As customers purchase water bowls appropriate to their species, make sure they realize how those species are likely to use their water bowls. Keeping an eye on what ends up in the water bowl could lead a hobbyist to diagnose a potentially harmful illness.

Lizard species such as basilisks, green iguanas and Chinese water dragons often defecate in their water, which needs to be changed very frequently. Make sure hobbyists realize the necessity of frequent water changes.

Also, make sure they monitor the quality and quantity of the feces, before simply discarding it. Feces can be a major indicator of the animal’s health.

There are three main portions of droppings produced by most reptiles – a liquid portion, a whitish portion and a solid greenish portion. By monitoring these portions, as caught by the water dish or substrate, much can be learned about the animal’s internal health.

“There is the urine, liquid portion,” said Marge Wissman, DVM, DABVP. “Then there are the urates, which is the end product of protein digestion – the white, creamy part that comes out with the dropping. The last part is the feces – the brown or green part that appears worm-like.”

Even if adequate water is present in the surrounding environment or a water bowl, other health problems can prevent an animal from drinking, causing deadly dehydration, says Wissman, a Wesley Chapel, Fla.-based exotics vet and diagnostic lab consultant.

“Sometimes the urine portion may be decreased if the animal is dehydrated,” she said. “Depending on the substrate in the cage, you may or may not be able to see that easily. If there’s a question about whether [your animal] looks like it’s getting dehydrated, it might be better to put paper towel or newspaper in the bottom of the cage so you can better evaluate the droppings.” <HOME>