Parsonii water needs

[Extensionofgreen]

I'm constantly tweaking my mist schedules to accommodate my schedule and maximize the time my animals have to drink and clean their eyes, but minimize gallons of wasted water.
The MistKing timer is fairly limiting, with only 10 programs, as I find it advantageous to water for several minutes, stop for a few mins, then continue again, so that slow drinkers get a long duration of mist, but less water is coming down.
I'm currently misting with 6 nozzles for 165 mins a week.
I'm curious as to what other parsons keepers feel the minimum amount of misting is needed for drinking and what schedules they use.
I know there are many variables and for reference purposes, both of my animals are healthy, hydrated, and well established, my ambient humidity is 70%+ without misting, my temps max out at 76-78F, with basking spots of 80-83F, and both animals begin drinking within a minute or two of the mister turning on. Neither animal licks droplets from the foliage, but they will catch drops from foliage that funnel the drops into a steady drip, but only as the mist is running.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

both animals begin drinking within a minute or two of the mister turning on.

If they drink within minutes, then why exactly are you trying to mist even MORE if they are already drinking good within a couple minutes? Have a few misting sessions go off a few times a day, for like 4 or 5 minutes each, and you should be good. It doesn't sound like you have slow drinkers.

 

[dmaizer]

That's false.... parsonii need lots of water... mine has 3 30 mins showers plus a dripper. I've seen my parsonii drink for 20 mins plus. Parsonii can never have enough water

 

[Extensionofgreen]

If they drink within minutes, then why exactly are you trying to mist even MORE if they are already drinking good within a couple minutes? Have a few misting sessions go off a few times a day, for like 4 or 5 minutes each, and you should be good. It doesn't sound like you have slow drinkers.

They do start to drink pretty quickly, but they are drinking small amounts. A wild caught animal is used to hours long rain storms, where they are permitted to take in water in minute quantities for hours at a time, until they've had enough. Having shorter sessions multiple times a day makes for wet surfaces, which break down their feet and don't provide time for drying out, which is needed to prevent fungi and bacteria from becoming infectious. The timer is also limiting and unless the multiple sessions were the same for every day of the week, I am limited to 10 program sessions.
Currently, I offer 3 days a week with 2 30 mins sessions, 12 hours apart, 2 days a week with 3 5 mins sessions, and 2 days with only one 5 min session.
I'm no chameleon habitat are they experiencing multiple, short sessions of rain, and rain does not fall everyday, even in the rainforests. If I didn't have mounted epiphytes, I'd prefer to do 4 days a week with long mist sessions and 3 days a week with no misting at all, but my plants would dry out.

 

[Action Jackson]

I water mine a lot. I do cut back in Winter because I cool mine down during that time. In Spring, Summer and Fall I water a lot. I'm in the "you can't water enough" camp. Parson's can be slow to drink and often won't even move to where they can drink! When they're inside I often water for 40-60 minutes and they seem to love it and many poop during these long sessions.

 

[Twitchet]

My schedule is lights on at 8 am then 9.30 water goes on. Joel suggested to me two long watering sessions a day instead of shorter and watching the female and her behaviour I think it works out very well for her.
Luckily I work from home and my reptile shed is a few paces from the house so I don't have it set automatically and keep it on for how long she wants.
Typically she has it on for at least one hour in the morning- half an hour just incase at 2pm or when in the water zone,
then another hour+ at 5pm,
sessions are always 1 hour- sometimes 90 mins,
She gets to choose- if she is still showering I leave her be for another 15-30mins,
She moves away when she's had enough, The nozzles are set to spray onto fine mesh which creates lots of big heavy waterdrops which she then positions head head under and drinks-and loves it- sometimes drinking for 45mins-
the other nozzle is fine spray.
Sometimes she doesn't drink but I witness her regularly just sitting under the spray for a good hour, she has a big leaf she tucks her head under so her just her body has the water drops falling on it.She loves it.
When she moves I turn the water off. Personally speaking having studied her I dont' think she would drink quickly-even if she is directly under the water she takes 15 minutes before she drinks.
She does have to move towards the spraying area if she's not under it already so I have to account for her speed or lack of it to travel there,and start timing when she's got there (famously took 6 hours to move 6ft one day)
half of viv is warmer and dry ( so hopefully helps pinkfoot as branches are dry?) and the other is cooler and humid/wet.
I'm learning so I'm taking my cues from her and what she wants. P.S You need sunglasses to protect your eyes from the whiteness of her urates! Yay!
Love this-makes me happy seeing her happy.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I just redid the timer again and set it to have 215mins of misting a week. 4 days a week just get a 5mins mist, at night, so things stay wet longer, without the fans.
The other 3 days have 3 20min sessions, one day has each session several hours apart, the other days are in one block of time, but have 10min breaks between 20min on times, to give them time to move to prime drinking stations, and one of the these days I extended the last 20min session to 30mins, so an hour and 10mins total misting in that stretch.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

<watches from his cave>

Me: "Atlas do you get enough water?"

Atlas: <nods head>

Me: "Let's watch all these folks debate watering some more"

Atlas: <Snatches a roach, starts munching>

 

[Extensionofgreen]

<watches from his cave>

Me: "Atlas do you get enough water?"

Atlas: <nods head>

Me: "Let's watch all these folks debate watering some more"

Atlas: <Snatches a roach, starts munching>

So how much does he get?

 

[Action Jackson]

.

 

[Action Jackson]

<watches from his cave>

Me: "Atlas do you get enough water?"

Atlas: <nods head>

Me: "Let's watch all these folks debate watering some more"

Atlas: <Snatches a roach, starts munching>

What's the point of this post?

 

[OldChamKeeper]

So how much does he get?

His mist king is on a simple 24 schedule. in the morning he gets a 5 min misting, another at noon. He then gets another 6 mistings through out the 24hr cycle which vary a little from 1-3 minutes each.

Twice a week he gets a nice 30 min long shower on a branch system made just for the shower.

He also has a dripper on a slow drip that is filled once daily and will drip for about 45 mins, sometimes he'll walk over and use it, other times he laughs at me instead.

Quite a bit of ventilation is provided, air flow is a constant during the day with less at night.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

What's the point of this post?

Humor to some, irritation to others?

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Thanks to those who took their time to reply and detail there methods. Most of my schedules have been closer to @OldChamKeeper 's schedules, but his Atlas is more established than my Wild Caught, I've just had since April, so I think tweaking the schedule to allow more, longer sessions can't hurt. I have 2 20" box fans blowing through the enclosure, the entire time the lights are on, so ventilation is well accounted for.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Thanks to those who took their time to reply and detail there methods. Most of my schedules have been closer to @OldChamKeeper 's schedules, but his Atlas is more established than my Wild Caught, I've just had since April, so I think tweaking the schedule to allow more, longer sessions can't hurt. I have 2 20" box fans blowing through the enclosure, the entire time the lights are on, so ventilation is well accounted for.

Import huh? I'd recommend this;

Keep the misting schedule, don't overdo that since you do want to avoid possible respiratory issues in the habitat. However as I used to do years back with imports, give them a daily shower for 30 mins until the animal is looking plump (hydrated) over a few months, then cut back to twice a week gradually. This ensures a good water cycle while not overdoing it in their new enclosure.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Unfortunately, showering them in the shower is not an option. Our well water is fatal to plants, run through a softener that makes it bad, , though not as quick to kill as the untreated water.
I have an 800 gallon per day Reverse Osmosis system, I use to fill their reservoir, but the RO is not hooked up to the showers or heated.
As far as I can tell, my parsonii are hydrated. Cranial and facial tissues are plump, urates are white, eating and other behaviors are normal, and I see them drinking. Some experienced keepers commented that the male looks slightly dehydrated in photos. I see what they are seeing, but he has always been this mustardy color and not a normal green/turquoise. I'm upping his misting, as outlined above, I'm consulting Dr.Stahl, I've ordered a microscope to better monitor his stools, and I'm hoping he's just yet to show his full potential and will look healthier as he matures. Both animals get the same care and both have put on 90grams, since April, so he isn't held back, in comparison to the female, which there are no questions about her health.
So far parasites seem to be the concern, although 3 fecal test were negative, from April-June.

 

[AaronK]

I water mine a lot. I do cut back in Winter because I cool mine down during that time. In Spring, Summer and Fall I water a lot. I'm in the "you can't water enough" camp. Parson's can be slow to drink and often won't even move to where they can drink! When they're inside I often water for 40-60 minutes and they seem to love it and many poop during these long sessions.

I have noticed this as well, mine will typically defecate while the mister is on. My 1.1 Parsons are captive bred and accustomed to both the dripper and mister. Dripper is filled twice a day dripping almost the entirety that the lights are on and the mister has 2 long sessions one an hour after lights on and one a couple hours before lights off and then a third misting between those times just shorter than the am and pm misting. Urates have always been pure white and the animals are well hydrated.

 

[Carlton]

I

<watches from his cave>

Atlas: <Snatches a roach, starts munching>

I think you meant to say Atlas evaluates the culinary perfection of each available roach and selects the best one.

 

[Carlton]

I water mine a lot. I do cut back in Winter because I cool mine down during that time. In Spring, Summer and Fall I water a lot. I'm in the "you can't water enough" camp. Parson's can be slow to drink and often won't even move to where they can drink! When they're inside I often water for 40-60 minutes and they seem to love it and many poop during these long sessions.

Melleri show this pattern as well. I think that's one reason so many people get in trouble with them. They take a while to get "interested" in drinking, drink a very long time very slowly, unless they happen to be extremely thirsty and under stress.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Unfortunately, showering them in the shower is not an option. Our well water is fatal to plants, run through a softener that makes it bad, , though not as quick to kill as the untreated water.
I have an 800 gallon per day Reverse Osmosis system, I use to fill their reservoir, but the RO is not hooked up to the showers or heated.
As far as I can tell, my parsonii are hydrated. Cranial and facial tissues are plump, urates are white, eating and other behaviors are normal, and I see them drinking. Some experienced keepers commented that the male looks slightly dehydrated in photos. I see what they are seeing, but he has always been this mustardy color and not a normal green/turquoise. I'm upping his misting, as outlined above, I'm consulting Dr.Stahl, I've ordered a microscope to better monitor his stools, and I'm hoping he's just yet to show his full potential and will look healthier as he matures. Both animals get the same care and both have put on 90grams, since April, so he isn't held back, in comparison to the female, which there are no questions about her health.
So far parasites seem to be the concern, although 3 fecal test were negative, from April-June.

Sounds to me you are doing fine, but maybe a little nervous which is understandable. If the animals are gaining weight, passing waste, last 3 fecals were negative, I'd say you got the rhythm down to which these animals need