Winter hydration method that works for me.

[DesertChameleon]

In the past, I’d just setup a timer and run some sprinklers every so often but I was not sure if Aquaman was hydrating.

Running sprinklers too often with the lights on was never good for the live plants either.

I’ve found that turning off the lights then misting the cage for the plants worked best.

In the summer I’d spray water with Aquaman still inside his cage, but in the winter, getting him wet just never seemed like a good idea to me.

I start out turning on the space heater to until the room hits about an ambient temperature of about 77 degrees (low 40s outside so he gets pretty cold)

I motion to let him out by placing my hand in his cage and he gladly obliges every time to assist him with exiting his enclosure in the morning.

I then spray everything as usual but I turn on the heat lamp and point away from his cage.

That way he can bask while drinking without having any direct light on the plants.

I never leave the heat lamp on with him outside unattended. I watch him the whole time, make sure he hydrates then gets on his vine and leaves his cage before turning off the heat lamp.

I’ve had a lot of success with this method and glad to share if anyone has had issues getting their chameleon to drink in the winter.

Don’t forget to mist after lights out as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

[DesertChameleon]

His favorite spot to hang out while everything dries. Once dry he goes back inside lights on and off to work.

 

[nightanole]

I just throw a hand full of ice cubes on top of the cage and let them slowly drip and melt.

 

[DesertChameleon]

I just throw a hand full of ice cubes on top of the cage and let them slowly drip and melt.

i’ve used this method if i’m to leave the house for while longer in the summer or if i don’t expect to be home for the weekend. Id put a buncha ice cubes in a tray that had a hole and put on top of the cage.

 

[DesertChameleon]

for a regular weekday, doing this takes care of watering the plants, hydrating the chameleon, and increasing overall humidity in the room (i usually air out first thing in the morning and humidity just drops)

 

[DesertChameleon]

Been pretty successful these cold winter mornings keeping Aquaman hydrated (40 degrees outside). I’m convinced in these colder months these guys do not like to get wet like in the summer. So I allow him to free roam out of his cage before watering his enclosure and his plants. When he comes back to his cage, it usually means he is already cold. I point his heat lamp away from his cage so he can bask perched on the enclosure door. He then proceeds to drink water at the top of his cage and can readily bask as needed. He’ll step away from basking once warm enough and thats my cue to turn off the lamp and allow everything to dry.