Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a one-year-old panther cham that has been drinking water straight from the spray bottle for months. So he's been easy to hydrate in the past.

Recently, though, he just looks at the nozzle when I spray and then rolls his eyes and looks away, refusing to drink a single drop.

I haven't changed his environment lately, so I'm at a loss. I steam his twice a week in the shower, but if he doesn't drink soon I'm gonna have to force some water...I guess??

Any advice or similar experiences? Thanks in advance.

-Brandon

http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/hydrate.htm

I use a syringe or eyedropper and give the amount for his weight on the chart. I divide the amount by two or three depending on how many times a day I will be giving him some water.

Sometimes chams decide they want their water in a different way. Are you spraying the cage and foliage 2-3 times a day? Is the air humidity much different right now? If it is more humid in the room he may not be as thirsty. He may have decided he wants to "do it myself Dad". Do you ever see him lick dripping leaves in the cage? Showering can be stressful, so try raining in the cage without having to handle him instead. Forcing water on any cham is a good way to injure or cause aspiration. Look for other causes of stress, such as a change in the room, what he can see, other pets visible, as well as other signs of health problems such as mouth sores, infection, etc.

--

If he's not drinking, the easiest is to setup a dripper for him. Just get an empty 1 gallon water jug and poke a whole in the bottom. I use a bucket with a screened lid to catch the water at the bottom of the cage and empty it every morning. hope this helps.