I figure that the sitting in the dishes was their attempt to find a place to hibernate/brumate…I'm not sure why they drank out of the dishes other than they were taking advantage of available resources in a nit so natural environment. All but one of them was with me for 5 years or so…and all were WC and adult when I got them. I was surprised they lived so long under the circumstances. The females all produced eggs the first year they were with me and some more eggs (but fewer in total) the second year. Most of the hatchlings also lived for 4 or 5 years with me. Some of the second years’ hatchlings were weaker…maybe due to my less than perfect husbandry back then…or maybe not?