Waterfalls
- Thread starter Cait0420
- Start date
Carlton
Chameleon Enthusiast
Waterfalls are a hassle. Stuff can fall into them (feeders, poop, shed skin, dead leaves, pot soil) and the water will eventually be a bacteria soup unless you are really dedicated to cleaning it thoroughly almost daily. You may have to remove the entire thing to really clean it too.
Most chams who already drink off leaves or from drippers don't drink out of the waterfalls, and they won't raise the cage humidity level much. Humans may like the sound or sight of them, but if you really want one that much put it outside the cage instead.
fleetwoodchams
New Member
My cham Jethro loves his fountain. It is a table top version and is not deep enough that he can fall in. Also the water pours from urns in the catch basin so he can easily drink from it. He only drinks from it at this point.
It is also very beautiful and makes a nice white noise.
I do clean it every other day. Or more if I see that a cricket has gotten in.
I have heard the bacteria nonsense but Jethro came to me grown and already had a habit of drinking from standing water. I don't know where he learned this from.
This was a much safer way for him to drink than the potted plant dishes he insisted on using even though I his enclosure had adequate misting and dripping.
I will try to post a photo of him at his fountain soon.
Note I didn't plan on this. I only got the fountain because I was concerned about his quirky habit. I would not recmd anyone trying to train a cham to do this! A better idea is to get a small rodent water bottle and let them get used to this as an additional source for water. All my chams except Jethro have one and know how to use it. I still mist and use drippers but I feel better knowing they always have water on demand. I can post a pic to show chams using the water bottle if you wish
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fleetwoodchams
New Member
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Cait0420
New Member
I was thinking about doing the water bottle thing too, was it hard to teach Tiamat to use it?
fleetwoodchams
New Member
They all use them and no really easy to teach.
Put a small rodent bottle in a place where they can easily reach it. Get the kind that has a ball in the tip. I also like to have it so excess water drips onto a plant.
Then every time you mist, mist on the top of the water bottle. So it drips down to the drinking tip. Be patient They learn quick enough to equate the bottle with water source.
It took maybe 2 weeks for them to get it. They all use them now except Jethro. As I mentioned above.
Must stress that I still maintain a Full misting schedule. Don't stop because they need the humidity and of course they can still drink from the leaves if they wish.
Cait0420
New Member
Of course I'll keep misting but I'm hoping to cut it from five times a day to three.
Psychobunny
Avid Member
I guess if you place it in a spot back in a corner of the cage, he may poop in it less. Problem with a waterfall is they attract all sorts of bacteria and crickets, feeder, will find it and drown.
If you only have one cham, and don't mind cleaning it every day (and you WILL need to) then go for it.
My thinking is, yes, they will probably drink from it, it looks nice, and it raises the RH a bit, but is it worth the extra work?
I mean, chams require enough effort already, why give yourself extra work you don't have to? Daily cleaning job will get old real fast!
kplatvoet
Member
There's also the going in and out of the cage every day to pull it out to clean it - and how much disruption that will cause - I used a zip up laundry baskets with vines to get my guys outside in the summer last year - which let me clean their cages much better than the cleaning they've gotten all winter long- they are less happy about the hanging cages when they are inside than they are hanging from the porch getting some sun.
fleetwoodchams
New Member
Hi Bunny,I guess if you place it in a spot back in a corner of the cage, he may poop in it less. Problem with a waterfall is they attract all sorts of bacteria and crickets, feeder, will find it and drown.
If you only have one cham, and don't mind cleaning it every day (and you WILL need to) then go for it.
My thinking is, yes, they will probably drink from it, it looks nice, and it raises the RH a bit, but is it worth the extra work?
I mean, chams require enough effort already, why give yourself extra work you don't have to? Daily cleaning job will get old real fast!
Just wanted to comment here. I have found my chams seems to have a favorite spot where they poop. Like a dog.
I clean this up as soon as I see it, so there is rarely any mess in the bottom of the cages.
Also Jethro's fountain is right up front in the cage. He never soils it that's not his "spot" However crickets do sometimes wiggle in so that is why I clean it often.
It is also his fav hangout spot. He seems to enjoy just sitting over it even if he doesn't drink.
spawn
Member
You are a genius. I am going to try the water bottle thing out!
