Dehydrated??

[MadisonSpits]

I posted a picture of my sweet Emeral and everyone is saying she looks dehydrated. She has a dripper, I spray her and her cage multiple times a day. I don't know what else to do I never see her drink.
First picture is one I just took this morning. Other ones are from previous days.

 

[kimmytheriault]

disregard my post on the other thread.. as i see you did it!!

You should use the link I attached below and answer these questions (and post them on this thread) so the experienced individuals here can help access your husbandry and help you get Emerald back on track - as she definitely needs water. Soon.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[CharlieCharmingo]

You can try a non needle syringe and gently force her to drink more water. However she should be drinking on her own. Do you have any real plants in the cage with her? How often do you most? What's the humidity and temperature on average? Also you could try giving her a nice long shower on one of her plants.

 

[Decadancin]

I agree she looks a bit dehydrated, and I'd suggest putting a live plant in the enclosure. Something like a pothos with large leaves that can hold the droplets for a long time after misting. Maybe mist a couple more times a day. Also, some silk worms will help. You can also offer some fresh greens and fruits if she will eat them.

 

[MadisonSpits]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon. Female. Only had about 6 days. She is 3 months old.
• Handling - When I spray the cage sometimes she will crawl out to me and up my arm and want to be out or she will just stay in the back. She lets me know when she wants to be out but it's ATLEAST once a day. She loves to be out and crawling around on an area of fake plants I have for her
• Feeding - I have to cup feed her baby crickets. I put 3 in her cup and add more when I see she has eaten them. She wasn't eating to well the first days I got her and got recommended to cup feed and she's been eating much better! Is there anything else I could feed her at this age?
• Supplements - herptivite and repti calcium with D3. Pictures attached below. Please tell me how often to give each of these.
• Watering - I have a little dripper and spray the cage and her multiple times a day. I NEVER see her drink.
• Fecal Description- only seen her poop once. It was white and brown. Looked good.
• History- she came from petsmart..

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen- 16" L X 16" W X 30" H
• Lighting - Lights off at 10. On at 10. Keep dark blankets on her cage to keep it dark until it's time for them to come on. At the bottom is a picture of the box I am using for her basking spot and a picture of the uvb bulb. Her basking is a 100 watt bulb. Should I get something lower for her? Uvb is reptisun 5.0
• Temperature - I have a digital thermometer. Cage floor is 73. Basking spot is 85-90. Is that too hot for my little 3 month old girl? My room is always naturally incredibly hot.
• Humidity - I have a thermometer. I spray cage everyday multiple times. It's between 60-80 always.
• Plants - None yet... Will be going and buying some TODAY
• Placement - the cage right now is currently on the floor. But the cage stands tall.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Austin Texas.

 

[MadisonSpits]

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - Veiled chameleon. Female. Only had about 6 days. She is 3 months old.
• Handling - When I spray the cage sometimes she will crawl out to me and up my arm and want to be out or she will just stay in the back. She lets me know when she wants to be out but it's ATLEAST once a day. She loves to be out and crawling around on an area of fake plants I have for her
• Feeding - I have to cup feed her baby crickets. I put 3 in her cup and add more when I see she has eaten them. She wasn't eating to well the first days I got her and got recommended to cup feed and she's been eating much better! Is there anything else I could feed her at this age?
• Supplements - herptivite and repti calcium with D3. Pictures attached below. Please tell me how often to give each of these.
• Watering - I have a little dripper and spray the cage and her multiple times a day. I NEVER see her drink.
• Fecal Description- only seen her poop once. It was white and brown. Looked good.
• History- she came from petsmart..

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Screen- 16" L X 16" W X 30" H
• Lighting - Lights off at 10. On at 10. Keep dark blankets on her cage to keep it dark until it's time for them to come on. At the bottom is a picture of the box I am using for her basking spot and a picture of the uvb bulb. Her basking is a 100 watt bulb. Should I get something lower for her? Uvb is reptisun 5.0
• Temperature - I have a digital thermometer. Cage floor is 73. Basking spot is 85-90. Is that too hot for my little 3 month old girl? My room is always naturally incredibly hot.
• Humidity - I have a thermometer. I spray cage everyday multiple times. It's between 60-80 always.
• Plants - None yet... Will be going and buying some TODAY
• Placement - the cage right now is currently on the floor. But the cage stands tall.
• Location - Where are you geographically located? Austin Texas.

 

[Chsellis]

She's pretty young for showering isn't she? The syringe idea is probably the best option

 

[jannb]

What does her urate look like? ( the white part of her poop). Is it white, yellow or orange?

How many minutes do you mist her for at each misting session? Sometimes you have to mist for a really long time to get them in the mood to drink and then keep misting for another long time while they drink. A dripper that drips most of the day on to a plant leaf is also an excellent idea. What type of drainage do you have for her enclosure? The Ask For Help form would be very helpful so we could give you more accurate information.

 

[rminnis]

She doesnt look like she needs a syringe! Take what some ppl say on here with a grain of salt! I would first try adding multiple live plants to help up the humidity and just up the amount of misting you do.

 

[Remkon]

on a different note.. If you are planning on keeping your uvb compact lamp you need to place it horizontal since it will have more surface area like that.
Since uvb compacts (especially zoomed) have low uvb output this will be of importance in her growth.

Also provide a reflector (a sheet of aluminium foil will work too).

 

[Andrew b]

I posted a picture of my sweet Emeral and everyone is saying she looks dehydrated. She has a dripper, I spray her and her cage multiple times a day. I don't know what else to do I never see her drink.
First picture is one I just took this morning. Other ones are from previous days.

The best way to ensure they are getting proper hydration it to gut load the crickes with cricket drink and provide fresh lettus. It is also a good idea to mist the lettus heavaly. And when ur misting her enclosure make sure u hit her directly with the mist. After a min or two she will start licking her lips this is when u will want to give her another quick shot of mist. ( and when I say mist I mean make it as fine a mist as possible ) so it will almost float in the air and land on her tongue

 

[Chameleomom]

Lettuce is NOT a proper gut load. A lot of members here use Cricket Crack or Bug Burger...both of what I use. along with dark leafy vegetables. These products provide a proper gut load The Cricket Quencher is water with some calcium, nothing more

 

[Andrew b]

Lettuce is NOT a proper gut load. A lot of members here use Cricket Crack or Bug Burger...both of what I use. These products provide a proper gut load

I didn't say to use lettuce as it gut load.I said to provide got loaded crickets and fresh lettuce

 

[Chameleomom]

Who is eating the lettuce? The chameleon? There are other things of more value. Lettuce has almost none

 

[Andrew b]

Who is eating the lettuce? The chameleon? There are other things of more value. Lettuce has almost none

I don't know why you're not understanding what I wrote down it's quite obvious I mean that the chameleon should be provided with fresh lettuce and when you're talking about hydration like this guy is lettuce is the #1 option and misting the lettus just adds extra moisture ensuring that you're dehydrated chameleon will get some much needed water that they clearly are not getting from their daily crickets and worms...

 

[Chameleomom]

I understand what you are saying but you can also mist the plants that hold water like pothos. I don't understand your thing with lettuce other than it holding water which other plants can do just fine. Give that baby some hornworms

 

[Decadancin]

He means that the chameleon can eat the lettuce with the droplets of water to aid with hydration, not as nutrition.

 

[Andrew b]

I understand what you are saying but you can also mist the plants that hold water like pothos. I don't understand your thing with lettuce other than it holding water which other plants can do just fine

Most chameleons don't eat the plants that are in there and closure but if you put lettuce in there they dive right in because lettuce smells and tastes better to veiled chameleons than pothos vines. The idea here is to get them to bite into a mouthful of wet water filled lettus not to just lick some moisture off of a leaf. Because as this guy said his Chamaeleon doesn't seem to be drinking from the Mister or the leaves.

 

[Chameleomom]

Ok but there are other things that are better that hold water. Collard, mustard and turnip greens, parsley and dandelion greens, shredded carrots, sweet potato and watercress Just saying

 

[Chameleomom]

I guess I am lucky mine one guy eats a least one hibiscus flower a day