Showering advice?

[Ohhaiscarlett]

I have a 17mth old panther and I've only seen him drink once. When i first got him he seemed a bit dehydrated, but now he has mostly white urates.
So I thought I would give showing him a go, although I pointed the shower head to the wall he walked into the stream, He just seemed to stand under the water and I was worried that that would hurt his eyes... and so I showered the plant and the put him on it, or pointed it away so that he couldn't sit under it. so anyway, I only saw him slightly opening and closing his mouth (like he was moistening his mouth) does this count as drinking? As i guess there was a bit of a mist from when I was pointing the shower away from him.

 

[K. Host]

I think he should be fine. Glad to hear you didn't try to force it like others. They can choke and die if that happens. Mist his cage with a spray bottle or mist his crickets (but don't kill them). Keeping your little buddy in my thoughts and prayers. : )

 

[Ohhaiscarlett]

I think he should be fine. Glad to hear you didn't try to force it like others. They can choke and die if that happens. Mist his cage with a spray bottle or mist his crickets (but don't kill them). Keeping your little buddy in my thoughts and prayers. : )

I mist him and he has a dripper too. If I misted his crickets then wouldn't that make the calcium powder run off them? And do you think that counted as drinking in the shower? Maybe because it was his first time in there? I just really wanna make sure he's drinking as much as he needs...

 

[LindsayG]

I wouldn't mist the crickets if they're powdered but I think you're doing everything righr. You said yourself that his urates are white and really that's the way you're going to tell if he's been drinking. They like to be "closet drinkers" so mostly you won't see it happening but it is. I see my cham do that open the mouth thing when he starts thinking about drinking. He did it yesterday infact. Then about five mins later he walked up to the top of the screen via a branch and started sucking droplets off. Maybe try the shower again and do it for longer and maybe give him a little privacy. Don't leave him all alone but stand behind the curtain or shower door so he thinks he's alone. You won't see it though but just check his urate the next day and if it keeps getting whiter or stays white then you're good.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

All chameleons are different. Period.

Put him in the shower on a tree once to twice a week, aim the water so it only hits maybe a third of the tree. Ensure all branches are safe and secure. Leave him in there for a 15 mins. If he wants to sit under it, he'll sit under it. If he wants to drink, he'll drink. use your dripper once a day and make sure the drops are landing on leaves he can get to. If he wont drink you have a whole different problem.

 

[K. Host]

Didn't think about that...sorry!