hydration problems?

[Lyneeso]

Ive never seen my female veiled drinking. She Hates misting. I use lukewarm/warm water and mist untill there is water all over the plants. approx 2-3 min tops. she runs for cover, usually to the back of the cage and seems to just ignore the water drops after that. Ive had her for about 3 weeks now and she seems to be doin great. shes fairly active, and displays that content bright green color all the time. She also eats her fill of gutloaded crickets every day. Should I be worried about her getting too little hydration??? Ive just assumed shes getting adequate hydration from the crickets shes eating. Also, I have misted her a couple times in excess of about 5-10 min. and never saw her drink. Ive always just had a cheap little dripper in my cham cages, you know the ones that drip for a day or two and then you refill them. I don't see any of my chams drinking from their drippers that often. I believe that chameleons are alot smarter than people give them credit for. If they are thirsty and there is some water dripping and running down their favorite plant/tree/bush I just always figured theyd drink it up. Never thought that there could be so many concers/worries about keeping these little critters hydrated. although, my experience has really just been with veileds. Any thoughtfull advice or comments would be appreciated.

 

[Sancho]

Most like to drink when no one is around so i'm sure she is drinking when your not looking. What color are her urates? Also remember when you mist them if they get the mist on them it soaks into them and can hydrate her but if you feel she is hydrated put her in the shower with warm water

 

[Lyneeso]

Chams take showers???

interesting, have you had good luck with this? she is only 4-5 months old, im afraid that a "rainstorm" of such velocities would rather knock her unconcious. Perhaps when she is older. I have not heard that they can soak it up through thier skin, makes sense though.
thanks!

 

[sandrachameleon]

when you mist them if they get the mist on them it soaks into them and can hydrate

Seriously? I can understand a humid environment helping to maintain hydration, along with adequate drinking water and well hydrated prey.
I really didnt/dont think chameleon skin was all that porous, that they absorbed water through skin like amphibians. Is there somewhere I can go to read about this? Sounds fansinating.

 

[Sancho]

Seriously? I can understand a humid environment helping to maintain hydration, along with adequate drinking water and well hydrated prey.
I really didnt/dont think chameleon skin was all that porous, that they absorbed water through skin like amphibians. Is there somewhere I can go to read about this? Sounds fansinating.

It's what I've hear here on the forums I'm going to search for it now.

 

[Syn]

Is there somewhere I can go to read about this? Sounds fansinating.

Seconded.

 

[NewOwner]

In the wild, they drink by licking morning dews on the leaves, soaking under rainfalls, and eating leaves during drought seasons

Im pretty sure that means they drink from soaking under rainfalls, not sure though.

 

[NewOwner]

if anyone else finda any info on this, id love to hear

 

[HayDex]

im reading a herpetology book and it says nothing about reptiles being able to absorb the water, it did mention it with amphibians though.

 

[jojackson]

In the wild, they drink by licking morning dews on the leaves, soaking under rainfalls, and eating leaves during drought seasons

Im pretty sure that means they drink from soaking under rainfalls, not sure though.

Are we talking about veilds? I have read that the casque helps channle water toward the mouth along the lips, much like Moloch Horridus, I assume thats what meant.

Reptiles dont have pourous skin in order to retain fluids, this works in tandem with there renal system which retains water, renal waste is excreted as solids (white urates).

Poster, do you have a dripper? Is your chams poo of normal appearance? urates white?
if so, its sufficiently hydrated. just maintain misting, but a dripper that runs all day with a suitable branch beneath will soon lure your cham for drinking.

 

[Fred]

Showers are great, even at that age, it just was assumed and not explained. You put the cham in a sturdy plant, place them and the plant in the shower together, u use warm water and point the shower head at the wall not on the cham creating a "mist" to fall on them, not direct water pelleting them, u just want a fine warm mist to float down onto them, this is what is meant, not direct waterfall!! My chams LOVE the shower- its very tropical : )

 

[Lyneeso]

well the poo is not white.

is urate another term for poo? the poo has been pretty dark, i'd call it a dark brown, nearly black, with a lil bit of white, should it all be white? doesnt make sense to me why it should all be white. Please, if you could let me know where you found this info.
thanks

 

[jojackson]

Sorry. Part of the poo is brown, Thats the poo, Part of it is white, Thats solid urine or urates. The white part should be white rather than yellowish or orange which would indicate the cham is dehydrated and needs more water.