Trixie&Coyle
New Member
I just got an umbrella plant and ficus Benjamina to put in my chameleons cage from a local plant nursery. What’s the easiest way to go about cleaning them and making sure they are safe before putting them in my enclosure??
New Plants
- Thread starter Trixie&Coyle
- Start date
Easy way hum is there such a thing when it comes to chameleon care and husbandry 
Step 1: Take a clean bucket and fill it with a squirt of antibacterial soap and water. Create a soapy solution. Invert the plant "head down" into the water and swish around. Let the plant sit for 3-5 minutes.
Step 2: Rinse the plant thoroughly so that any soap solution is removed. Repeat steps 1 and 2 a second or third time.
Step 3: The potting soil the plant originally comes in may contain fertilizers and soil additives that could be detrimental to your animal. Crickets often go into the potting soil of the plant and if your chameleon shoots for the cricket, you don't want him/her to draw back nitrate fertilizers along with their prey. A simple way to remedy this is to purchase a small bag of "Super Soil" (without conditioners) and replace the top 3-4" of soil in the plant container.
Once your plant is properly cleaned and the topsoil is replaced, you can rest easy that it's now ready for a new home with your chameleon. And don’t forget your river rocks to cover the soil.
Step 1: Take a clean bucket and fill it with a squirt of antibacterial soap and water. Create a soapy solution. Invert the plant "head down" into the water and swish around. Let the plant sit for 3-5 minutes.
Step 2: Rinse the plant thoroughly so that any soap solution is removed. Repeat steps 1 and 2 a second or third time.
Step 3: The potting soil the plant originally comes in may contain fertilizers and soil additives that could be detrimental to your animal. Crickets often go into the potting soil of the plant and if your chameleon shoots for the cricket, you don't want him/her to draw back nitrate fertilizers along with their prey. A simple way to remedy this is to purchase a small bag of "Super Soil" (without conditioners) and replace the top 3-4" of soil in the plant container.
Once your plant is properly cleaned and the topsoil is replaced, you can rest easy that it's now ready for a new home with your chameleon. And don’t forget your river rocks to cover the soil.
Trixie&Coyle
New Member
I read somewhere that I should let the plants sit for a few weeks before putting it in to get rid of the pesticides and whatnot. Should I do that or will washing and putting a layer of soil/rocks on top suffice?
jstrazishar
Member
What if the plant is bigger than any bucket you have?Easy way hum is there such a thing when it comes to chameleon care and husbandry
Step 1: Take a clean bucket and fill it with a squirt of antibacterial soap and water. Create a soapy solution. Invert the plant "head down" into the water and swish around. Let the plant sit for 3-5 minutes.
Step 2: Rinse the plant thoroughly so that any soap solution is removed. Repeat steps 1 and 2 a second or third time.
Step 3: The potting soil the plant originally comes in may contain fertilizers and soil additives that could be detrimental to your animal. Crickets often go into the potting soil of the plant and if your chameleon shoots for the cricket, you don't want him/her to draw back nitrate fertilizers along with their prey. A simple way to remedy this is to purchase a small bag of "Super Soil" (without conditioners) and replace the top 3-4" of soil in the plant container.
Once your plant is properly cleaned and the topsoil is replaced, you can rest easy that it's now ready for a new home with your chameleon. And don’t forget your river rocks to cover the soil.
Your going to have to use that same bucket get yourself some latex gloves and start cleaning each leaf by hand. After the first time you can just rinse off the the whole plant with water and spot clean witch ever leaves need cleaning.
jstrazishar
Member
Use what same bucket?
