Mist or rain

[crocky]

That is the question..... Not looking for brands etc, just curious if one is really any better over the other. Right now I have a rain system hooked up but Waldo seems to not mind the misting either so I still hand mist. Plus I love the activity between the two of us even if he could care less if I am on the other end of the sprayer. Looking into getting a mister down the road but the rain system provides plenty of water for hydration and humidity so I was just sitting here thinking is one really better than the other regardless of owner preference. Plus in his new cage the rain system will hit the basking area and he may not like that as far as having dropplets hit his little head.... but no way at this point to change it as I DIY and made it large enough to cover the entire enclosure....well almost....

 

[pigglett79]

I think it really depends on the chameleon. I started out with just mist....but when I added rain I actually started seeing my Jackson's drink. I now just have rain for both my Jackson and panther. They both also have drippers and the jackson also has a fogger.

 

[ReptiGeek]

I don't have a say on what is better over the other but I'd just like to give my two cents on what I would go for.
So let's begin. IMO I feel that a rain system would be better. Now this is because a healthy chameleon is a chameleon that has access to everything it would in the wild. At the top of a tree, you wouldn't really get mist. You would get full on rain drops. So if you have a rain system would that not be like having it rain instead of mist? I plan on making myself a rain system soon so I could just be bias. Also just want to say that I have nothing against mist systems. They're just way too expensive for me and I can't make a mist system, but I can make a rain system

 

[crocky]

I have only seen my guy drink when I hand mist him and he typically drinks every time, that is what worried me with the rain system I just set up but figured he may drink plenty when I am not looking as his urates are always white but I will still hand mist just in case. He also has a smaller version of it in his smaller cage he is in now.

I am trying my best to figure out the dripper as the top of my tank is pretty high so I need a step ladder to reach it and it would be a PITA to have to take it down every day to fill and/or adjust it every day. May try to figure something out with mounting it on the side...just not sure yet what I am going to do with that, I may even hang it in his enclosure for him, still have that to figure out.

 

[dlegare]

So far I only mist. I'm putting together a rain dome using ceramic plant pot and misting nozzle. I'll post if I notice any change in my Chams drinking habits.

 

[Ashleigh]

I have both, I have a mistking with a basic nozzle and a rain attachement nozzle at the top that sprays the top and creates rain drops. I also use a dripper that cascades off some leaves and I put it on in the morning when the mister goes off, and I see him drink almost every morning for anywhere from 5 to 30 min straight!

 

[pigglett79]

I have to use a step ladder to fill my drippers, I just keep it next to the cages.

 

[ataraxia]

I think it really depends on the chameleon. I started out with just mist....but when I added rain I actually started seeing my Jackson's drink. I now just have rain for both my Jackson and panther. They both also have drippers and the jackson also has a fogger.

That is perfect

I have both, I have a mistking with a basic nozzle and a rain attachement nozzle at the top that sprays the top and creates rain drops. I also use a dripper that cascades off some leaves and I put it on in the morning when the mister goes off, and I see him drink almost every morning for anywhere from 5 to 30 min straight!

Thats what im talking about!


Crocky: You can hook up a magnetic drive pump in a bucket on the ground to pump it up. You can then use a inline valve or if your dripper has one to limit the amount. Small fountain pumps work well and are usually around 20 bucks.

 

[crocky]

Thanks all, the DIY rain system I have is great but i was curious what other thought as rain bs mist in general. I also already have a dripper system set up in his smaller cage but it gives me troubles all the time. I have a valve on it but will often times just stop dripping minutes after being filled. Got to work on that.

 

[d3s5]

I use both rain and mist. My cham gets 15-20 minutes of rain first thing in the am, and then 3 nine minute mistings throughout the day. He used to prefer the rain but he seems to enjoy both now. I don't use a dripper.

 

[Psychobunny]

I never know which one my guyz are going to drink from, dripper, mister, or raindome.

Sometimes Noogie will just stick his head under the dripper and get his drink and I've just wasted a few gallons of water running down the drain!! LOL

He picks the simple, cheap Gatoraid dripper bottle

They are slow, so it takes several seconds after the raindome/mistking goes off before they even react. Then they slowly find a good spot under the flow, sit there for another minute, then start drinking!!

It also depends on the temp. If the water is warm, they will enjoy being under it and will drink right away. But if cold, it takes a lot longer.

It would be nice if I could set up a water heater system for the mistking, but I don't think that's going to happen

 

[crocky]

It would be nice if I could set up a water heater system for the mistking, but I don't think that's going to happen

I use an aqua via titanium aquarium heater with external controller in my bucket. $30.00 or cheaper depending on size and keeps the water about 80 degrees or more if I want

 

[lovepicasso]

Picasso gets a shower in the shower each morning and then a couple times a day he will get mist by spray bottle, he has tried to drink with, but with his tongue like it is now he opens his mouth when thirsty and we have to spray water into it then, he free ranges all day so a misting system or rain I don't think would work for him.

 

[nick barta]

Non-Montane species should not "need" both a mister and rain/dripper. If we want to use misters and foggers for Montane species, that would make sense as most of our homes not located places with high humidity as the southern US.

To run high humidity on Panthers and Veileds is probably not needed, and more important, Upper Respiratory Infections (URI) are a major cause of fatalities, so I would not risk raising humidity on non-montane species.

As a side note, 1/4 inch soaker hose is available at Lowes that you can run inside the enclosure through your upper basking branches, and create perfect rain without anything on top of the screen. The roll is $10.00, and would do many cages. It is easy to reposition when you want to change water flow(I zip tie it to the top branches loosely so it is easy to cut), and it will give you a rainstorm! Lowes also had the bag of plugs to put in the end of the hose.

Perhaps we should get the thunder sound to go off when the rain hits-that would mimic Mother nature now, wouldn't it? Don't say you haven't thought of it...

Nick Barta