How long do you mist for?

[Jeeleon]

Hey guys!
A few things w/ my experiences...

So ever since I had my chams, I have battled w/ them drinking. I would only see them drink once in awhile and what really got me worried was how their urates were looking a few weeks ago. They were really orange. SO instead of putting them in the shower, I put my Mistking to use...

They get 1 15minute session in the morning before I start my day. THen in the afternoon they get a 4min misting to keep up humidity. THen when I come home in the early evening, they get 2 15min mistings. All these have seemed to help w/ their hydration because their urates are starting to look VERY normal. More white and creamy color than the orange they used to have.

However, One of my chams is stubborn and doesn't drink all the time. His urates one day will be normal, then the next all orange again. THen normal the next few times he defecates then I will get an all orange again. Is this normal? ANd if I keep this misting schedule up, will it be okay? or is it too much? I don't use my dripper no more because the misting I feel is a lot. But they do drink when the Mistking mists them for those timed period sessions...

Thanks ahead of time for any responses.

 

[Chris Jury]

I hand-mist my animals, so we're in slightly different situations. However, I mist my animals until I get a drinking response, or until it is clear they are not going to drink (usually 1-2 min of misting). If they are thirsty and actively drinking, I mist them until they stop drinking, then again in 5 min, and then again in 5 more min, to ensure they've had enough. If they aren't interested I still mist them for a few min, but then stop. My animals (T. jacksoniii xantholophus) don't actively drink every day (every other day at most), but I live on windward Oahu (Hawaii) where humidity is moderate to high all the time (typically 65-80%, but occasionally as low as 50% on a hot, cloudless day, or near 100% after rain).

I guess my suggestion would be to mist the animals for at least a few min, to induce a drinking response if they're thirsty, and to watch them closely. If they are drinking heavily, often, I'd bump up the misting. If not drinking much or often, you can probably back down a bit.

cj

 

[Hugh Wahl]

Sounds like a lot to me, but if your cages are drying out before the next mist session then you should be fine. I think the two 15 minute sessions in the afternoon is to much just one 15 minute session would probably be fine, but like I said if your cage is drying out you should be fine. As far as your chameleons urinate going from white to orange I'm not to sure what would cause that. I've got three panthers and have never seen that. Hope this helps