Imho....standing water is not a good thing in a chameleon cage and if I were going to run a misting system I would be making sure that it was done in such a way that any standing water in the cage could be gotten rid of on an almost daily basis. Imho... I would not even be contemplating how long I could leave the water before it might become dangerous, I would be making sure it never came to the point of even having to think about it. I would be putting the chameleon's best interests ahead of anything else.
Standing water and chameleons
- Thread starter broderp
- Start date
broderp
Avid Member
I agree. I will need to look into my options for removing moisture from the bottom of my terrarium. I may need to simply go back and use my humidifier to maintain a safe humidity level and a dripper for getting a Cham to drink. Or install a fan to suck out air to help speed up the evaporation process.
I have never used a humidifier or a misting system or fountainsor fans in chameleon cages and mine have done well without all of them. I live in Ontario Canada and in the winter it's dry inside the house. I'm not saying that some of these things can help...but they can also cause health problems if not used properly. I guess I believe in simplicity where possible.
tenchijin
Established Member
How do you maintain tropical level humidity in your environments?
I don't. It seems like as long as chameleons are well watered and the cages are misted a couple of times a day that the chameleons are OK without high humidity. I've kept veileds, panthers, dwarf Jacksons, Mediterranean chameleons, and quite a few others this way. For me, in the area inmlive in, it seems to work. They don't seem to have eye issues or shedding problems or get fungal infections or RI's generally...so I don't fix what isn't broken.
broderp
Avid Member
Seems very counter intuitive based on the "common knowledge" and care sheets. But if it works for you, maybe there's something to it. Certainly would avoid the age old issue of standing water.
So first, standing water to me is water that sits and has time to become a health issue. My mistking reservoir is filled with a couple gallons every few days so it isn't what I would consider "standing". The bucket for drainage is another story. It smells and is full of all sorts of stuff, as one could imagine, and this needs to be emptied and cleaned a few times a week. Imagine all that "stuff" staying in the enclosure. Now that would be asking for trouble...
CharlieCharmingo
Avid Member
I see your point. Can this "stew" can be carried by the air and inhaled by a Cham? I have never seen a Cham (unless sick or looking to lay eggs) really go down to the bottom very often. If the dangerous stuff not air born, some Chams may not have any adverse affects from it. (Not that I'm condoning leaving standing water in an enclosure of any kind)
Good points as well. I'm not sure how feeders would contaminate the water to be honest. Feeders when fed will most likely have undisposed of waste in their system at the time of consumption. Poo is poo right? Unless we are saying fresh poo is better for than old poo. (I can't believe I just said that.)
Yes but when feeders die, especially crickets they give off a sort of smell or toxin that can be harmful. Not any smell that you and I can smell but a smell that like animals can smell. Aside from keeping it clean and such, but that's why when you find dead crickets in your feeder cage you're supposed to take them out because they give off something that will make the crickets around it for too.
CharlieCharmingo
Avid Member
Also, I believe standing water is fine for a day or so depending on what your schedule is like. For example if water catches in the tray I hold the plant in then I either clean it out that night or in the morning (like now lol). The longer water sits the quicker it becomes mold water in my opinion.
