Live Plant Lighting?

[VerucaSalt]

Hello,

Outfitting my Cham with some live plants (finally) and had 2 questions:

I am mainly putting in plants to maintain humidity for a very young Jackson male and have a large hibiscus, a spider plant, jade, some air plants and firstly was trying to locate if

•Christmas Cactus is safe? The plant list is being redone on here and I cannot locate this on the FL forum or toxicity list.

And secondly,

•What are some expierenced reccomendations for plant lighting that will keep him happy and healthy, but also allow the plants to fluorish in the cage?

Thank you in advance for your help!!

 

[jamest0o0]

Hibiscus and air plants(tillandsias, bromeliads, and other epiphytes) need very strong lighting. Tillandsias need to dry out between mistings, if they hold water they will die. Hibiscus can be prone to aphid/pest attacks when stressed which can be a pain. If you want to try air plants have planted high very close to the lights and somewhere they will dry out very fast.

I believe christmas cactus is safe, but I'm not sure it would do well at all in a montane environment though I have no experience with them. if you don't have a plant eater like a veiled toxicity isn't as much of an issue with most plants.

Jungledawn megaspott led bulb is probably the best plant light you can get, but they are around $60. Well worth it though. The t5ho 6500k plant pro bulbs do a nice job as well. For montane I like using t8's though, a friend recommended t8s 5000k led retrofits and I've been really liking them. They're very bright, plants are doing great, and they stay cool for montanes.

 

[VerucaSalt]

Hibiscus and air plants(tillandsias, bromeliads, and other epiphytes) need very strong lighting. Tillandsias need to dry out between mistings, if they hold water they will die. Hibiscus can be prone to aphid/pest attacks when stressed which can be a pain. If you want to try air plants have planted high very close to the lights and somewhere they will dry out very fast.

I believe christmas cactus is safe, but I'm not sure it would do well at all in a montane environment though I have no experience with them. if you don't have a plant eater like a veiled toxicity isn't as much of an issue with most plants.

Jungledawn megaspott led bulb is probably the best plant light you can get, but they are around $60. Well worth it though. The t5ho 6500k plant pro bulbs do a nice job as well. For montane I like using t8's though, a friend recommended t8s 5000k led retrofits and I've been really liking them. They're very bright, plants are doing great, and they stay cool for montanes.

I am hoping putting them up into the corners that aren't getting misted directly from the mistking and closer to the lighting will keep them going lol, I'm worried that will be a losing battle.

The hibiscus was on sale, and I feel like I've been slacking on live planting as it's already been ridiculously intimidating dealing with all this guy's issues (all my fault for not keeping my will power up in getting him at petco...will hold fast forever now tho!! Sheesh lol.)

I'm tempted to not include the Xmas cactus in general, it's flourishing as is and I'm still on the look out for local pothos or even an umbrella or money tree. Just wanted to see them in person vrs ordering....I'm terrible with judging sizing even with the ruler.

 

[VerucaSalt]

I should add that he doesn't eat plants yet, but I will keep an eye on him for the first weeks and make sure he is kept clear of drainage/soil.

 

[jamest0o0]

You have a Jackson's right? I don't know them to chew/eat plants, but I haven't kept one so I'm not sure. I do have a parson's though which has similar care.

Have you tried home depot or lowes? They often have great plants for chameleons. Nurseries usually have a lot to offer this time of year as well.

I really like schefflera amate and ficus alii for sturdy/easy plants. Sometimes they can be difficult to find in colder climates, but places should be getting them in around this time of the year depending on where you live.

 

[VerucaSalt]

You have a Jackson's right? I don't know them to chew/eat plants, but I haven't kept one so I'm not sure. I do have a parson's though which has similar care.

Have you tried home depot or lowes? They often have great plants for chameleons. Nurseries usually have a lot to offer this time of year as well.

I really like schefflera amate and ficus alii for sturdy/easy plants. Sometimes they can be difficult to find in colder climates, but places should be getting them in around this time of the year depending on where you live.

Yes, he's a jackson--i will go to those locally and what they have in syock, the websites generalize they don't carry them, but I don't believe this is accurate as I see many posts of ppl picking them up lol.

I will look for those species as well, I was hoping to not kill off everything I put in there at the start!! Thank you for all the help!!

 

[VerucaSalt]

He's still so young, it maybe he just hasn't had lounging time to develop an interest and all his current foiledge has been artificial this far--only outside has he been on plants I could find on a safe list, but that's only an hour at a time or less as we don't leave him unattended.

 

[Char333p]

I don't have those plants but I have a decent variety of them and I just have an extra satellite pro fish tank LED strip over it.... I don't have a chameleon in there yet. But just preparing. I bought the UVB t5 LED for reptiles... when its in ill let you know how it works. Dracaena plants are simple to keep in 6500k lighting. Mine are doing well. and most varieties are safe. Also my umbrella plant and parlor palm and pothos are doing well with the one LED light strip I have

 

[Curlytails]

Hello,

Outfitting my Cham with some live plants (finally) and had 2 questions:

I am mainly putting in plants to maintain humidity for a very young Jackson male and have a large hibiscus, a spider plant, jade, some air plants and firstly was trying to locate if

•Christmas Cactus is safe? The plant list is being redone on here and I cannot locate this on the FL forum or toxicity list.

And secondly,

•What are some expierenced reccomendations for plant lighting that will keep him happy and healthy, but also allow the plants to fluorish in the cage?

Thank you in advance for your help!!

if you can get an arcadia jungle dawn get one. they are so good for any type of plant. from planted tanks to reptile enclosures. they might be a little pricey if you are in the us but they are worth it.

 

[VerucaSalt]

I don't have those plants but I have a decent variety of them and I just have an extra satellite pro fish tank LED strip over it.... I don't have a chameleon in there yet. But just preparing. I bought the UVB t5 LED for reptiles... when its in ill let you know how it works. Dracaena plants are simple to keep in 6500k lighting. Mine are doing well. and most varieties are safe. Also my umbrella plant and parlor palm and pothos are doing well with the one LED light strip I have

I have so many things I will do in prep for our next family member far ahead. You're being really smart and prepared. I so wish the pet stores didn't sell things as a simplicity/commodity and treated pets like a live being.

We literally came home with the Cham, cage, poor lighting and bad vitamins with a can full of mealworms, albeit crickets as well....it was a sharp learning curve and the rep made me question everything I had resarched ahead of time also...so I was like, oh well maybe I just had a lot of bad data Everytime he suggested something that went against all I read....eash. But, live and learn!!! Hopefully we will get this lil one healthy as a horse and happy to boot for his existence.

It at least proved a good test in paitence and what not to do lol.

I would like to try a vivarium at some point but for now just will be happy getting this lil guy happy with all live plants

 

[VerucaSalt]

if you can get an arcadia jungle dawn get one. they are so good for any type of plant. from planted tanks to reptile enclosures. they might be a little pricey if you are in the us but they are worth it.

Yes, we are in the U.S. and in Michigan's poor climate for Jacksons to boot, the only good point the vet made was that we had purchased a male, as females were known to have more complications....oy. I will say, I'm grateful to be in a large city, I moved to our area from a town over 3 hrs from an exoyic vet about 6 months ago!! That would have killed me in anxiety.