drippers and mistings?

[Adashek123]

so i recently stopped using drippers because of the mess it made and i didn't want possible wood damage on hardwood floors. i make sure my chams drink from the mistings i give them 3 times a day, but does anyone have any suggestions on a drainage system for reptibreezes? ive been wanting to go back to drippers but only because i feel like it makes the chameleon feel more "at home"... they can drink whenever they want with a constant dripper rather then waiting for me to come mist their cage. and also, some never really used the dripper much and it was constant water replacement. any suggestions guys? should i go back to drippers and get a drainage system (need ideas) or should I just mist my chams? when i mist, i mist them directly in the face and body in the morning and they all open their mouths and drink. they all have full, circular eyes with no sunken appearence at all and only one of my chams has orange urates (the red boy has red urates his whole life but was tested for parasites and negative) the rest of my males have white urates. but i can assure they all drink. so what should i do? thanks!

 

[Balizar]

I believe the reptibreezes have screen bottoms. I that is the case build a nice wood stand with a good size drainage tube. I use the aquazamp rain domes so my drainage is more controlled or easier to control.

 

[Adashek123]

they actually have like a white sheet metal kind of thing. but still, i just don't get how im going to make a drainage system.. will be doing more research on it tonight though thanks!

 

[Deevo]

Theres an entire thread stickied devoted to drainage ideas. I for right now have a simple method of resting my cage over a plastic tray. To support the heavy plant I went to Home Depot and got 1" thick pieces of wood (I got 4 cut just to have extras) to sit at the bottom and then I put the white plastic thing over top. I cut a nice big hole in the center with a drill and done. It's not ideal but it works for now. About every 5 days I need to lift up the cage and empty the plastic tray

 

[APBMM veil charm]

I have the same cage and I have been trying to figure out a good and easy way to set up a drainage system for my cham . What ever you come up with please share and I'll do the same.

Tony

 

[ridgebax1]

I have my veiled's cage sitting on a wooden end table that used to have a glass top with sort of a lattice type of wood support. I got a 24 x 24 rabbit litter pan from the tractor supply store set the cage on top and zip tied the two together. Then I drilled holes in the pan and have a container sitting under that. I put plants directly into the litter tray. I have both an automated mister and a dripper so they have free access to water. The baby cage is sitting on one of those storage drawer systems like they have at Target and again drilled holes in cage bottom and top of shelf system with a basin to catch the water. I just drain them into a bucket when they get full. Nothing fancy.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

I just ordered a couple of Reptibreeze cages and plan on using the LLLreptile water trays under them. All you have to do is drill a hole and attach something to direct the water to your collection place (bucket, or other container). I used an aquarium bulkhead and attached PVC pipe to it so the water goes where I want it to. The only problem is that there is a 1/8" layer of water in the tray at all times. I may try something other that the aquarium bulkheads on the new ones so I don't have a layer of water all the time.

 

[xraygirl]

We bought a small utility sink and cut some 2x4's and set down inside it on the inside lip of the sink, and we have chiefs 18x18x36" cage sitting ontop of the wood pieces, with a 5gal bucket under the sink drain. The white bottom piece is still in there until we do something different.

It's temporary, but it works

 

[Psychobunny]

Reptibreeze, LLL and DIY cages all have thin plastic floor.
I drill several holes in it and put the whole cage in a oversize dura tray, or
a washing machine tray as a drain pan.
Then I shim the pan so the water is directed to a corner of the tray, drill
a hole in that corner, attach a hose, and let the drainage go into a bucket
(which needs to be empied).

I raise the cage off the tray with more shims to prevent water from pooling
under it.

It doesnt look pretty, but it's effective.

 

[Adashek123]

wow thanks everyone.... i think i have the perfect idea.. building a sink-like cabinet that will go under my reptibreezes, and the water will drain into a tubawear in the cabinet.. i can buy a piece of wood and attach it to the bottom-middle of the cage so it can support the umbrella plant. and what are your opinions on not using a dripper system for chams?

 

[Adashek123]

and obvioiusly, the white sheet metal from the cage will be removed so the misting water can rain down into the tubawear, so i might have to figure out a way for my chams not to fall in the tubawewar with drained water.... maybe some screen or bird cage wire idk

 

[Big Gulp]

and obvioiusly, the white sheet metal from the cage will be removed so the misting water can rain down into the tubawear, so i might have to figure out a way for my chams not to fall in the tubawewar with drained water.... maybe some screen or bird cage wire idk

Just keep the white bottom piece in there and drill a bunch of small holes in the bottom?

 

[Adashek123]

thats a good idea, thanks. that will help the water fall in the tubawear without it getting all over the wood in the stand.

 

[Lpsouth1978]

As for no drip system... I don't use one with my chams. I mist them 4x a day for 2 minutes each time. They are all well hydrated and I have never needed a drip system for them.

It really depends on the cham though. If there are still signs of dehydration with the mistings then you may need to add a dripper. Every cham is different, so you have to play it by ear.

 

[Adashek123]

true that!! lol some of them just get really freaked out when you mist, then they start running around and then they usually grab hold of the roof and hang upside down lol. and some of them just drink right away. I don't see any dehydration signs with my chams, atleast with the eye part. their eyes are always very circular and alert. but my red boys urate is an orangey color even though he appears to be hydrated and drinking... very weird. all are different for sure