Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a few noob questions:

-How long (minutes?)should I be misting my new veiled's enclosure?
-Should he be covered repeatedly with the water?
-Right now I am using a spray bottle...should I be misting down from the top screen, or is there a better angle to take?
-Is distilled water the best thing to use?

Thanks for the help

Is misting your only source of water? I would strongly recommend a dripper so that he can drink when he wants to. Misitng can be tough. You really need to mist several times/day for 5 full minutes. It can take awhile for the drinking response to take place. If you live in a dry climate a humidifier on a timer is really helpful.

I saw the pics you posted below and have to say he looks pretty thing. His ribs and spine are showing and in the first pic his eyes and casque look a but sunken so Iwould would really "up" the humidity levels. Mist from a above so it falls on him more naturally and never right in his face. You can use hot water that will cool when it hits the air.

Distilled water is not good b/c all the elements have been removed. IF you are on city water you need to let the water sit out uncovered f or 24 hours to get rid of the chlorine. Regualr bottled spring water is fine but can get expensive. I use tap water with a Brita filter. We have a dug well so no chlorine.

Hope this helps!
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

He's been drinking from ice cubes (made from PUR filtered water)that fall onto a group of leaves on a vine I had set up. Didn't realize that misting was used to trigger that response, I had figured that supplying him with dripping water about 4 times a day would be adequate...but then again I'm completely new at this.

That picture was from about an hour after I had gotten him. At the store he was caged with two females so I'm not sure if he had been eating enough. Since he has been with me he has been eating crickets by the bagfull. I'm working on the diversification of diet thang, as he doesnt seem to take to watercress and other vegetative "treats."

If he continues to do well with the cubes, should I still mist 5 times a day, or should I cut it down to 2-3 times? Also is it five minutes or just until the drinking response is triggered.

Lizards are ectotherms, meaning they get regulate their body temps by surroundings - this is why they bask. Ice cubes are cold (duh) and will only make regulating internal temps more difficult. When their temps are no high enough they can have trouble digesting. So I would get a dripper or make one by a pinhole in bottom of cup sitting on the screen. As for the water coming from a PUR filter you still may want to let it set out overnight. You can just fill a gallong container daily. If the PUR filters out chlorine than it's OK. We have a well so I do not know so get other opinions on that. You may be all done misting when he is ready to actually drink so pay attention to his habits. Luna never licked a leaf but would sit under her dripper and accept handwatering from a rodent drip bottle.

On the note of temps, be sure not to feed him too late in the day. He will need to bask and digest his food before his body temps cool and any undigested food can feroent overnight
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha