Question: Hydration (Health Sheet Included)

[jshaffer740]

Chameleon Info:
• Your Chameleon – Veiled, Male, approximately 4 months old. I have had him for a little over a week.
• Handling – He was only handled once when transferring him to his new cage initially. Not since.
• Feeding – So far only crickets (10-12 per day, each morning), superworms (he had 2 one day this week). Gutloading with a puree of collard greens, dandelion leaves, mustard greens, papaya, and an orange. Dry portion is Fluker’s feed, but I did order Cricket Crack and will switch to that. I have ordered dubia roaches, and also will be getting some silkworm eggs at an upcoming reptile show
• Supplements – Repcal Calcium (No D3, No Phosphorous) Daily. Repcal Herptivite and Repcal Calcium (with D3) 2x per month.
• Watering – MistKing set to following schedule: 8:30-8:42, 1:00-1:10, 5:30-5:42. Also using a dripper – gets about 32 oz. or RO water daily, dripping 1-2x per second. Have not seen him drink.
• Fecal Description – Dark brown, slightly moist. Urate is about ¾ white, with orange tip. Never been tested for parasites.
• History – Obtained him from FLChams. Capitive-bred.

Cage Info:
• Cage Type – Aluminum screen. 18”x18”x36”.
• Lighting – Basking: regular 60W incandescent house bulb. UVB: 18” Reptisun 5.0. Other: 18” GE 5500k fluorescent tube.
• Temperature – Lowest range is about 68*F, mid-level is around 70-72*F, basking area is 83*F. Using an infrared thermometer to measure
• Humidity – Around 60% RH. Maintaining primarily with MistKing, as well as live plants. Sometimes use a cool mist humidifier at night if heat is running.
• Plants – Two live plants: Umbrella tree, and Pothos.
• Placement – Located in a bedroom, almost non-existent traffic. It is about 3 feet from an air vent in the ceiling. I have the vent directed away from the cage. The bottom of the cage is around 3-3.5’ from the floor, the top of the cage is 6’-6.5’ from the floor.
• Location – Central Ohio

Current Problem – Hydration. The orange tip in the urate had me somewhat concerned. Also, I have never seen him drink. When the MistKing comes on he will typically move away from it (although I did see him go in and out of the mist yesterday). Unfortunately I only see him in the morning and for about an hour in the evenings during the week (due to work), so I’m not sure if he drinks much during the day. Overall, I’m just hoping the setup above sounds correct, and if the orange portion of the urate should have me concerned.

Thanks!

P.S. Photos to follow after work.

 

[jshaffer740]

No opinions?

 

[ataraxia]

Hi, Your misting schedule looks like it is more than sufficient for your fella. Does the misting pattern fall upon the whole cage or is he able to retreat to a dry spot? If he hates the misting like some do with a passion. You may have to trick him or force him.

The trick way would be to set a "primer" mistings session before the actual long session designed for drinking. You can do this by setting a session to last only about 45-60 seconds. Let it turn off for a couple minutes and then turn it on for the 10-12 minute session you are normally setting it to. Sometimes it takes that animal to start drinking from the drops for the animal not to care if it starts getting rained on.

Another trick would be to suspend your nozzle above the screen so that the mist creates rain drops from collecting on the screen versus the mist they produce if it is positioned in the cage. Drops tend to perk the attention and most animals are more willing to drink from.

Force way would be to either position the nozzle so that it covers the cage or buy another nozzle to take care of the rest of the cage (only from the top).

 

[jshaffer740]

Hi, Your misting schedule looks like it is more than sufficient for your fella. Does the misting pattern fall upon the whole cage or is he able to retreat to a dry spot? If he hates the misting like some do with a passion. You may have to trick him or force him.

The trick way would be to set a "primer" mistings session before the actual long session designed for drinking. You can do this by setting a session to last only about 45-60 seconds. Let it turn off for a couple minutes and then turn it on for the 10-12 minute session you are normally setting it to. Sometimes it takes that animal to start drinking from the drops for the animal not to care if it starts getting rained on.

Another trick would be to suspend your nozzle above the screen so that the mist creates rain drops from collecting on the screen versus the mist they produce if it is positioned in the cage. Drops tend to perk the attention and most animals are more willing to drink from.

Force way would be to either position the nozzle so that it covers the cage or buy another nozzle to take care of the rest of the cage (only from the top).

Thanks for the advice! I will try the "primer" technique and see how it goes. I'll report back.

Jason

 

[babyjoe]

I've found fred hates mist.but is quite happy with heavier drops so yous might benefit from a rain type set up and a constant dripper