Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok folks... background info first after all.
Basking spot is 110 air temp ranges from 90 - 75 (he has cold hides and hot). Night time is colder I keep the humidity at 80% I have a mister built in..
I also spray his enclosure in the morning when I change water. when I first got him he would run and hide when I sprayed (I never spray him or whatever hide he is in) but this week he has started coming out of the hide when I spray. at first just to see what I am doing. But now he sees the spray bottle and runs to it to drink. why he does not want the fresh water I just put in I don't know. But he likes to drink our of my spray bottle (odd I know)
So my question.. since he always shats in his water. should I buy a better humidity gauge (Everything I have read says monitors don't drink unless dehydrated). Is mine just weird? he does not seem to be dehydrated. should I put in a small fresh water waterfall and hope he does not shat it up??
Everything else is good.. good poop, shedding, and he is active enough, and eating lots and growing

Thanks much.. I'll give more info I have forgotten anything

Ash

Opps we really need an edit message function...
Thanks to those who made it through my spelling and grammar mistakes.

Ash

Hi Ash!
Your comment (Everything I have read says monitors don't drink unless dehydrated). can be interpreted different ways. Without diggin up official reports or book excerpts, I'll try to explain my take on it.

I suppose it comes down to the level of dehydration. I believe a monitor drinks in order to avoid dehydration or becoming more dehydrated.

"Dehydration" is the loss of moisture/water. Sometimes we think of it in severe terms instead of the natural minor process that it can be. What I'm trying to say is, don't automatically assume the worst if your sav drinks water.

When I mist a cage I mist all parts, even burrows, hides, etc... If you keep a clean bowl of water available, and it gets too dhydrated, it'll drink from that water bowl, whether it has defecated in it or not.

The fcoming out during misting now can be a few things; Firts & foremost, it could mean that it's not staying hydrated enough. It could also be a natural thing, something they do in the wild.

So the first thin you do is look at your humidity in the cage and you said it was 80%, which is good, maybe a tad on the high side but as long as your careful about keeping an eye out for fungus n such, should be OK. But with that high of humidity good ventilation is needed.

Two things you didn't mention that I feel could be key in figuring out what's going on. Substrate and type of cage top.

If you're not using a substrate that can hold humidity fairly well and you have a screened top, where are you taking your hudidity level readings from, what height within the cage?

Under those conditions the humidity can quickly escape, rising above the the monitor ohysical height, and on out the top before the monitor has a chance to absorb any of it.

One last thing, I feel that your basking spot temperature should be at least 135 degrees (F), or a tad higher. Set it to that temp, observe the monitor's basking behavior over the next feew weeks or so and incease/decrease accordingly (just a few degrees at a time) Again, give it at least a week before adjust ing again.

Sorry this turned out to be so long, I have always had problems with taking 30 minutes to tell a 5 minute story. I try to get too specific, too many details.

Best wishe!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Thanks for the reply

To clarify I have a covered over screen top on him right now. he is still in his temporary tank. (I have never worked with wood before so its taking me longer then expected to build).
My humidity gauge is a stick on. Its about 3" above the substrate (crappy I know).
And right now he is on eco earth (I'm not liking it)I can't find anything at my garden center. Everyone I know including my self sprays fertilizer so my dirt is no good. But I am working on it. the eco earth was the best I could do on short notice.
When I spray... he has 2 hides. I just don't spray the one he is in (I think of it if he wanted to get wet he would come out) his hide is his hide I don't intrude.
Also. I had his basking spot up that high when I first got him. He would only go near it, not in/on it. I left it for a week and then lowered it. so far this is where he likes it. and he has been using it regularly. Once I have a bigger enclosure I will probably raise his basking temp.

Thanks for the clarification on the dehydration comment.
I'm thinking I just have a weird one.
and he is smart too.. somehow I don't think I will ever be able to go back to snakes

so would you bother with the waterfall (The one for drinking..with no big pool of water)

Ash

so would you bother with the waterfall

No, not at all.

You can take an eyedropper found in the health/pharmacy sections of places like Wal-Mart ec... Fill it with water just abouve room temperature and see if he' drnk that way and take it from there.

Havg in there!
Mikie
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Ha! I just don't like giving one sentence answers, period.

You asked: "so would you bother with the waterfall"

I replied: "No, not at all."

You see, that's not very informative, it just shows my opinion & not how I've come to form that opinion.

Waterfalls can be a pain to maintain, and even though your sav may not be able to actually get into it, you can count on it being able to poop in it, on it, or at least pretty darn close to it.

With proper humidity, your sav will absorb most of the moisture it needs thru it's body. And with a water bowl in it's cage, too, it can drink from it. I've never known savs to have problems learning to drink from bowls like bearded dragons do.

If your sav is staying in one particular hide and that's the hide it comes out of to drink from the mist (rainfall) try misting inside that hide without disturbing the hide. Put some moisture in it, and see if there's a difference.

I'm not familiar with the eco-stuff. To me, for keeping a single sav, several inches of plain ol' dirt is the best substrate. In a glass tank you can see the moisture level in the dirt and this makes it easier to maintain cage humidity.

Just as a "better safe than sorry" tidbit; run your plastic covering the screen top just short, away, from the heat/light on hot end and cut it about 1 inch short of the cool end so air can pass thru that end easily, but not too easily. Weight it down a little to keep it flat so moisture can't escape in the wrinkles.

From the sounds of things, I don't really suspect you have a moisture problem, but since it appears that it could be, we need to elimante that possibility. The process of elimantion is essential in problem solving.

I hope this helps & didn't turn out too long & drawn out for you.

Take care!

Oh, where's the pics? Ha! Ha!

Later!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

WARNING *long rambling post*
Thanks HH
I was going to reply to you last night. But being Halloween and all I was just too tired (I tried.. it just came out jibberish)
Then I tried again this morning, but my baby would not cooperate and I was sick of typing with one hand.. so.......
I have my plastic cover just as you describe... (yea me)
He has about 8 inches of eco earth and I can see the moisture in it.
I was thinking about this more last night (I had nothing better to do) when I first got him, he was kept on a liner (I had to clean the tank every other day was easier that way) anywho.. he always did his business on the liner and drank from his water bowl. when I switched to the eco earth He has since always done his business in the water bowl. I have not even seen him soak in his bowl (not really a bowl just lost for words as usual). He fits in his bowl no problems.
and then I got to thinking... hey I wonder if he could learn to drink out of a rodent water bottle (I breed guineas) Now that I type it out that sounds so stupid and he probably can't.
I think I am going to get my hubby to modify a waterfall so my sav can't get to the pool.

Wow I hope that makes sense.
I have not worked in years, I have been a stay at home mom for 4 years now. and when you don't use it you lose it... language that is. its sad when you have more reptiles then friends lol. I don't get very much adult interaction.

O.o Pictures... will take some tomorrow I forgot to today and I have already watered him.

And one more random thought from my brain. I do spray his hide after he leaves I just don't spray it while he is in it. (I don't want to be sprayed with water when not expecting it either)

Ash

Forgot to mention. He only does this for me (we have an understanding I think.) He runs to the closest hide when my hubby comes near. Odd considering he does all the feedings and I do the watering and cleaning.

They're very intelligent, more so than people realize. Another view could be if your husband is bigger than you & his size is intimidating to them, or, some little something he does that causes them concern, fear.

Later!
HH
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Yeah that would probably be it..
I would still like to think its because I whisper sweet nothings to him, and sing while I clean. lol
But you are probably right

Nah, the water bottle wouldn't work, not very well at least, like you've already figured out. Helps sometimes to put it down in writing & then read it, doesn't it? I've got several posts on record here just like that; After reading it in my post I say, "What was I thinking?" Hahahaha!!! So don't be embarassed, you're human, thank goodness. The reason it wouldn't work is 'cause like a snake, their tongues can't lap the water, they have to draw it in.

You mentioned trying to post last night, Ha! Take a look at my 2nd & 3rd posts in the thread right above this one. Talk about gibberish?! For everyone that doesn't know me it looks like I'd had a wee bit too much 'shine. Hahahaha!!! Truth is I had to give that up nearly 16yrs ago. Seems like the only reason I drank was to see how much I could drink, how many people I can be obnoxious to, how many "Hey ya'll, watch this!" stupid stunts I could do, all before I passed out. Hahahahaha!!! Thank goodness them days is gone. So are a few brain cells, too. Ha! Ha!

You might want to try a different humidity gauge before going thru the trouble of modifying a waterfall, unless you'd like the looks of it as well as any possible benefits. Those strips aren't very accurate but if they're not damaged, can give you a fairly good idea.

If you sav hasn't had any problems with scraggly & lasting sheds it's probably OK, it just enjoys a refreshing rain.

Well, Ash, it's a pleasure gettin' to know you better.
"I have not worked in years, I have been a stay at home mom for 4 years now."
I happen to know that's a contradictory statement. Stay at home moms work their fannies off, for the most part. Us men couldn't handle doing that if we HAD to. My wife did the same thing, and she homeschooled our 2 youngunz for the first few grades, total of about 8yrs. (4yrs difference between kids)

Hang in there & take care!
Mikie
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Oh I know what you mean about stay at home moms and work.. I have never worked so much in my life. My kidletts are also 4yrs apart, was thinking about home schooling too. But I still have a year to make up my mind.

Back on topic again.
I think I will be getting a new humidity gauge.. **any recommendations?
Mines not a strip stick on. its one of those exoterra ones (still lacking words)
and after I get a new one set up. if he is still drinking from the stream. Then I will modify the waterfall.

And what would you classify a stuck shed as..
Right now he started at his head and his tail. its has been about 4 days I think. Nothing looks tight its just not ready to fall off yet. I ask because his first shed that I had him for took almost 3 weeks to be done.... and then he started shedding again.

on a side note about shedding. I have a boa that I rescued(long story too) it has never shed properly (65% hum) I ran out of shed aid and I was thinking hmmm **Probably way to much Info** I have used breastmilk for many things on my kids lol like pink eye, rashes, burns, dry skin etc so I put some in a sprayer (tmi still) And sprayed him twice a day for 3 days.. and viola perfect dough nut sheds.. gross I know

I've got one of the small, round ExoTerra humidity gauges and it's fairly accurate. Plenty accurate enough for me. I use it in the cage I'm raising my baby burmese pythons in.

For most of my other cages I use a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer with built in humidity gauge. I absolutely LOVE them. I've got about 5 of 'em.

You can find 'em at just about any hardware or do-it-yourself store. I got mine from Wal-Mart for $11 each. They run off of AAA batteries that you'll need to buy seperately.

The ones I use are made by Acu-Rite and the external probe can measure temperature ranges from -58 to 158 (F). That'll measure the temp of any basking site any monitor needs.

They have a 10 foot wire lead that I use to measure the hot end of the cage. I usually tape it level with the substrate or just above substrate level, to a limb or something, or, to the side of the cage (making sure that sensor isn't resting against the glass & giving false reading).

I then tape the main unit to the inside of the cage with the digital readout facing out so it can be viewed easily from outside of the cage. I tape it a few inches above the substrate so it measures the ambient temp that the animal actually feels (animal height). Bury the wire lead and you're done.

It will also record the hi/lo of both inside & outside (cool end/hot end) and hi/lo humidity levels. Try not to wet it when misting but if you do, take it, remove battery, leave battery cover off & let it dry for a few days & it usually still works. Been there, done that.

I'm telling you the truth, I think these things are GREAT! And cheap, too.

Here's the link to the same model that I use. Use this as a referrence when looking for one. It doesn't have to be this particular brand, just as long as it measures inside/outside temps & humidity.
Digital Thermometer
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American