{"id":2312,"date":"2019-08-26T08:55:16","date_gmt":"2019-08-26T08:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reptilesguide.com\/?p=2312"},"modified":"2020-07-22T12:44:28","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T12:44:28","slug":"how-do-chameleons-drink","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reptilesguide.com\/how-do-chameleons-drink\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Chameleons Drink Water?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every animal has its own ways of drinking water, but how do chameleons drink water?\u00a0 Water is important to the well-being of a chameleon.\u00a0 Chameleons need water to keep their bodies hydrated or they will die.<\/p>\n

So how do chameleons drink water?\u00a0 Chameleons drink water by licking dews and droplets off leaves from trees and plants.\u00a0 In the wild, chameleons will get to drink only during the early morning and evening when dews are formed on the leaves from condensation. \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

How Do Chameleons Drink Water?<\/h2>\n

Chameleons are not like other animals when it comes to drinking water.\u00a0 If you were to put a water bowl in the cage like you normally would for other animals, the chameleons will have the faintest idea on how to drink water from the bowel.\u00a0 That may seem strange, but it’s true.<\/p>\n

In order for chameleons to drink water, you will need to replicate how they drink water in their natural habitat.\u00a0 In the wild, chameleons drink water from water droplets and morning dews on leaves.\u00a0 They also drink water from water running off the leaves.\u00a0 So these are the only ways that a chameleon drink water.<\/p>\n

When setting up your cage, it’s important to put a lot of plants, especially those with large leaves.\u00a0 The more plants you have in the enclosure, the better it will be for the chameleons.<\/p>\n

Can Chameleons Drink Tap Water?<\/h2>\n

Yes, chameleons can drink tap water. However, it depends on where your water source is coming from. If you live in the city, more than likely the water has been treated before it reaches your home. So tap water in cities should be fine.<\/p>\n

If you live in a suburb or in an area where there are no water treatment plants, you’ll have to be careful with the tap water.\u00a0 Since the water from your home comes straight from the well or water underground, it will contain minerals and other water content.\u00a0 Some water content is good and some are bad. The good contents are things like chlorine, fluorine compounds, and trihalomethanes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/a>\"\"Some of the bad contents that might be present in the water will be harmful bacteria, parasites, pesticides, and infections.\u00a0 You really can’t see these things in the water so it’s a good idea to get the water tested or use a filter to remove these harmful contents.\u00a0 This content in the water can be harmful to your chameleons and even kill them. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you’re using tap water from the city or groundwater, one way to be safe with the water is to leave the water overnight in an open container.\u00a0 This should let any chemicals evaporate or sink to the bottom of the water.\u00a0 Also, there are products available to treat the water before giving it to your chameleons.\u00a0 One of the products is a reptile water conditioner<\/a>, which can be found on Amazon.\u00a0 It will remove harmful content from the water and condition the water to a safe level for your chameleons to drink. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another option to remove harmful content from the water is using a water filter.\u00a0 A water filter will do a great job of removing bacteria and other harmful content from the tap water.<\/p>\n

Different Methods To Give Chameleons Water<\/h2>\n

Chameleons are amazing creatures, but they are not smart either.\u00a0 To get them to drink water, you’ll need to imitate how they drink water in their natural habitat.\u00a0 Below are some of the best methods to give water to your chameleons:<\/p>\n

Dripper<\/h3>\n

A simple way to give your chameleons water.\u00a0 You can use a cup or a bottle to make a dripper.\u00a0 On the bottom of the cup or bottle, make a small pin-sized hole.\u00a0 Then watch how fast the water drip out.\u00a0 If the water is dripping too slow, make another hole.\u00a0 Do this until you’re happy with the drip.\u00a0 You can attach the cup or bottle to the side of the cage, or place it on top of the cage.\u00a0 Whichever location you choose, make sure the water is dripping onto the leaves of the tree or plants.<\/p>\n

Hamster Bottle<\/h3>\n

This might work for some and might not work for others.\u00a0 The only way to know if you give it a try.\u00a0 Hamster bottle works by licking the tip of the straw in the bottle and water will drip.\u00a0 Secure the bottle to the side of the enclosure and place the tip of the straw on a leaf.\u00a0 When the chameleons see a droplet of water on the leaf, they will start to lick it.\u00a0 When they do, another droplet of water will form.<\/p>\n

Some chameleons will learn to drink water from the hamster bottle, while others will never.\u00a0 If you have success with this method, that’s great.\u00a0 That means your chameleons will always have fresh water throughout the day.<\/p>\n

Ice Cubes<\/h3>\n

Probably the worse way to give water to chameleons, but it will work if you’re in a hurry to go somewhere.\u00a0 This option should be used as the last resort.\u00a0 To give chameleons water by an ice cube, place it on top of the cage.\u00a0 Make sure it’s on top of the leaves of the plant or tree.\u00a0 As the ice cube melt, it will drip water onto the leaves and the chameleons can lick the water from there.<\/p>\n

Foggers<\/h3>\n

Foggers are a great way to keep your chameleons hydrated.\u00a0 All a fogger do is spray a fine mist of water all over the cage during a certain time throughout the day.\u00a0 However, you can do this manually too.\u00a0 If using a fogger, make sure it sprays for a long time because it takes a while for the mist to accumulate into a water droplet on the leaves.<\/p>\n

Hand Misting<\/h3>\n

Like the name, you simply mist the chameleon’s enclosure with your hand spray bottle.\u00a0 This is an effective way to give water to your chameleons, but it can also take a lot of time.\u00a0 Hand misting the enclosure will require you to mist everything in the cage.\u00a0 This will cause water droplets to form on the leaves, which your chameleons will drink from.<\/p>\n

However, this method will cause your wrist to hurt from the repetitive squeezing of the bottle’s handle spray.\u00a0 To avoid hurting your wrist, you can get a pressure pump spray, which will spray water automatically.<\/p>\n

Auto Mister<\/h3>\n

Out of all the methods on this list, this is by far the best way to give water to your chameleons.\u00a0 However, this method is also the most expensive too.\u00a0 Auto mister comes with a pump and a reservoir that is attached to the side of the cage or placed on top of the cage.\u00a0 You simply fill the reservoir with water, set the timer, and leave it to do its job.\u00a0 It will create a fine mist and cover the entire enclosure without you having to do anything else.\u00a0 Great for anyone who is always busy or doesn’t want to mist the cage themselves.<\/p>\n

There are many auto mister products available on the market, but below are the ones I recommend:<\/p>\n