Chameleon dehydration

A severely dehydrated egg bound female shortly before death.

The incorrect methods of water delivery or insufficient amounts of water can commonly lead to chameleons becoming dehydrated in captivity. The first visual signs of a dehydrated animal can be lethargy, suppressed appetite, wrinkling of the skin, yellow or orange urates and the most pronounced sign being sunken eyes. A sunken casque can also be an indicator of dehydration although this can also be related to malnourishment and other health issues.
Mild dehydration issues like slightly sunken eyes can be rectified relatively quickly if the correct hydration methods are started immediately, as long as there are no other underlying health issues with the dehydrated animal.

Prolonged showering with warm water is recommended and should last for around 30 minutes at a time, this can be done several times a day or until an improvement can be seen in the animal. This can be done in the enclosure with the help of a hand held sprayer, or the chameleon may be placed in the shower on a large plant, if a shower is used then you must ensure that the jet from the shower head is bounced off a tile wall and only onto one half of the plant. This will make sure the chameleon can get out of the direct spray if it wishes to. Never directly spray the full plant and if your animal shows signs of severe stress then put him back in the enclosure and seek alternative methods.

There are also powders available that you can mix with water to help your animal regain adequate hydration levels, these are massively beneficial to a dehydrated chameleon and contain electrolytes and maltodextrins that will aid your animal in re-hydrating and gaining some of the much needed energy to help it recover. (See products page). It is a good idea to offer your chameleon added water through a pipette, most individuals will take quickly to this method and it is very beneficial to the keeper when you need to administer medicines like the ones described above.

A severely dehydrated chameleon will have eyes that are sunken right back into the orbit, at this stage there is a substantial amount of strain being put on the liver and kidneys and the severity of the problem will make it much harder for the animal to fully recover. The same watering methods as above can be used but you will need to get the animal to a reptile veterinarian for direct hydration procedures which may include injecting a solution directly into the bone.


Bright orange urates in the chameleons stools give the first indication that they are in need of higher hydration levels.	A adult male showing severe signs of dehydration and renal failure related to chronic gout.

Dehydration can be avoided if there is enough water supplied and it is delivered in the correct manner, if you spray the enclosure 2-3 times a day and also run a dripper twice a day then this should be enough to keep your animal in good hydration. The correct placement of plants and foliage will also play a part in your chameleons’ ability to consume enough water, make sure that the plants are placed in a way that water droplets can form for the animal to drink from. A sparsely planted cage containing mainly branches and thin stemmed plants will soon lead to a dehydrated chameleon if there is no where for the water to collect.

If your chameleon is showing severe signs of dehydration like sunken eyes and casque but your watering methods are good and you see your animal drink regularly, then renal failure from other husbandry issues may be the cause and you must seek the advice of a qualified reptile veterinarian as soon as possible to give your animal the best possible chance of survival.