Misters and Foggers and Drippers.... oh my!

[SueAndHerZoo]

My head is swimming with all the options and I'm TRYING not to be impulsive and just buy things that I'll end up not using and then buying something different. I already have a shed full of stuff like that. Do I want a mister, fogger, dripper, all, none, just one? I know it depends on the enclosure I have, the pet I have, where I live, what my house temp and humidity is like, etc. So: combo glass/mesh enclosure, veiled chameleon, Connecticut, my air is almost always dry due to heat in the winter and AC in the summer. I've been looking at, reading and watching everything I can about all the options and still don't know what's best, and probably WON'T know until I try something and monitor what the humidity is like.

I work from home so right now I'm able to mist once during the day, before lights on, and after lights off. And I have a homemade dripper for him to drink from. But now that he has moved into the combo cage (from the all glass one he was in) I see the humidity overnight is on the low side. While I figure out the best solution, what if I set up one of my home humidifiers next to the cage and direct the vapor into the side of the cage? The problem is it would be running all night so I don't know if it would be too much, but one of my humidifiers has options as to how much of a flow and also has a timer. Do you see any drawbacks with me trying that tonight?
Sue

 

[DonKeesh]

Mist king and petspioneer fogger imo. However you achieve it, the goal is to offer plenty of drinking opportunity in the morning in the form of dew on plants, available for the first couple hours of lights on (mist king). Dry out during the day and then cool humid nights (mist king and fogger). Optional dripper in the afternoon based on your observations of the chameleons hydration (urate color etc.)

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I've already weighed-in, so I'll shut up...
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/dripper.186256/#post-1719627

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

So no one likes the humidifier set up next to the cage idea?

 

[DonKeesh]

So no one likes the humidifier set up next to the cage idea?

It would have a similar effect as a fogger, just cannot fog when there are high temps... Must be cool to fog. I use a "home" humidifier to raise the RH of the entire room in winter if it drops into the 30s during winter.

 

[Beman]

See I am a believer in a dripper. My Veiled and other veileds I have had will only drink when they see the water moving. In other words they will not go for it from a misting pre lights on with wet surfaces. IME this is something that is far more common with Panthers. They will drink off anything just because it is wet.

I do not personally fog because you can actually over hydrate them as well and this was an issue I was having in my hybrid enclosures. So fogging is entirely based on your species, set up, and overall temps. It is another form of hydration and effective when done properly. BUT it should not be the only form.

There are health issues that can happen from prolonged lack of proper hydration. So you can not just do one and think your done.

Or think that a misting before lights on and after lights off is adequate for all species.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

It would have a similar effect as a fogger, just cannot fog when there are high temps... Must be cool to fog. I use a "home" humidifier to raise the RH of the entire room in winter if it drops into the 30s during winter.

OK, I've read that (about only fogging when cool temps) but can you explain why? (Yes, I always want and need to know the "why" of everything.) We can mist when the temps are higher, why not fog? More chance of bacteria/RI?
Sue

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

See I am a believer in a dripper. My Veiled and other veileds I have had will only drink when they see the water moving. In other words they will not go for it from a misting pre lights on with wet surfaces. IME this is something that is far more common with Panthers. They will drink off anything just because it is wet.

I do not personally fog because you can actually over hydrate them as well and this was an issue I was having in my hybrid enclosures. So fogging is entirely based on your species, set up, and overall temps. It is another form of hydration and effective when done properly. BUT it should not be the only form.

There are health issues that can happen from prolonged lack of proper hydration. So you can not just do one and think your done.

Or think that a misting before lights on and after lights off is adequate for all species.

Even if it's only the homemade one that's on the cage now, I think I will always have a dripper because the cham does seem very interested in it and approached it yesterday. I didn't get close enough to see if he was drinking but he definitely liked the new activity happening.
Sue

 

[Beman]

Even if it's only the homemade one that's on the cage now, I think I will always have a dripper because the cham does seem very interested in it and approached it yesterday. I didn't get close enough to see if he was drinking but he definitely liked the new activity happening.
Sue

I only use the home made kind. I use solo cups for it. But the commercial drippers like the little dripper and big dripper do not work well at all. Plus they are awkward to try to place on top of the cage.

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

I only use the home made kind. I use solo cups for it. But the commercial drippers like the little dripper and big dripper do not work well at all. Plus they are awkward to try to place on top of the cage.

I just spent the morning trying to find appropriate stuff to glue under the homemade one so it's elevated off the screen but not so high that it will topple over if something bumps it. This hobby sure does come with interesting challenges!
Sue

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

OK, I've read that (about only fogging when cool temps) but can you explain why? (Yes, I always want and need to know the "why" of everything.) We can mist when the temps are higher, why not fog? More chance of bacteria/RI?
Sue

It goes with temperature and RH being inversely proportional—lower temperatures automatically raise humidity. In nature, this produces (depending on conditions) fog.
https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-environment/

 

[Vanenmar]

I'm planning on using all three with my upcoming Chameleon ventures. A mister twice a day (lights out) automated and a fogger used at night but controlled by a hygrostat, or whatever the terminology is. That way I hope it'll be easier to control. I also plan to use a dripper mid to late afternoon but because I know I'll forget I might see if I can rig up a solenoid valve so I can control it via a timer. Hope that gives you some ideas