Ceramic Planters Inside Chameleon enclosure?

[Averyshazam]

Hey there! I’m going to be setting up my chameleon enclosure over the next few days and found some great ceramic planters for inside the enclosure. I want all real plants with several standing plants on the bottom of the cenclosure and attached to the sides.
I was going to attach metal pieces so they can be zip tied to the edges
Is there any reason a glazed ceramic planter wouldn’t work in a chameleon enclosure? Let me know!

 

[MissSkittles]

I can’t think of any reasons why not. Just make sure the glazed ceramic is non-toxic. The ceramic will be too heavy to hang, so plastic is best.

 

[Averyshazam]

I can’t think of any reasons why not. Just make sure the glazed ceramic is non-toxic. The ceramic will be too heavy to hang, so plastic is best.

Well I’m using a dragon strand enclosure with the dragon ledges so I think it could be able to support a few small ceramic planters. I guess we shall find out! Thank you!!

 

[dinomom]

Hey there! I’m going to be setting up my chameleon enclosure over the next few days and found some great ceramic planters for inside the enclosure. I want all real plants with several standing plants on the bottom of the cenclosure and attached to the sides.
I was going to attach metal pieces so they can be zip tied to the edges
Is there any reason a glazed ceramic planter wouldn’t work in a chameleon enclosure? Let me know!

Yes there is a reason! Many ceramic pots are lead glazed. Deadly if cham licks water off it. Home Depot does sell lead test kits.

 

[Mendez]

Looks like you can find lead-free ceramic pots on Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoor...ead-Free/N-5yc1vZbx87Z1z181a8?storeSelection=

@dinomom, that's a great point! I never thought about the lead in the glaze. I think most are lead-free now, but it's definitely a valid concern. Plus, someone could be using an old ceramic pot too--which would be really bad.

 

[Averyshazam]

Wow this is very helpful.
the pots are vintage and designed for decor. Perhaps I can figure out a way to wrap them in a plastic lining on the outside. I also intended to use river stones along the base of the large ceramic planter in the base of the cage to protect the soil.
Seems like I will have to take much extra precaution!

 

[dinomom]

Wow this is very helpful.
the pots are vintage and designed for decor. Perhaps I can figure out a way to wrap them in a plastic lining on the outside. I also intended to use river stones along the base of the large ceramic planter in the base of the cage to protect the soil.
Seems like I will have to take much extra precaution!

Even then water will leak through, bugs might ingest, I would not risk it. Maybe you could seal them inside and out with polyurethane but even that might not be enough.

 

[Averyshazam]

I’m thinking completely concealing them in a vinyl sort of plastic wrap

 

[Beman]

your better off doing the plastic nursery pot in a pot method. Easier to pull a planted pot out if you need to change it out. Anchor in one permanently then drop in the planted one. I would not do ceramic. It will put too much weight on your ledges also most absorb water.

 

[Averyshazam]

I’ll experiment with it.
plastic is fine but so boring and not aesthetically appealing.
I’ll just have to get creative!

 

[Averyshazam]

I can cover each pot in like, a shower curtain material. More so for the bottom of the enclosure. It’s unlikely the chameleon will drink the water on the bottom pots but I would have them concealed! Might also help avoid the water absorption if they’re wrapped in plastic?

 

[dinomom]

I can cover each pot in like, a shower curtain material. More so for the bottom of the enclosure. It’s unlikely the chameleon will drink the water on the bottom pots but I would have them concealed! Might also help avoid the water absorption if they’re wrapped in plastic?

You still have the issue of the way lead leaches into everything. I have to say I deal with at least 10 cases of lead poisoning every month with our avian clinic, and animals die horrible deaths with lead; neurological problems then organ failure.

IF you buy the lead test kits, and swab the inside and outside, you might get lucky and find it is lead free but companies have no obligation for non-food use to use lead free glazes, and many of these pots come from Mexico-where they use it even ON food containers.

 

[Beman]

I can cover each pot in like, a shower curtain material. More so for the bottom of the enclosure. It’s unlikely the chameleon will drink the water on the bottom pots but I would have them concealed! Might also help avoid the water absorption if they’re wrapped in plastic?

I am not sure why you would do this... You want the pots to drain they need to. You also do not need bacteria or mold growing between the pot and a liner... Then there are the gases that most plastics put off. Ever opened a brand new plastic shower curtain? Not a great smell to inhale.
If you are wanting them to be esthetically pleasing look into great stuff pond foam. Do the pot in a pot method. With your anchored pot foam it in so it does not show drop in the plant into that.

 

[jamest0o0]

Yes there is a reason! Many ceramic pots are lead glazed. Deadly if cham licks water off it. Home Depot does sell lead test kits.

What, they still use lead? I find that hard to believe considering my county is willing to come out and do thousands worth of work for free just to remove any possible lead from my house(since I have kids).

 

[jamest0o0]

In the case that it is lead free(like I'd expect any new ceramic to be), I respectfully think you're all making a mountain out of a mole hill. I do agree that they'd probably add too much weight to the ledges. I also don't know why you'd want to wrap them up? Might look ugly and serve no real purpose?

Foam is terrible stuff to inhale and we don't really know what's happening when bugs nibble on it or if it breaks down over time. It also gives all kinds of porous holes for mold/bacteria. What about all of the other chemicals that go into our cages, plastic, etc.

Idk seems like OP is getting pounced on here. Get a lead test if you're worried, if it's lead free and not going to break your ledges and fall, then go for it. Or if you really want to go to the next level and make a beautiful, safe enclosure, do a planted bioactive

Love you all, but had to be honest

 

[jamest0o0]

You still have the issue of the way lead leaches into everything. I have to say I deal with at least 10 cases of lead poisoning every month with our avian clinic, and animals die horrible deaths with lead; neurological problems then organ failure.

IF you buy the lead test kits, and swab the inside and outside, you might get lucky and find it is lead free but companies have no obligation for non-food use to use lead free glazes, and many of these pots come from Mexico-where they use it even ON food containers.

After having a lead scare with my child(incorrect high levels, but freaked us out) I really researched into it. These animals that die, I'm assuming they're around oldddd run down paint or something that the lead is breaking off of and chipping into dust...? or from the water supply? You might be right about the glazes, I have no idea, I'd just assume they wouldn't use them. But even with that, glaze would have to be seriously old to start chipping off and then somehow make it into your chameleon. Most houses around here have lead and it doesn't cause problems until a surface layer of lead starts degrading, creating dust. My wife does clay glazes and that stuff seems to be sealed and waterproof.

 

[Connorology]

Maybe I don't understand the plan - it seems like if you're going to completely wrap the planters in a plastic covering that would defeat the purpose of using the ceramic planters and ultimately look the same as if you wrapped ugly plastic planters in the same covering.

I have used inexpensive ceramic pots in the past and have not had health problems, but they were not glazed. Water droplets can pool on glazed pots, and chameleons will often roam around in an enclosure drinking droplets off of whatever they can. I'm sure there are some resource intensive (time and $) methods of waterproofing something that is lead coated - a clear fish safe epoxy resin would probably work, but would likely cost in the $50-100 range and take a few coats. But there'd be no way to really guarantee that would work and it might even end up not looking very nice.

I think the best bet is to either figure out how to test your pots for lead (I do not know how to do this or how reliable tests are so that would require some additional research and trust in the method of choice), or to not use them at all. It's a drag when something you wanted to use in an enclosure doesn't work, but ultimately we just have to plan aesthetics around what is best for the animal.

 

[Connorology]

In the case that it is lead free(like I'd expect any new ceramic to be), I respectfully think you're all making a mountain out of a mole hill.

I'd tend to agree - OP said they were "vintage" though which rightly or wrongly I took to mean "pre-safety standards." I don't know anything about ceramics though (how easily this could leech out, when lead was used, etc).

 

[dinomom]

What, they still use lead? I find that hard to believe considering my county is willing to come out and do thousands worth of work for free just to remove any possible lead from my house(since I have kids).

That's why by law it has to say "decorative use only" and "not food safe" so you don't serve cereal for your kids in it

 

[dinomom]

After having a lead scare with my child(incorrect high levels, but freaked us out) I really researched into it. These animals that die, I'm assuming they're around oldddd run down paint or something that the lead is breaking off of and chipping into dust...? or from the water supply? You might be right about the glazes, I have no idea, I'd just assume they wouldn't use them. But even with that, glaze would have to be seriously old to start chipping off and then somehow make it into your chameleon. Most houses around here have lead and it doesn't cause problems until a surface layer of lead starts degrading, creating dust. My wife does clay glazes and that stuff seems to be sealed and waterproof.

Not trying to be harsh in any way but rather to help!

Powdered lead paint is occasional, but it is generally ingestion of tiny rocks or sand that have veins of metal in them (almost all do). Picking up flecks of metal from the floor or remote control or other solder, and yes, use of glazed crocks which do not have to chipped to leach out the lead.