Too Wet :(

[Swayne8998]

Hey guys/gals. My veiled's tank for the past few days has been accumulating a LOT of water... mainly the paper towels which get SOAKED within 5 hours of changing them. I put out cups to catch the drips from his mister and I've turned his fogger to low. Any ideas?? I can't do a drainage under the tank right now cause that's where his bugs are and there is way too much wires and electrical stuff down there and the bottom of his cage has a lot of stuff at the bottom. Ideas?? Thanks

 

[Kmw]

i'd ditch the paper towel. before I could do proper drainage outside of the tank, I had a big flat container I got from the dollar store and left it in his cage, and just emptied it daily.

 

[Swayne8998]

By the way his mister goes off every 6 hours for 1 minute.

 

[ataraxia]

Pic of the set up?

 

[Swayne8998]

i'd ditch the paper towel. before I could do proper drainage outside of the tank, I had a big flat container I got from the dollar store and left it in his cage, and just emptied it daily.

I would, but there's too much foliage and branches and such on the floor.

 

[Kmw]

Then.. I don't really know what to tell you? You're gonna have to have drainage somewhere.. Either outside of the cage, or inside (but I wouldn't recommend that except for temporarily) If you can't set up something for drainage, then you'll have problems.


If I were you, i'd either move all the wires, and bugs to set up drainage for outside of the cage. Use plastic bags to cover the sides of the cage too, to stop water from splashing your electrical.

 

[PantherEnvy]

Then.. I don't really know what to tell you? You're gonna have to have drainage somewhere.. Either outside of the cage, or inside (but I wouldn't recommend that except for temporarily) If you can't set up something for drainage, then you'll have problems.


If I were you, i'd either move all the wires, and bugs to set up drainage for outside of the cage. Use plastic bags to cover the sides of the cage too, to stop water from splashing your electrical.

Excellnt advice. get a drainage tray from LLL Reptile. It works wonders 4 me...

 

[Swayne8998]

This was as I was changing is paper towels out.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=58129&stc=1&d=1340247365

 

[Chameleopatrick]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/way...or-habitats-youre-doing-wrong-over-wate-79468


Food for thought.

 

[Kmw]

If this were my cage i'd take out that branch you have laying on the cage floor and get a big pan like shallow-ish container to fill the area the branch and all your cups are.

 

[ataraxia]

If it is not possible to put drainage under the enclosure. Try and find a square tray, container, tote with atleast a 2 inch lip on it that is the dimensions of the floor of the cage. you could then plumb it with pvc or rubber tubing by drilling a hole in the back or side of the cage, through the side of tray or whatever you find and seal it. If you drill the back or sideput something along the bottom of the tray so that it slopes to the back or side. Doesnt have to be a land slide but just a slight slope for the water to run off. use a 5 gallon catch bucket to empty.

 

[Swayne8998]

Use plastic bags to cover the sides of the cage too, to stop water from splashing your electrical.

Heheh... Well I would do that if plastic bags looked pretty in my room I'll do my best to find a new home for the bugs... What I was recommended by our suppliers as we got him was to drill a hole in the center bottom of the cage and put one of those Home Depot buckets under there and change it every so often. Again the wires are under the cage to make the ugly part of owning a chameleon seem less ugly

 

[Swayne8998]

Oh also the reason for no stuff on the floor is cause he likes to come down on the floor. They do that when they feel secure and when he wants attention

 

[Kmw]

Heheh... Well I would do that if plastic bags looked pretty in my room I'll do my best to find a new home for the bugs... What I was recommended by our suppliers as we got him was to drill a hole in the center bottom of the cage and put one of those Home Depot buckets under there and change it every so often. Again the wires are under the cage to make the ugly part of owning a chameleon seem less ugly

That works too! That's kind of the idea I have with my cages. I still have plastic up though, to avoid splashes when getting misted - i'd rather my room look slightly unattractive then have my house burn down, killing my chams, taking all my stuff with it, and my family members.

 

[Swayne8998]

If this were my cage i'd take out that branch you have laying on the cage floor and get a big pan like shallow-ish container to fill the area the branch and all your cups are.

Oh definitely... That thing has been a piece of crap for the few days we've had it. I just wanted something so he can get down to the floor easier without tipping over the cups that catch the mister drips.

 

[BocaJan]

I have done that too. It does help and catches a lot of the water.

 

[Swayne8998]

That works too! That's kind of the idea I have with my cages. I still have plastic up though, to avoid splashes when getting misted - i'd rather my room look slightly unattractive then have my house burn down, killing my chams, taking all my stuff with it, and my family members.

Mhm. Well there are combinations of both. My dad and I agree that you can be safe and attractive... this is how we do most of our electrical set up. Who in their right might would endanger their family...? Certainly not me. The electrical is in the back of the cabinet his cage is on, on a shelf. I have been considering the hole in the bottom of the cage, but I need to get him out of my room and somewhere else in the house which he isn't too fond of atm... I'll work something out. Thanks for all the suggestions so far guys!

 

[Elizadolots]

Is there room in the cabinet to put a container for water? Because you don't have to have the water just randomly dripping, you can set it up to have a controlled (via the magic of rubber tubing) drip into a closed container.

Get tubing, a 5 gallon (or whatever will fit) bucket with a lid that closed well, a drill bit that's slightly smaller than the tubing, some silicon caulk, something to shim the cage on one side. Drill a hole in one corner of the cage (angle the rim out if you can) and in the bucket top. Run the tubing from the cage to the bucket top, seal with caulk (normally I'd say that was optional, but you have electrical near so seal it up tight). Put the bucket in, put the lid on, shim the other side of the cage up (can be very minimal) to push the water to the drain hole. You might end up putting something along the bottom inch or so of the cage around the drain hole. You might want to rough up the caulk around the drain hole to keep the water flowing smoothly.

 

[Swayne8998]

Is there room in the cabinet to put a container for water? Because you don't have to have the water just randomly dripping, you can set it up to have a controlled (via the magic of rubber tubing) drip into a closed container.

Get tubing, a 5 gallon (or whatever will fit) bucket with a lid that closed well, a drill bit that's slightly smaller than the tubing, some silicon caulk, something to shim the cage on one side. Drill a hole in one corner of the cage (angle the rim out if you can) and in the bucket top. Run the tubing from the cage to the bucket top, seal with caulk (normally I'd say that was optional, but you have electrical near so seal it up tight). Put the bucket in, put the lid on, shim the other side of the cage up (can be very minimal) to push the water to the drain hole. You might end up putting something along the bottom inch or so of the cage around the drain hole. You might want to rough up the caulk around the drain hole to keep the water flowing smoothly.

Thanks! Great advice Is there a way I could slope it so the water would run down to the center?

 

[Kmw]

Thanks! Great advice Is there a way I could slope it so the water would run down to the center?

I saw someone use a plant stand inside their cage - in the middle over the holes in the bottom - and the weight put enough pressure on the floor there to hold it down a bit and drain the water out.