Reasons why real chams need real plants!

I just realized baby tears is the same plant I originally put in my snail enclosure. It lasted about an hour and a half before it was completely eaten.
 
Funny to see this post today as I've recently been considering switching to fake plants from real. My biggest issue is gnats that I can't get rid of and are buzzing all through the enclosure. I'm very interested in what you said about pothos being able to thrive without soil. How does this work/how can I set that up because soil is what breeds the gnats so that might solve my problem. Also, do you recommend any particular type of air plant? I tried one and it didn't hold up to my panther trampling it.
 
werecat said:
Funny to see this post today as I've recently been considering switching to fake plants from real. My biggest issue is gnats that I can't get rid of and are buzzing all through the enclosure. I'm very interested in what you said about pothos being able to thrive without soil. How does this work/how can I set that up because soil is what breeds the gnats so that might solve my problem. Also, do you recommend any particular type of air plant? I tried one and it didn't hold up to my panther trampling it.
Click to expand...

Have you tried putting an inch of washed play sand as the top layer on your potted plants? I had a terrible gnat problem and this did the trick. The sand dries out really quick and gnat eggs will die.
 
werecat said:
Funny to see this post today as I've recently been considering switching to fake plants from real. My biggest issue is gnats that I can't get rid of and are buzzing all through the enclosure. I'm very interested in what you said about pothos being able to thrive without soil. How does this work/how can I set that up because soil is what breeds the gnats so that might solve my problem. Also, do you recommend any particular type of air plant? I tried one and it didn't hold up to my panther trampling it.
Click to expand...

You have gnats because the soil it constantly moist. Once you get them they can be difficult to eradicate. Often times organic soils are not irradiated prior to packaging so gnats appear very quickly. Thats why I would only use miracle grow potting soils, the soil is irradiated so the soil itself is free from any bugs or eggs of bugs.

There is so much information and variables regarding soilless growing that it would take a lot of time to explain it. More than I want to write here. It would be a book.

Im glad you read this article and it got you thinking. Plastic or artificial plants aren't the solution. Making adjustments in your care rituals is what will be the foundation of your success.
 
Patrick, for orchids (without soil) do you point a misting nozzle directly at them so they get soaked a couple times a day or do you manually water them?
 
deadhd5 said:
Patrick, for orchids (without soil) do you point a misting nozzle directly at them so they get soaked a couple times a day or do you manually water them?
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I just use a hand sprayer once at 9:00A.M and generously apply distilled water, then let it dry out the rest of the day. Sometimes it gets a twice a day watering but never after 4:00P.M. I also use a computer fan on a timer to circulate the air for about 4 hours per day. The Chams are most active with a very mild breeze. They LOVE the air movement. I hand water my chams with an eye dropper in the evenings. Sometimes they drink sometimes they don't.

The Orchids and Baby tears must have airflow in addition to a daily soaking.
Computer fans will help dry things out and reduce the possibly of gnats and mold as well.
 
Chameleopatrick said:
I just use a hand sprayer once at 9:00A.M and generously apply distilled water, then let it dry out the rest of the day. Sometimes it gets a twice a day watering but never after 4:00P.M. I also use a computer fan on a timer to circulate the air for about 4 hours per day. The Chams are most active with a very mild breeze. They LOVE the air movement. I hand water my chams with an eye dropper in the evenings. Sometimes they drink sometimes they don't.

The Orchids and Baby tears must have airflow in addition to a daily soaking.
Computer fans will help dry things out and reduce the possibly of gnats and mold as well.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I use an oscillating room fan to produce a mild breeze for my chams, do you think that will suffice? I have an enclosed cham room that I regulate with a humidistat hooked up to a cool mist humidifier, so humidity is not an issue, even with the fan.
 
Thanks for the replies on my gnat problem. I may start fresh with new plants and try the sand technique. I did bake my organic soil before using but maybe I'll try one that's irradiated. Great post and I'm excited to try the baby's tears!
 
deadhd5 said:
Thanks for the advice. I use an oscillating room fan to produce a mild breeze for my chams, do you think that will suffice? I have an enclosed cham room that I regulate with a humidistat hooked up to a cool mist humidifier, so humidity is not an issue, even with the fan.
Click to expand...

Its truly about balancing the ratio's. Too much water and it wont dry out, therefore bugs, mold, URI etc. or, too much air movement will dry the habitat too quickly. It took me a very long time and practice to find the right ratio's. Once you get it dialed in though, the results are fantastic.
 
The worst thing about plastic artificial plants is the softeners in cheap plastic such DEHP.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=376&tid=65

If your Chameleon is drinking his daily water from these soft plastic plants it really can be potentially bad news long term.

The Company I own, sold all of the drinking tubes to the U.S. Military Camel back style hydration systems in 2003, 500,000 of them. The military specifically prohibited DEHP from any equipment especially the hydration system.

I havent done the actual chemical analysis on fake plants but Im willing to bet its one of the softeners in plastic plants because its so prevalent in the PVC type material on the coating on fake vines.

Be the best chameleon keeper you can be.

Real chameleons deserve real plants.
 
Chameleopatrick, I am so glad you made this thread. I love orchids and other air plants. I never thought about growing pathos without soil. I now remember my mom growing it in vases of water. I will be doing my research and mounting my orchid and pathos. I will also be adding baby tears. I'm hoping it is safe for my Crested Gecko as well.

Thanks again for this thread...:D
 
vgaines said:
Chameleopatrick, I am so glad you made this thread. I love orchids and other air plants. I never thought about growing pathos without soil. I now remember my mom growing it in vases of water. I will be doing my research and mounting my orchid and pathos. I will also be adding baby tears. I'm hoping it is safe for my Crested Gecko as well.

Thanks again for this thread...:D
Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind words. The baby tears are edible and non toxic, no worries for the gecko.

:)
 
Great thread! I was able to scoop up 6 baby tears plants for my little ones today! Thanks so much for the great information. BEAUTIFUL enclosures! :)
 
werecat said:
Funny to see this post today as I've recently been considering switching to fake plants from real. My biggest issue is gnats that I can't get rid of and are buzzing all through the enclosure. I'm very interested in what you said about pothos being able to thrive without soil. How does this work/how can I set that up because soil is what breeds the gnats so that might solve my problem. Also, do you recommend any particular type of air plant? I tried one and it didn't hold up to my panther trampling it.
Click to expand...

Tillandsia Houston (airplant) grow very large and can take a beating. Smaller chameleons like carpets love to hide in them.
 
Im currently using ivy for the cage and some tropical foliage is this good? he has been more happy ":)
 
Zen said:
Im currently using ivy for the cage and some tropical foliage is this good? he has been more happy ":)
Click to expand...

Ivy can be toxic to cats and dogs. It's not recommended. Tropical foliage is extremely vague what specific plants are you asking about. There is a safe plant database at the top of the page.
 
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