the water runs to the lowest point and pools up. This can't be good for the mesh top OR the chameleon who only gets a sudden blast of droplets when I work the puddle through with my fingers.

I guess I need a dripper that mounts to the inside? Suggestions?
Sue

I've made drippers for other purposes, but the mister eliminates the need.

I used to use 2 litre or larger soda bottles. The bumpy bottom type allow for multiple drip "heads".
Have to leave the cap off, or you can create a vacuum that will impede the flow. There's a term for this that escapes me ATM...

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Thanks ..... interesting concept and the video in the thread you provided was informative. So tell this newbie, please: do I need a mister and a dripper system? One? The other? Both? I'm assuming the mister is to keep humidity at the proper level and the dripper is so that the chameleon has a place to drink from? But if I get a mister that puts enough mist on the leaves then chammy will drink off the leaves? If I get a dripper, that's probably not enough to keep humidity up. Hmmmmm..... enlighten me, oh wise ones.

I'm also a little concerned about the overnight temp in the new habitat last night... checked this morning and the top and bottom were just only about 60 degrees, whereas they were at 65 in the all glass enclosure. Do I need to add nighttime heat, and if so, with what?
Sue

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Thanks ..... interesting concept and the video in the thread you provided was informative. So tell this newbie, please: do I need a mister and a dripper system? One? The other? Both? I'm assuming the mister is to keep humidity at the proper level and the dripper is so that the chameleon has a place to drink from? But if I get a mister that puts enough mist on the leaves then chammy will drink off the leaves? If I get a dripper, that's probably not enough to keep humidity up. Hmmmmm..... enlighten me, oh wise ones.

Ah, Young Grasshopper/Padwan...
As with so many other things in this endeavor/hobby, there are no 'one-size-fits-all' answers.

Bottom line, it's all about hydration & humidity, and there are different ways of accomplishing those. What works for someone in one climate/geography/enclosure type, etc. won't work for another with different climate/geography/enclosure type, etc. Every situation is different.

I'm in the northeast/Great Lakes, with a hybrid enclosure. I'm able to achieve & maintain all RH targets with just a MK mister—no fogger, no dripper. For drinking water, I mist an additional time at noon.

Others in other places may need all three, or some combination.

Were I to prioritize (and others' priorities may differ as well...) I would rank and try, in order to achieve my targets:

1. Mister (MK has won me over—we just got a second one for the tortoise)
2. Fogger (if necessary)
3. Dripper (probably least mandatory/most optional)

If all can be done with a mister, great—anything further is optional. If not, add the fogger, and if necessary (least likey with the other two) a dripper.

Some like a dripper for aesthetics, which is fine, but avoid fountains—they're bacteriological incubators/Doomsday machines.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/1635361/?q=fountain&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

https://chameleonacademy.com/basics-hydration-for-chameleons/

I'm also a little concerned about the overnight temp in the new habitat last night... checked this morning and the top and bottom were just only about 60 degrees, whereas they were at 65 in the all glass enclosure. Do I need to add nighttime heat, and if so, with what?
Sue

According to the archives, you should be good down into the 50s.
https://www.google.com/search?q=low...HeVlBR4QrQIoBHoECB8QBQ&biw=1024&bih=625&dpr=1

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Ah, Young Grasshopper/Padwan...
As with so many other things in this endeavor/hobby, there are no 'one-size-fits-all' answers.

Bottom line, it's all about hydration & humidity, and there are different ways of accomplishing those. What works for someone in one climate/geography/enclosure type, etc. won't work for another with different climate/geography/enclosure type, etc. Every situation is different.

I'm in the northeast/Great Lakes, with a hybrid enclosure. I'm able to achieve & maintain all RH targets with just a MK mister—no fogger, no dripper. For drinking water, I mist an additional time at noon.

Others in other places may need all three, or some combination.

Were I to prioritize (and others' priorities may differ as well...) I would rank and try, in order to achieve my targets:

1. Mister (MK has won me over—we just got a second one for the tortoise)
2. Fogger (if necessary)
3. Dripper (probably least mandatory/most optional)

If all can be done with a mister, great—anything further is optional. If not, add the fogger, and if necessary (least likey with the other two) a dripper.

Some like a dripper for aesthetics, which is fine, but avoid fountains—they're bacteriological incubators/Doomsday machines.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/search/1635361/?q=fountain&c[title_only]=1&o=relevance

https://chameleonacademy.com/basics-hydration-for-chameleons/


According to the archives, you should be good down into the 50s.
https://www.google.com/search?q=low...HeVlBR4QrQIoBHoECB8QBQ&biw=1024&bih=625&dpr=1