Enclosure review

[MissSkittles]

Thanks for the pointers! Would you suggest that I avoid hanging plants from the top just in general?

What are your thoughts on the coroplast idea? I'm just worried she wouldn't see the lay bin if it was over it. I do have bamboo around the inner sides like little cheap dragon ledges and they work wonderfully, it's just the center places that are the problem, but I can try to get creative haha

I would avoid the roof idea. Try to place the bin in an area that gets less water run off if possible. I use the long pothos vines to extend down over the bin to provide some cover/privacy or if possible, put a plant in front of the bin. If you add some organic soil to the play sand, you could even put a plant directly in the bin which will not only help with excess drainage that gets in, but provides roots for your girl to lay her eggs against.

 

[ItsMike64]

I would avoid the roof idea. Try to place the bin in an area that gets less water run off if possible. I use the long pothos vines to extend down over the bin to provide some cover/privacy or if possible, put a plant in front of the bin. If you add some organic soil to the play sand, you could even put a plant directly in the bin which will not only help with excess drainage that gets in, but provides roots for your girl to lay her eggs against.

Great idea! Thanks for the suggestion

 

[ItsMike64]

I also wanted to ask one last thing - is it safe to use rooting hormone on cuttings and then once they’re rooted to put them into the enclosure? Basically asking if this stuff will come out of the leaves and hurt the cham?

 

[ItsMike64]

I also wanted to ask one last thing - is it safe to use rooting hormone on cuttings and then once they’re rooted to put them into the enclosure? Basically asking if this stuff will come out of the leaves and hurt the cham?

Anyone know?

 

[Beman]

Anyone know?

I do not use anything in the plants that is not 100% natural.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I also wanted to ask one last thing - is it safe to use rooting hormone on cuttings and then once they’re rooted to put them into the enclosure? Basically asking if this stuff will come out of the leaves and hurt the cham?

There are (chemically) different kinds of rooting hormone.

There are different types of rooting hormones found in the markets and garden centres, including Indole Butyric Acid (IBA), Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) and more. These are available in powdered or gel form.
https://punemirror.com/entertainment/unwind/rooting-for-hormones/cid5088561.htm

For rooting, however, auxins are preferred. Chinmay Lokare, a city-based horticulturist, explains, “Auxins help promote roots in a plant cutting. But thinking that it is an external substance is wrong. Primarily, these auxins are produced by the plant itself to stimulate root formation. However, they are also developed in labs to aid plant propagation. Most of the commercially available rooting hormones are derived from plants.”
Ibid.

The only thing I'd be concerned about is direct contact, and I'm not even sure that's an issue.

Toxicity: This product may cause eye irritation and prolonged contact can cause skin irritation. Inhalation of dust may cause upper respiratory tract irritation.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden...-and-problems/pesticides/rooting-hormone.aspx

If you're worried about it, you could try something like this.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/vinegar-rooting-hormone.htm

...or wait until the plants are large enough that you can put a layer of river pebbles on top to prevent ingestion.

 

[ItsMike64]

I have take root. Thanks for the advice guys

 

[ItsMike64]

Not that it makes any difference now, but I did want to clarify that I would be using the root hormone to root them in water, then once they are ready for soil, rinse the roots off and plant them in clean organic soil, so there would be no direct contact between my cham and the hormone. Just wasn’t sure if this stuff was systematic and came out of the leaves or something!

 

[Beman]

Not that it makes any difference now, but I did want to clarify that I would be using the root hormone to root them in water, then once they are ready for soil, rinse the roots off and plant them in clean organic soil, so there would be no direct contact between my cham and the hormone. Just wasn’t sure if this stuff was systematic and came out of the leaves or something!

So this is why I do not use stuff like this... If they do not recommend it for plants people would consume then it would not be safe for animals to ingest the plants either. Look into what your using because all it takes is one error to cause major issues. Your rooting the plant in it... It then is going into the plant. Veileds eat plants and Panthers have been known to eat dried leaves as well...

 

[ItsMike64]

I completely understand. Always better to be safe than sorry! I will just use those plants in my home and will get some others that I won’t use rooting hormone in for her. Thanks for the cautionary advise.