|
1-7 of 7 messages
|
Page 1 of 1
|
|
Dew Drinking Rhinos and Gaboons
|
Reply
|
|
by Cro on March 29, 2005
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
In the past I have kept young rhino vipers and gaboons in cages with crushed rock substrate, and small drain holes in the bottom of the cage, below the substrate for drainage.
I would mist the snakes with water every day or two. Even though they would rarely drink from water bowls, when misted, they would immediatle drink the water from the misting from the cage walls, substrate, and even their own bodys.
I think that in the wild, they might get a lot of their water supply from drinking the Dew from plants each morning.
It would be interesting to hear others views and observations on if misting caused an immediate drinking response, even when water was readily available in water bowls, and if it has been observed in the wild with these snakes. JohnZ
|
| |
|
RE: Dew Drinking Rhinos and Gaboons
|
Reply
|
|
by Crotalus_Catcher on March 29, 2005
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
I had this same discovery with a group of neonate atrox. Granted, they're not NEAR as noted for their reluctance to drink in captivity as the bitis, but i had a group of 4 that would not drink out of bowls, they would only drink off themselves when misted.
|
| |
|
RE: Dew Drinking Rhinos and Gaboons
|
Reply
|
|
by captiveherps on March 29, 2005
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Most gabbons/rhinos NEED to drink that way, you have to "teach" them to drink from a dish. Most imported ones will just wither away and die if they are not watered in that fashon. Goes for puffs too, to a lessor extent.
I keep an airstone going in my bitis water dishes, it helps to convince them to drink from a dish. Soaking them on a regular basis is not a bad idea either.
|
| |
|
RE: Dew Drinking Rhinos and Gaboons
|
Reply
|
|
by Phobos on March 30, 2005
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Good topic..
My Rhino and Gabby have to be dragged to the water dish for a drink. Although misted, I never observed them "Dew Lapping" My Puff Adder "Dew Laps" when misted and can be lead to the water dish where she gets a real drink. My B.cauldalis "Dew Laps" on a regular basis but will not dring from a water bowl.
Her main was to get water is to suck it off her skin when misted. She wil actually flatten herself out so the surface for collecting water is greater.
Cheers,
Al
|
| |
|
RE: Dew Drinking Rhinos and Gaboons
|
Reply
|
|
by AquaHerp on March 30, 2005
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
Plenty of snakes will drink this way; gabonica, nasicornis, worthingtoni, wagleri, shlegelii,marchi, aurifer, are a few that pop right into mind from daily sprayings. Back in 95 or so while doing horridus work out in the forest, I was observing a male just as the rain came in. He was coiled tightly enough that he began to drink water that was collecting between his coils. It was really a cool thing to watch and he got quite the drink from it too. I had often wondered where they got hydration from on those dry ridges and speculated that it came from water trapped in knot-holes, leafs, bark and such. Although I am sure they are opportunistic enough to get it where they can, it's obvious that they are resourceful enough to get it where others cannot. Gotta love nature!
|
| |
|
RE: Dew Drinking Rhinos and Gaboons
|
Reply
|
|
by Richie on March 30, 2005
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Hi John.
My Bitis experience has shown that they will drink dew from their coils, when misted - despite there being water in the enclosures.
However, ALL of my Bitis have/will drink readily from a water bowl, if not sprayed for 2-4 days duration. I have certainly witnessed my West African Gaboons, East African Gaboons and Rhinos, make positive "focused" trips to and from their water bowls - they clearly know where it is.
Regards
Viperman (UK)
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Manager.
|
