Reptiles and amphibians are pretty unusual pets even these days. They need special care and of course, a special environment. Since most of them live in very different environments, taking care of them involves special bits like drippers.
You’ll need a good dripper if you want your little buddy to be comfortable. And that’s where the little dripper comes in. This is one of the best drippers out there. Is it worth the hype it gets?
Let’s take a look at that.
Key Features of Little Dripper
It is an unwritten rule to read up about something before you get them. This way you know what you’re getting into and what options you have.
Zoo Med products are absolutely top-notch and the little dripper is no exception. The key feature of this dripper would be the ease of use, lasting time, and flexibility.
Here’s a more detailed look at the little dripper’s key features.
- Ease of Use
The little dripper is probably the easiest one to set up and use.
There aren’t many parts and it takes very little time to set up. You can be completely new with this and still set it up very easily.
The dripper only has three parts you’ll have to connect. The water container, the drip nozzle, and the dripping tube.
Altogether it takes around 5 minutes to set it up. All you’ll have to do is set it up in a stable place and you’re done.
You can also control the water flow easily so you won’t have to worry about it dripping too fast or slow.
- Lasting Time
This is probably the biggest perk of this dripper. Once you fill the water container up, you won’t have to worry about refilling for the whole day unless you’re going for fast dripping.
The problem with manual drippers (milk jugs and paper cups) is that you have to refill them after a while. So you can never really relax and have to worry about refilling instead. The little dripper is the perfect solution to that.
The water container in this is the perfect size to last for the whole day. So unless you’re going for a fast drip, you won’t have to refill it during the day.
This is why it is an amazing solution when you’re leaving your pet home for a long time.
- Flexibility
The nozzle and the dripping tube give the whole setup a little extra flexibility. You can point and angle the tube any way you want and it will stay like that.
The most you’ll need is a couple of paper clips to hold it in place. Now, watch this little review video.
What Could Have Been Better With Little Dripper?
Like everything else, the little dripper also has some issues it should focus on. These issues may not push them to the bottom of the barrel but they sure push the rating down a bit.
So focusing on these would be a win for both Zoo Med and its consumers.
Some of the common issues the little dripper shows are adjustment problems, flow stops, and mineral buildup. There are some other minor issues too.
- Adjustment Valve Issues
This is the most common issue with little drippers. The valve that controls the water flow is pretty tricky to control. That makes controlling the flow harder which is a pretty big issue.
The valve controlling the water flow in the dripper is made of plastic.
The material already feels a little flimsy and then there’s the problem of size.
The valve is way small to rotate and control properly. Most of the time if you rotate the valve you’ll either get 100 drips or 0.
This needs a lot of patience to work with. You’ll have to play around very slowly with the valve and nozzle to find the perfect balance for you. Or you’ll have to try vertical clicks instead.
And if you’re a DIY person, you’ll probably just get a new valve because this takes a lot of time.
Another problem with the valve is the range. They have too big ranges and you have to turn too little for adjustment. So if you need something in-between, you’ll have to use paper clips or wires to fix the flow.
However you look at this, it is either time-consuming or needs extra work. So the valve issue is the #1 problem that could’ve been better.
- Inconsistent Flow
This is apparently pretty common in all drippers, but hey, this is still something Zoo Med needs to work on. The water flow from the dripper can sometimes stop on its own after a while.
Unless you notice it on time, this can ruin the environmental balance for your pet.
The dripper stops flowing usually because of the water pressure. After the water drops to a certain level, the pressure decreases and the air inside creates a vacuum. This causes the dripping to stop.
And the worse part is it doesn’t start on its own.
You’ll have to tweak the hose to get the flow going again. Sometimes even that doesn’t work. You’ll have to keep the lid/top loose or open to avoid this problem.
If you have other pets in the house like cats or dogs, you know how risky it is. They can knock the dripper off anytime.
This may not be a mechanical problem but it sure is something Zoo Meds should be focusing on fixing.
- Mineral Buildup
This is more of a rare issue but it does happen. If you aren’t using distilled water, the chances of the buildup happening are pretty high.
Most people use regular water in their drippers. The problem with the little dripper is that it seems to hold more residue.
This residue builds up pretty quickly. You’ll have to manually poke the opening with a needle to get it going again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Every pet owner cares about their pet. It is normal that you’ll want to know everything about a product before you get it for your pet. Since the article alone can’t cover everything, here are some common questions about the little dripper people ask often.
The little dripper is a drip water system for tree-living reptiles (arboreal reptiles). It drips into the reptile’s habit of rain (or dew) and helps them get water like they would in their natural habitat.
Find the dripper nozzle and the dripper tube from the package. Get the nozzle and stick it through the little hole at the bottom. Attach the tube with the nozzle, fill it with water and you’re all set.
Set your dripper to the cage corner or in a stable place. Connect the dripping nozzle to the opening on the bottom and stick the dripping tube with it. Place the tube inside your chameleon’s hide and angle it however you want. All set!
Final Verdict
And that’s it for the little dripper review. The little dripper is one of the best you can find in this price range and it is very easy to set up.
It does have some minor issues but once you set it up, the performance kind of overshadows them. If you’re looking for a dripper, this is definitely a good one.
