Clarification needed

[SkizzNutt509]

so here is the deal i have tried searching through several forums and nowhere do i really get a clear answer on this. so it's in reguards to potting and soil and such. I read that if you do not have organic soil it is okay to put river rock or rock on top of the soil so the cham can't get to it, but won't it still be in the leaves? I also read that it's not okay to have non-organic soil. I'm not sure what is true and i would like clear answers/opinions on this matter cause i'm not sure if i should repot or just cover up the soil i got with the plant with rocks large enough so my cham can't get to the soil. so basically does soil affect the cham if the cham is not in direct mouth to soil contact with it. ? i hope i'm being clear cause i'm reading different things. Thanks.


By the way my name is Scott i'm new to this forum as of today, I live in the Seattle area and have a sub-adult veiled female cham who is happy as can be but she wants real plants, hence the question cause plastic don't taste good!

 

[Dan]

Well heres my take, but I think others on the forum might give better answers:

I think it is good to get soil that does not have any added chemicals in it such as fertilizer because if there are little bugs or flies in the soil and your cham goes after them, he might get some of the soil as well.

I would also cover the top of the soil with river rocks, to further deter your cham from picking things out of the soil. The only down side to rocks is that the crickets can hide in them. I also think rocks make the set up look a little nicer. ALSO, if you have a female, it will make sure that if she starts to dig, it wont be in your plants, but in the digging bin you provided.

I haven't heard of problems of soil content going through the leaves and affecting the cham.

Hope this helps!

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Hey Scott, Welcome to the forum

It is important to repot for a few reasons even when using river rocks.

#1 - Fertilizer (can be harmful to the cam)
#2 - Pests that may reside in the soil from the store.
#3 - unknown chemicals

The water that flows through the post will pick up any of the above and deposit it on the cage floor. Bugs or even the cham can come in contact and pass it along to the cham.

It is always safest to use an organic soil without plant food or fertilizer. Anything added could be a potential hazard.

It is also important to wash the plant with antibacterial soap to remove and pesticides etc.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Welcome Scott.

It is my personal preference and practice to repot all plants in soil that has been sifted and is without pesticides, fertilizer or perlite (little white foam balls), and allow my chameleons to have access to it.
Read article on plants here:

http://raisingkittytheveiledchameleon.blogspot.com/

If you cover the soil with large river rocks, however, I think it would be fine to use the soil that the plant came with.

I would find it difficult to properly wash the plant without removing it from the pot it came in, so replacing the soil (since you are going to have to re-plant anyway) seems like a good option in my opinion.

-Brad

 

[SkizzNutt509]

ahhhh, this is the best chameleon forum ever!! you guys are so quick to answer and concise i am so glad i found this place! seriously thank you all very much and i look forward to adding to this forum, yea basically i could not find any when i went to the store so i was wondering if the rock i already had would adequitely block the cham from any harm, now i will just go look harder and make calls before driving to the store and make sure they have organic soil, thanks so much again to all.

 

[beeze]

I do both organic soil and very large river rocks.

 

[lyndra]

I use potting soil, top soil and peat moss by E. B. Stone Organics which you can find at nurseries.

 

[kinyonga]

Welsome to the forum!

The main reason I have for not letting chameleons eat the soil (even if its free of fertilizer, etc.) is that some soils can cause impactions. Trouble is that you won't know which ones will until it happens.