Shoot tongue to drink??

[Goggles]

I have a male veiled aprox. 3 months old and have been misting twice a day since we got him. Very rarely see him drink but the odd time we will see him drinking off a leaf.
Last friday I was going to be around all day so I set up a plastic beer cup with a pin hole in it half filled with water to see what he would do.
Set the cup on top of his cage dripping down onto a couple leaves thinking he would drink from the leaves. Instead he stretched himself out on his sun branch and shot his tongue at the water drops on the screen top.(twice)
Is this normal and if so should I put a branch closer to the dripping spot.
Again, I thought he would drink off the leaves!

Terry

Sorry meant to put in general!

 

[warpdrive]

I am quite new to all of this, only having a cham for 4 days or so.
so take this with a huge grain of salt.

my thoughts are he is experiancing something new, thinking that it might be food droping down from the top of the cage and is trying to catch it.
I'm sure after a few times he'll realise that it's just water and will stop.

Harry

 

[Murrdox]

Yup, this is normal. Sometimes they will shoot their tongue out to grab water droplets.

Most chameleons are shy about drinking. Don't be surprised if you rarely see him do it. Just do your misting and setup a drip though, and he'll be fine.

 

[pr3mo15]

Im rather new aswell, I have had my cham for about 2 months(hes now 5months about)...I have seen him shoot his tongue at water...I dont THINK its a big deal...But wait till somebody more experienced gives you an answer

 

[panthercham]

Yep all 4 of mine do that.....they shoot water droplets, lick it off the screen, leaves and branches and occassionally straight of the dripper as it drips out

 

[Goggles]

I thought at first he might have thought it was a fly, then he hit it again
I was sitting right beside him when this happened and don't usually see him drink so it seemed a little odd.
If this is normal that's great!
Thanks all.

Terry

 

[sandrachameleon]

Mine have done this too. By having a branch closer to the source of dripping, he'll more likely drink direct than shoot the water with his tongue. Mine prefer to drink direct from source rather than wait for drips to hit leaves.

 

[Goggles]

Thanks Sandra.
He is growing like a weed so his enclosure will need a make over this weekend (twigs are too small-belly too big)and a stick under his cup will be happening.
Terry