martyfrost
Member
Is having a waterfall a bad idea in a chams cage
WATER FALLS
- Thread starter martyfrost
- Start date
andrearamirezo91
Avid Member
I’ve read that it is because it can harbor bacteria and make your chameleon sick
martyfrost
Member
is it avoidable
Harryanjames
New Member
Hi, I use a waterfall in my enclosure and have for a while now with little issue. It's cleaned and disinfected weekly. I think that if your Cham is happy to drink from it then they are brilliant at providing increased humidity and also a continual water source.
I've had issues with my chams not recognising dripping water on leaves so it means I don't have to worry about him being hydrated.
The small exo terra waterfall is V easy to clean and small enough to provide a contibua water source without a drowning worry.
I've had issues with my chams not recognising dripping water on leaves so it means I don't have to worry about him being hydrated.
The small exo terra waterfall is V easy to clean and small enough to provide a contibua water source without a drowning worry.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
@Harryanjames how long have you had a waterfall?
A good mist system does so much more. Chameleons can put up with a lot of BS for awhile before they succumb. Even if you use one without problems(yet) I wouldn't recommend them to anybody.
A good mist system does so much more. Chameleons can put up with a lot of BS for awhile before they succumb. Even if you use one without problems(yet) I wouldn't recommend them to anybody.
Harryanjames
New Member
Hi,
Had the waterfall in there for about 8 months now.
I do agree that misting is possibly the most ideal way to get water in there though
Goose502
Chameleon Enthusiast
Chameleons absolutely require misting(or rain). This is how they both hydrate and clean their eye turrets. Where and how in the wild would a chameleon have access to a waterfall? A captive chameleon drinking from a water source is not normal behavior, and may signal signs for chronic dehydration and kidney/liver failure. Waterfalls can look beautiful in a well designed enclosure, but as stated above, will harbor bacteria from both feces and dead feeders. The increase in overall humidity is true, but remember, most chameleons (especially veileds and panthers) require dryer periods during the day. Stick to heavy mistings or simulated rain. Unless you have a room sized enclosure with a water source that is filtered with a healthy population of fish and aquatic plants, you are not filtering or cleaning enough.
Bare minimum you need to inspect the fountain for poop and dead feeders daily and clean it multiple times per week. I don't even know how you would clean the filter adequately once it got contaminated. Some people keep them for use during short vacations as a backup to their misting system.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'd like to do a stream/waterfall build one day in a giant enclosure for either parsonii or melleri. If I was to do that, I would utilize freshwater plants and other natural methods of filtration along with heavy mechanical filtration and a powerful uv sterilizer. Even with that I'd expect regular maintenance.
martyfrost
Member
how exactly do you clean it
Harryanjames
New Member
hot soapy water to clean. Then dry and wipe down with repti safe antibacterial spray. It's a 5 min job.
martyfrost
Member
thank you
andrearamirezo91
Avid Member
This is the literal definition of confirmation bias. There’s no getting through to someone that just wants to do what they want to do regardless of the consequence. My dad always said, there’s no reasoning with the unreasonable. Hopefully the cham will be okay
So it is not recommended to use a waterfall under most conditions, but not impossible. If you have the time to spend cleaning it multiple times a week and there are other sources of hydration then go for it. I personally would not do it. I haven't seen any actual documentation about bacteria in them, but know that they get disgusting after a day or two and I would want it to be easily removed for cleaning. I have seen some say that their chameleons drink from them, but it is not the norm. It would work better in a bio-active set up or something similar to a dart frog enclosure. It sounds like a ton of work vs. the benefit IMO...
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'm all for waterfeatures if you have the patience, space, devotion to make the correct system. I'd love to see someone attempt this. My problem is with the petstore waterfalls that are going to be pretty nasty unless you bleach them every other day. Poop, feeders, or anything organic falling into the water will break down, causing an ammonia spike in an uncycled system. Ammonia is toxic. If fish couldn't live in it, the cham shouldn't drink from it. With a nicely cycled system, ammonia will be converted to nitrates by harmless bacteria, similar to a bioactive substrate. Nitrates are far less dangerous and usually just contribute to algae growth. This is where freshwater plants come in since plants love to absorb the nitrates out of the water. Would be extremely cool to see someone do this. Montanes especially could enjoy the added humidity. According to pictures I've looked up of parson's natural habitat in ranomafana, there are streams and waterfalls all over the place. Obviously it'd take extra space and resources, but it would be appropriate for the species. Panthers on the other hand aren't usually(if ever?) found in the rainforest environment.
James, your replies are always knowledgeable, and level-headed. You should be an Admin...I always look forward to your replies.
CHEERS!
Nick
