Chameleon Hydration and a Drinking Glass....?

[MissSkittles]

I thought these forums and spreadit were designed to ask questions and get answers not to tell you that if you don't have a glass of water in enclosure your going to kill your cham.

I believe that the whole idea of a forum is to have an exchange of ideas, sharing of knowledge, various experiences, and exploring different things that others are trying with not just the goal of passing around the tried and true standards, but seeking ways to advance the hobby. Otherwise all you really want is an echo chamber.

 

[Action Jackson]

Well chameleons do drink standing water and chameleons do go to the forest floor and walk on the ground. How do I know? I’ve heard about chameleons drinking standing water several times from different guides when I was on one of my trips to Madagascar and I’ve seen chameleons walking on the ground, even crossing roads. That doesn’t mean that you should only put a glass of water in a chameleon cage and expect them to drink from it though. some may but most may not. I’ve never tried it.

There’s a reptile park in Madagascar and they have a huge chameleon enclosure with a bunch of chameleons in it. They supply water using bamboo troughs.

Here’s a picture I recently came across of a chameleon drinking standing water in Madagascar.

This is not my picture.

 

[kinyonga]

Well chameleons do drink standing water and chameleons do go to the forest floor and walk on the ground. How do I know? I’ve heard about chameleons drinking standing water several times from different guides when I was on one of my trips to Madagascar and I’ve seen chameleons walking on the ground, even crossing roads. That doesn’t mean that you should only put a glass of water in a chameleon cage and expect them to drink from it though. some may but most may not. I’ve never tried it.

There’s a reptile park in Madagascar and they have a huge chameleon enclosure with a bunch of chameleons in it. They supply water using bamboo troughs.

Here’s a picture I recently came across of a chameleon drinking standing water in Madagascar.

This is not my picture.

View attachment 328001

Glad you posted that photo @Action Jackson ...I was looking for some and couldn't find any. It doesn't surprise me at all that they drink from puddles. Some of my hatchlings and other chameleons used to drink from puddles formed on the bare floor of the cage over the years...which didn't bother me because the floors were kept clean. It did worry that the babies could take in too much water at once from floor puddles though.

I do want to add that when I first started keeping chameleons, I was told to keep a shallow dish of water in the cages...and did with my c, chamaeleon adults at first...and the funniest thing happened with them...most of them sat in (peanut butter jar lid) shallow containers I used to sleep. I have always wondered why they did it and were the only chameleons that ever did it.

 

[Beman]

I too have been going against the fascist chameleon religion taking place on these forums. I don’t believe in feeding my chameleons live insects, I do the baby bird method… I chew up the insects and regurgitate them into my chameleons mouth. This minimizes bacteria transfer because of something, I assure you.

OMG I love reading your sarcastic posts... Just about died with this one.

 

[Tkrd69]

I too have been going against the fascist chameleon religion taking place on these forums. I don’t believe in feeding my chameleons live insects, I do the baby bird method… I chew up the insects and regurgitate them into my chameleons mouth. This minimizes bacteria transfer because of something, I assure you.

Have you done a instructional video so we can see how it's done correctly?

 

[Alaecreaturae]

Have you done a instructional video so we can see how it's done correctly?

Would love to see this. Maybe in return I will record my chameleon making shrimp alfredo with roasted broccoli

 

[Multivitamins]

No better way than to try to replicate their natural habitat... That likely doesn't have cups but does have rain mist and fog. Still water would be more of a risk for bacterial colonization than misting and allowing to dry / dripper rolling off leaves and hopefully into live plants.

With that said care sheets are general guidelines that have shown success by keepers and it's not frowned upon to test new care parameters, supplementation, uvb index range for instance. Bill on the Chameleon Academy is a well known and widely respected member of the reptile community and he's explored many methods of care for different species

Folks have certainly had success with the drippers and mister approach so the need for a cup is near none. Plus if you keep a bio active or love planted enclosure chances are you like the jungle in your living room vibe and don't want to see a Tupperware or cup acting as litter in a beautiful ecosystem.

I think often we forget these animals are ... Wild animals that we keep and care for they survive extreme conditions in Madagascar and we can only replicate a certain range of their habitat and natural ecosystem.

 

[Ghostbirb]

OMG I love reading your sarcastic posts... Just about died with this one.

Omg me too LMAO
it hurts me to hear about other places just giving outdated and harmful advice. I’m so glad I found this forum cause who knows how my rescue would have turned out if I went to that other place we don’t name.

Also @Alaecreaturae welcome to the forum! There are so many amazing, smart and kind people here to help with your chameleon and it’s care!

 

[jamest0o0]

Well chameleons do drink standing water and chameleons do go to the forest floor and walk on the ground. How do I know? I’ve heard about chameleons drinking standing water several times from different guides when I was on one of my trips to Madagascar and I’ve seen chameleons walking on the ground, even crossing roads. That doesn’t mean that you should only put a glass of water in a chameleon cage and expect them to drink from it though. some may but most may not. I’ve never tried it.

There’s a reptile park in Madagascar and they have a huge chameleon enclosure with a bunch of chameleons in it. They supply water using bamboo troughs.

Here’s a picture I recently came across of a chameleon drinking standing water in Madagascar.

This is not my picture.

View attachment 328001

Was going to post similar, not that I’ve seen them drinking from standing water, but I wouldn’t doubt it. I have seen them regularly travel to the ground and hunt on the ground though(as many others have).

Not to say I agree with a water cup being their main source of hydration, but I think we should be honest about all of the facts. Chameleons do make use of the ground and aren’t strictly climbing in the canopy, even if trees/bushes are their primary habitat.

 

[Sonny13]

Was going to post similar, not that I’ve seen them drinking from standing water, but I wouldn’t doubt it. I have seen them regularly travel to the ground and hunt on the ground though(as many others have).

Not to say I agree with a water cup being their main source of hydration, but I think we should be honest about all of the facts. Chameleons do make use of the ground and aren’t strictly climbing in the canopy, even if trees/bushes are their primary habitat.

My chams leave their free range regularly and then they spend lots of time on the ground. My Xanth even walks from his room to the olive tree outside and comes back again......got proof of it, they´re definitely not shy to walk on the ground.

 

[BostonKeith]

My chams leave their free range regularly and then they spend lots of time on the ground. My Xanth even walks from his room to the olive tree outside and comes back again......got proof of it, they´re definitely not shy to walk on the ground.

Omg the music is great. I would be super scared of a hawk coming down while im inside!!

 

[Sonny13]

Omg the music is great. I would be super scared of a hawk coming down while im inside!!

Can feel you on that one and won’t feel comfortable as well. Luckily we don’t have any hawks near our garden.

 

[MissSkittles]

My chams leave their free range regularly and then they spend lots of time on the ground. My Xanth even walks from his room to the olive tree outside and comes back again......got proof of it, they´re definitely not shy to walk on the ground.

I could watch this all day. It’s just too much sweetness! I just imagine him thinking, “well, (big sigh) guess it’s time to mosey out to my tree for some sun”.

 

[Sonny13]

I could watch this all day. It’s just too much sweetness! I just imagine him thinking, “well, (big sigh) guess it’s time to mosey out to my tree for some sun”.

Thanks It still is unbelievable he’s doing this and still does. He did it last weekend again and mostly within a hour he’s back going in again. In principal it’s a long walk for him…….and that without the leaf walk.

 

[Tkrd69]

L

My chams leave their free range regularly and then they spend lots of time on the ground. My Xanth even walks from his room to the olive tree outside and comes back again......got proof of it, they´re definitely not shy to walk on the ground.

Loved the video, getting cardio every day

 

[Sonny13]

L

Loved the video, getting cardio every day

never thought about it that way

 

[Darthroastcoffee]

I would drink from the floor if I had to and wasn’t getting it sufficiently. Gota do when in need. But always a big difference between surviving and thriving.

 

[jamest0o0]

I would drink from the floor if I had to and wasn’t getting it sufficiently. Gota do when in need. But always a big difference between surviving and thriving.

That doesn’t really explain the pictures/anecdotes of them drinking from puddles considering it would have to rain, which would have leaf droplets and likely some amount of fog/humidity at night. My money is more on that the chameleon was walking on the ground, which they tend to do fairly often, and felt like drinking when it came across water. Another explanation could be the mineral content in dirt mixed with water. I could see that being some survival mechanism that some have to help meet their micronutrient needs. Who knows though, we can’t say for sure .

 

[iPardalis]

That doesn’t really explain the pictures/anecdotes of them drinking from puddles considering it would have to rain, which would have leaf droplets and likely some amount of fog/humidity at night. My money is more on that the chameleon was walking on the ground, which they tend to do fairly often, and felt like drinking when it came across water. Another explanation could be the mineral content in dirt mixed with water. I could see that being some survival mechanism that some have to help meet their micronutrient needs. Who knows though, we can’t say for sure .

I guess all I am saying is this drinking off the floor or from a puddle behavior isn't very interesting to me. I have seen a juvenile drink water mixed with a fresh poop on an otherwise sterile floor. They're not smart enough to avoid dirty water, and I doubt he thought it was a healthy choice. I see standing water as a health hazard because they do not manage it well whether it is clean or dirty... they drink when they're thirsty. However, because they do spend a decent amount of time in the trees/brush and they do get a majority of their water from rain, dew, fog etc, they have not evolved to handle dirty water like terrestrial species. It doesn't take much to cause an illness, so it isn't worth the risk imo.

 

[jamest0o0]

I guess all I am saying is this drinking off the floor or from a puddle behavior isn't very interesting to me. I have seen a juvenile drink water mixed with a fresh poop on an otherwise sterile floor. They're not smart enough to avoid dirty water, and I doubt he thought it was a healthy choice. I see standing water as a health hazard because they do not manage it well whether it is clean or dirty... they drink when they're thirsty. However, because they do spend a decent amount of time in the trees/brush and they do get a majority of their water from rain, dew, fog etc, they have not evolved to handle dirty water like terrestrial species. It doesn't take much to cause an illness, so it isn't worth the risk imo.

Oh yeah for sure, I don’t disagree with any of that. I’m not arguing for letting the chams drink dirty stagnant water. Just that there might be an explanation for that behavior beyond them just being desperate. If the water were clean it might not be a big deal. Like if somebody placed a shallow dish of fresh water in every morning for a couple hours that their Cham voluntarily drinks from. If all other needs were met, including still misting, who would I be to argue with it.