SaraSondermann
New Member
I ordered a misting system online and it will be here sometime this week. I was wondering, what should I set it to? There's a setting for frequency of mistings and also for duration of mistings. Suggestions?
How often should I mist?
- Thread starter SaraSondermann
- Start date
pigglett79
Avid Member
How often and for how long will depend on various factors such as the species of chameleon, whether or not you are also using a dripper, whether or not you have drainage, the humidity in the room your cage is located etc.
For instance, I do not use drippers as my boys never seemed to use them plus I also have a jackson who takes a while to begin drinking and seems to enjoy longer mistings. I also use mine as a rain dome rather than a mister as mine seemed to prefer rain drops and didnt like the mist. I mist 4 times a day as follows:
1 hour after lights (usually around 7:30am) on for 3 minutes
10:30am for 5 minutes
1pm for 5 minutes
4pm for 3 minutes.
It really depends on your specific situation and your chameleon. For instance i also have a panther who wont drink while the rain is falling, but once the mister shuts off he will go under the pothos plant and drink from the leaves.
If you are using a dripper as well you may want shorter misting. I would watch your humidity and how long it takes your cage to dry out as you want it to dry out between misting. You will also want to try to observe hwo your chameleon prefers to drink as this may give you insight.
It takes time to figure it out. Believe me I have changed my misting schedule and how its set up many times before getting it to what I believe is good for my situation.
For instance, I do not use drippers as my boys never seemed to use them plus I also have a jackson who takes a while to begin drinking and seems to enjoy longer mistings. I also use mine as a rain dome rather than a mister as mine seemed to prefer rain drops and didnt like the mist. I mist 4 times a day as follows:
1 hour after lights (usually around 7:30am) on for 3 minutes
10:30am for 5 minutes
1pm for 5 minutes
4pm for 3 minutes.
It really depends on your specific situation and your chameleon. For instance i also have a panther who wont drink while the rain is falling, but once the mister shuts off he will go under the pothos plant and drink from the leaves.
If you are using a dripper as well you may want shorter misting. I would watch your humidity and how long it takes your cage to dry out as you want it to dry out between misting. You will also want to try to observe hwo your chameleon prefers to drink as this may give you insight.
It takes time to figure it out. Believe me I have changed my misting schedule and how its set up many times before getting it to what I believe is good for my situation.
fluxlizard
Avid Member
Depends a lot on what you are trying to accomplish with it.
If you have a low humidity situation (an iowa winter) you may want to control humidity with it. In that case, many members run it for a minute or two every hour or two or three.
If you are just trying to water and your ambient humidity is fine (my situation) then you may want to mist for a long period of time 1 or 2x per day. Indoors, that is what I do- for about 20-25 minutes per session. Most chameleons prefer to drink this way given the opportunity- they take their time moving into the mist and usually drink right out of the air- that's why I do this, but it isn't strictly necessary for most species.
If you are using a drip to water and just want to raise humidity slightly a couple times a day, a short mist (a minute or so) in the morning and evening is a good way to go.
If you are trying to control temperature outdoors in the summer (which I also sometimes do depending on what species I'm keeping and ambient temps- sometimes our highs reach near 100 here) then you can run the mist more often for longer periods or even constantly during the heat of the day to provide cool for the lizards. even the area near the mist but not in it, or in the cage after a mist for a while, cools the situation...
If you have a low humidity situation (an iowa winter) you may want to control humidity with it. In that case, many members run it for a minute or two every hour or two or three.
If you are just trying to water and your ambient humidity is fine (my situation) then you may want to mist for a long period of time 1 or 2x per day. Indoors, that is what I do- for about 20-25 minutes per session. Most chameleons prefer to drink this way given the opportunity- they take their time moving into the mist and usually drink right out of the air- that's why I do this, but it isn't strictly necessary for most species.
If you are using a drip to water and just want to raise humidity slightly a couple times a day, a short mist (a minute or so) in the morning and evening is a good way to go.
If you are trying to control temperature outdoors in the summer (which I also sometimes do depending on what species I'm keeping and ambient temps- sometimes our highs reach near 100 here) then you can run the mist more often for longer periods or even constantly during the heat of the day to provide cool for the lizards. even the area near the mist but not in it, or in the cage after a mist for a while, cools the situation...
SaraSondermann
New Member
Sorry I should've specified. She's a veiled chameleon. And yes I live in Iowa, so it's pretty dry here right now and I have the heat on in the house. So the humidity is usually lower rather than higher.
One thing I noticed today, I'm just using a hand mister for now, and she actually seems to like it. I heard a lot of chameleons don't like being misted or getting it on them, but she actually enjoys it for some reason! She lets it fall around her, and stays bright green, and just sits there. It's kind of adorable!
One thing I noticed today, I'm just using a hand mister for now, and she actually seems to like it. I heard a lot of chameleons don't like being misted or getting it on them, but she actually enjoys it for some reason! She lets it fall around her, and stays bright green, and just sits there. It's kind of adorable!
