Exo-Terras new waterfall

[DanSB]

It looks like our friends at Exo Terra have designed a waterfall specifically for Herps that don't recognize standing water. If I'm correct we will begin to see this product sold with many chams so it wouldn't hurt to take a look at it and decide if it solves the "Dirty Dangerous Waterfall" problems.

From the pictures and descriptions it looks to me like the best waterfall option with no open water for feeders to get stuck in and slightly more difficult to defecate in.

I personally think this is bad for any but the most dedicated keeper as it will still attract cham fecal bombs and would need to be cleaned daily no exceptions.

Either way we will be seeing a lot of new keepers with these so it wouldn't hurt to take a look now and think about its merits and downsides. I am interested in what others think.


http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/reptile_fountain.php

 

[Ninkylou]

It looks cool, but where the heck would you put it. I can see having to add a shelf. I would not want to have it at the bottom of a 4 ft enclosure. I'm pretty sure I would not use it for my Panthers, but might consider it for the vivarium I am going to set up for Pygmy's. I would want to see the price break on it to see if its worth a 'trial'. It would make for a nice water feature on the viv. You would have to be super diligent with it for cleanliness. I can see the rock getting very slimy, very fast.

 

[Zephalia]

I foresee the same issues as with the other waterfalls they offer. And I agree in a large enclosure this wouldn't 'fit in' unless you custom installed a shelf of sorts. It may stop feeders from drowning in it but the fecal matter still remains a problem.

I would not use it.

Thanks for sharing and opening up some discussion!

 

[Veiled chameleons121]

There good additions they just need to be cleaned alot!, but they look nice and hydrate the chameleon, i've used waterfalls for all my chams they are a great thing!!

 

[leedragon]

I hade bad experiense with those

 

[Carlton]

I prefer designing cham cages for the arboreal life they have evolved to...if they would naturally get their water from rainfall on foliage that's the way I want to provide water. I want to see behaviors they use in their wild situations when possible. That's a big part of why we have them. Rainfall on live foliage is also a pretty simple way to keep surfaces clean too. A clump of rocks just doesn't happen to occur in a tree. Sorry, I'll pass.

 

[DanSB]

I prefer designing cham cages for the arboreal life they have evolved to...if they would naturally get their water from rainfall on foliage that's the way I want to provide water. Rainfall on live foliage is also a pretty simple way to keep surfaces clean too. A clump of rocks just doesn't happen to occur in a tree. Sorry, I'll pass.

Summarizes my feelings exactly.

I should make it clear I would never use this product. For animals that a fountain is appropriate for ie frogs, turtles, etc I make my own with real rock and it frankly makes me nuts people insist on this sort of thing for chams. If you want a waterfall get a frog!

I mainly wanted to show this new item they are showing off on Facebook so it is known when people start posing their chams with uris or some other bacterial infection.

The part that kills me is they recommend a beneficial bacteria product that reduces the smell of decaying matter to be added to the water. So much for Exo Terra being a responsible manufacturer that puts animals first...

 

[Carlton]

The part that kills me is they recommend a beneficial bacteria product that reduces the smell of decaying matter to be added to the water. So much for Exo Terra being a responsible manufacturer that puts animals first...

I know...one of my pet peeves with companies like this. They have created some great herp products over the years but they have also created some pretty bizarre, pointless, and dangerous products too. Stuff that seems to appeal to the IGNORANT whose animals are the very ones to land in trouble! They create things that just don't suit all the creatures people try to keep.