Bioactive Build: 1 month in!

[GoodKarma19]

Is the ficus getting enough light? It just needs occasional watering. I got some of its white sap on the skin at the work, I got a rash. Like a bumpy rash. IDK if its the same for chams

Ficus pumila (creeping fig) thrive in high humidity, damp conditons, unlike many plants in the ficus family. Its vining stems are also extremely woody and difficult to break by hand (at best it bends), and cuttings produce little to no sap.

If we were talking about ficus benjamina (weeping fig) or ficus elastica (rubber plant), I'd agree that they need higher light and prefer to dry out a bit between waterings, and their sap is definitely a skin irritant! I can't handle ficus benjamina clippings due to the sap.

 

[GoodKarma19]

I will try more water. Yes yes down for a trade!!

Mine really enjoy a good misting in the morning and nice damp soil.

And yay! Trades! I'll have neoregalia c. Linda, n. Fireball, and n. Gorion offshoots sometime in the nearish future. I can probably remove most of them, but I'm letting them do their thing for now!

 

[Thatwizard420]

Ficus pumila (creeping fig) thrive in high humidity, damp conditons, unlike many plants in the ficus family. Its vining stems are also extremely woody and difficult to break by hand (at best it bends), and cuttings produce little to no sap.

If we were talking about ficus benjamina (weeping fig) or ficus elastica (rubber plant), I'd agree that they need higher light and prefer to dry out a bit between waterings, and their sap is definitely a skin irritant! I can't handle ficus benjamina clippings due to the sap.

We grow those outside, and not in a greenhouse. They get water once a day, which here is not a lot. They go inside a greenhouse around colder temps.... I have some growing on the side of my house, and I don’t remember ever watering them this summer. They’re doing better than my Macfadyena. This is just personal experience.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

That looks amazing! One question, does she have enough places to conceal herself if she doesn't want to be seen?

 

[GoodKarma19]

We grow those outside, and not in a greenhouse. They get water once a day, which here is not a lot. They go inside a greenhouse around colder temps.... I have some growing on the side of my house, and I don’t remember ever watering them this summer. They’re doing better than my Macfadyena. This is just personal experience.

And in my experience, all of my ficus pumila have had poor growth and become practically dormant when grown outside, and while they did alright on the sill the growth was slow and leaves were small. They practically exploded the second I put them in a high humidity environment!

Not every growing environment is the same. It's very hot and dry here during the summer, and while my solid green f. Pumila survived alright okay (though poor growth), the varigated form suffered.

Whatever works for you - more than one way to skin a cat! I speak from my own experience, as do you.

 

[GoodKarma19]

That looks amazing! One question, does she have enough places to conceal herself if she doesn't want to be seen?

Thank you!

Im waiting on some plants to grow in for better coverage, but if Lily doesnt feel like being seen I've seen her in the pothos, philodendron, fern, and even behind her neoregalia 'fireball'. The pictures don't show it well, but there are more nooks and crannies than there appear to be! She's an incredibly tolerant panther, and generally chooses to be directly front and center on her basking branch.

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Thank you!

Im waiting on some plants to grow in for better coverage, but if Lily doesnt feel like being seen I've seen her in the pothos, philodendron, fern, and even behind her neoregalia 'fireball'. The pictures don't show it well, but there are more nooks and crannies than there appear to be! She's an incredibly tolerant panther, and generally chooses to be directly front and center on her basking branch.

She does look like a nice little cham! Just wanted to say again what an amazing enclosure this is! And once those plants start growing in more, that will make it look even better! Great job!

Happy Chameleon Keeping!

 

[GoodKarma19]

She does look like a nice little cham! Just wanted to say again what an amazing enclosure this is! And once those plants start growing in more, that will make it look even better! Great job!

Happy Chameleon Keeping!

Thank you!

Yes - I'm very excited to see the progress over the next few months as the plants settle and grow! Once those vines and the Meyer's lemon start going, it should shape up well! The Meyer's is currently developing about 4 lemons right now, and has some fresh growth with the beginnings of blooms and leaves. It grew very quickly when it was outside, so I'm sure it'll fill out in no time once it finishes adjusting. I think I shocked it a little when i went and hacked it back. Seems to be recovering well, though! Give it a couple months and I'll barely be able to see her basking spot haha!

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Thank you!

Yes - I'm very excited to see the progress over the next few months as the plants settle and grow! Once those vines and the Meyer's lemon start going, it should shape up well! The Meyer's is currently developing about 4 lemons right now, and has some fresh growth with the beginnings of blooms and leaves. It grew very quickly when it was outside, so I'm sure it'll fill out in no time once it finishes adjusting. I think I shocked it a little when i went and hacked it back. Seems to be recovering well, though! Give it a couple months and I'll barely be able to see her basking spot haha!

Do the spines bother her at all? I have a meyer lemon, maybe I’ll try it

 

[GoodKarma19]

Do the spines bother her at all? I have a meyer lemon, maybe I’ll try it

Meyers don't have too many spines, so I'm not particularly concerned - especially since Panthers have lots of thorny plants in their home regions. The only one getting injured by that plant is me when I go and stick my hand through the split without thinking!

 

[Chameleon Guy 220]

@GoodKarma19 it looks so good!