chameleon showering question

adamofsound · 03-15-05, 03:46 PM

hi,
I'd like to add some extra humidity to the weekly routine for my approx 9 month-1 year old veiled chameleon. Ive read allowing your cham some time in a warm shower can be beneficial. I've also seen it mentionned on here.

they way I understand it, you dont put the cham in the direct water spray, but let him enjoy the warm moisture in the air. Is this correct? what is a good way to let them perch in the shower so they are not in the actual water stream?

thanks,
Adam

HeatherRose · 03-15-05, 04:08 PM

I find if the water in my shower is too warm I 'steam' my chameleons and they don't like it... when the water is a bit cooler than warm they are plenty more active and drink more.

I put a 2 ft. tall potted plant in the shower, with half of the plant under the water and half not. Works great

peterm15 · 03-15-05, 09:20 PM

id love to do that.. but i cant hold my cham so i wouldnt be able to grab him to shower him..

adamofsound · 03-15-05, 09:24 PM

yeah, mine isnt hadeleable at all. Im goingto have to nudge him from behind onto a branch that I can move him on. my cham is really really pissy.

peterm15 · 03-15-05, 09:27 PM

i could put any money on it that mine is worse. lol... and hes also an escape artist so im gonna have to build a cage to.. lol.. i usually just mist directly on him sometimes hell back away so i stop and sometimes hell just drink...

adamofsound · 03-15-05, 09:29 PM

i mist a couple times a day too, but the air is really dry here in the winter. like everywhere. luckily (for my cham and crested geckos) it is super humid during the summer.

Adam

peterm15 · 03-15-05, 09:34 PM

well i found if you put a humidiier directly in front of his cage itll keep humidity up.. at about 55-65 thats on low.. and look under this thread

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showt...threadid=65356

under roocat71's pics and theyll show a very good way to keep humidity up.. the second set of pics ( last post on first page) gives you his veild setup

labomb · 03-16-05, 06:29 AM

the shower sounds interesting, but what about the chlorine in the water? I never use faucet water to mist, I buy distilled water. wouldn't showering be harmful?

DragnDrop · 03-16-05, 08:35 AM

Reptiles can drink chlorinated water, it's not toxic to them for drinking. Same deal with water with chloramine added). If the water is safe for human consumption, your cham can drink and bathe in it too.

The reason many people think chlorinated water isn't safe for them stems from fish, newts and frogs etc. - they'll die if you use that on them. They absorb the water where the chlorine and (and ammonia from chloramine) can prove fatal. Drinking is okay, absorbing into the body/bloodstream is fatal.

There's chloramine in the drinking water in this town, but I don't do anything to it for the reptiles, I just serve it to them 'plain'. For amphibians I'll use a dechlorinator that neutralizes chloramines.
One other suggestion, if you do feel it's necessary to use a chemical neutralizer for your reptiles, just use one that neutralizes, don't use the ones that add all kinds of stress inhibitors and slime coat fixer-uppers for fish. It's useless for reptiles and probably amphibians as well. Just a plain old dechlorinator without all the fishy additives is all you need. If your drinking water only has chlorine in it, leave it stand in a clean container overnight, that will let enough chlorine dissipate without monkeying around with chemicals.