If my cham is dehydrated why wont he drink?

[tryme]

I think my veiled may be dehydrated as his eyes are a lil sunk in. I don't often see him drinking. Hes about a year old now. I do feed him a good amount of fruit and veg and his insects are gutloaded well and seem quite juicy. I'm still concerned though that he isn't getting enough but I mist him 2-3 times a day 5 mins each time and he has a dripper on for 10 mins a day but he doesn't ever seem to drink. I used to see him drink infront of me when misting but I haven't recently.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

I think my veiled may be dehydrated as his eyes are a lil sunk in. I don't often see him drinking. Hes about a year old now. I do feed him a good amount of fruit and veg and his insects are gutloaded well and seem quite juicy. I'm still concerned though that he isn't getting enough but I mist him 2-3 times a day 5 mins each time and he has a dripper on for 10 mins a day but he doesn't ever seem to drink. I used to see him drink infront of me when misting but I haven't recently.

I hate to say it but can you post some pictures of his eyes?

It may be shower time if he is really dehydrated. It may stimulate him to drink.

 

[tryme]

I don't think he's that bad. I'll try to get a pic.

 

[veiledchamguy]

I think my veiled may be dehydrated as his eyes are a lil sunk in. I don't often see him drinking. Hes about a year old now. I do feed him a good amount of fruit and veg and his insects are gutloaded well and seem quite juicy. I'm still concerned though that he isn't getting enough but I mist him 2-3 times a day 5 mins each time and he has a dripper on for 10 mins a day but he doesn't ever seem to drink. I used to see him drink infront of me when misting but I haven't recently.

Hey this is one of the few problems i had....this is what i did...at like 7AM or 6AM get your spray bottle or whatever you mist with, make sure the water is luke warm just comforting....and give him a long misting refill if you have to. I have seen my veiled drink only in the early morning. if i spray him down in the afternoon he hisses and runs away... just thought i would put my idea for ya

 

[tryme]

Yh I think that may be the issue. I'll try early morning

 

[veiledchamguy]

Yh I think that may be the issue. I'll try early morning

Yeah....if in doubt still just spray him directly i know it may be uncomforting to him and yourself but its a way and it works

 

[tryme]

Yeah I usually do mist him directly any ways. I always thought it was the best way.

 

[FooL111394]

Misting a cham. directly can cause them to stress and ultimately cause them to die.

 

[Eyal]

Misting a cham. directly can cause them to stress and ultimately cause them to die.

I think not? Well, when i mist my cham he shuts his eyes and begin to drink. After a while he opens his eyes and begin drinking from leaves and branches. You can spray directly at a chameleon just not too close.
It doesnt sound natural that they become stressed and maybe die in the wild of just rain.

 

[BocaJan]

Two of mine ALWAYS face the sprayer when I am spraying. They close their eyes and drink like mad. The other two let the drops slide down their nose to the branch and then lick the branch while I am spraying. One also likes to like the screen. Lots of nice drops on the screen ya know.

If spraying their face, go very gentle...if they don't like it they will turn away, if they like it they will turn towards the water.

 

[kenya]

Misting a cham. directly can cause them to stress and ultimately cause them to die.

I disagree. It may take chams who were raised with a mist system by a commercial breeder a bit to get used to, but all four of my chameleons LOVE being sprayed directly. Also, how do you get your chameleon to clean it's eyes if you aren't assuring that some water droplets get into them?

Use warm water and start with a fine mist, spraying their cage and plants softly and slowly, move around the cage and let little bits of the soft mist hit their bodies. You can slowly start to move the spray over them (probably about 5" away) and make sure you aren't pumping the crap out of the sprayer- pressure isn't nice- slowly work your way to their heads and make sure to mist their eyes (softly!!) so that they clean them. It barely takes any time for my chams to start drinking once some spray hits their faces. They turn very bright green (well, the Jacksons do- the panthers just get their happy colors) and will squish their eyes around and smack their non-lips and drink for about 1-3 minutes or so. Three of my four will actually turn around directly faceing the nozzle, get right up to it and use it like a water fountain. It's fun to watch If they get close like that or stop and chill out and just drink without running at all (they will run around a bit at first but then settle), I usually make the water more of a blobby stream (not a full "line" of water coming out- a broken one but not a mist- big droplets) and it makes it easier for them to drink.

I hope that helped.

 

[tryme]

I wouldn't of thought it would kill them either. :|

Just because something shocks you or makes you jump doesn't mean it's going to shorten your life at all. lol. Chams get shocked when the water first hits them, granted. But there on after they seem to enjoy sitting there getting sprayed.

 

[TreelionsUK]

just make sure your water is warm/hot