Ensuring hydration... how often do they urinate?

[snake_girl85]

Little Oogway is settling in well, eating up a storm! After reading about how fragile hatchlings are and how vital proper humidity is, I'm getting a little obsessive about it and want to make sure he stays properly hydrated, especially since our house gets VERY dry in the winter.

He has a basking corner of about 90-95 degrees, with a cool side in the low to mid 70s. Nighttime temp is right at 70 degrees. He has a dry hide and a humid hide (though the humid hide seems to dry out halfway through the day... I try to keep up with it), and seems to spend about equal time in each, when he's not out wandering. I have never soaked him, but he has a shallow water saucer available at all times. I plop him in there a few times a day, and have seen him go in on his own a few times, though I have never seen him drink. He is now getting a daily mix of collard, dandelion, and spring mix, with moistened/crumbled zoomed grassland pellets and chopped up wheat grass mixed in, and calcium at every other feeding (he has access to cuttlebone, but he ignores it so far).

How can I tell if he is staying hydrated enough? My husband saw him poised over his water dish and peeing like crazy the other day, which I consider a good sign.

Also, which is more important for controlling pyramiding, environmental humidity, or overall hydration? Obviously an animal in a dry environment would dehydrate quicker, but do you think it is a result of inadequate hydration or improper levels of humidity acting on the surface of the shell?

 

[Greg T]

Sounds like you are doing fine with him. As long as you have water available in the habitat, he should go drink when he wants. He will also get some hydration through the foods, especially the lettuce. If you are curious, just place him in his water once a day and if he is thirsty then he will drink usually. If he's not thirsty, then he'll go on his way. If you see him peeing, then he's hydrating well.

The pyramding question is more difficult to answer since there are multiple opinions about what causes the problem. Overall, I don't believe there is too much you can do beyond good care to minimize pyramiding. They will go find a comfortable location, so keep the humid hide and just let him enjoy himself.

Hope it helps!