Very Worried

[Reptilelover47]

Thanks. Like I said earlier, I am planning to allow the pothos to grow around the cage. I currently have two pothos plants aside from other plants. I want to let them grow a lil and then I might add more.
It isn't bark it's safe soil with moss mixed in and some hydroballs underneath, I have plants growing from the bottom and some planted that haven't sprouted yet (tall, large flowers that were on safe plant list). I did have more live plants, but his mister broke and I had to use a dripper for a while until amazon replaced it for me and a lot of the plants died so I had to start over. I prefer the soil because when he falls he lands in something soft. The reason he got hurt the other day is because he missed it and landed on the edge of the tray. I make sure no bugs other than springtails live in the soil, the drainage system I have also collects any wandering insects. What health risks can the soil cause? I know if it's not kept clean mold can grow and he could get sick, but is that it or am I missing something? Because I always watch out for that and I keep it pretty clean.

I'll admit I also like the "natural" look.

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

The main health risk it poses is when the chameleon accidentally ingests it, say trying to catch a cricket with his tongue. Once ingested the soil can cause impaction which can lead to death. I have had this happen to one of my chams. Once they get sick it is hard to tell the reason for it. I only realized that ingesting the substrate was the problem after a necropsy. I always advise those with soil of this constant problem. I think it is better to just take it out and not worry, but just MHO.

Like you said it also causes issues with cleanliness and mold. Crickets can hide in there and die.

Another issue I have found is that it doesnt dry out between misting. This can cause serious health problems for your cham like respiratory infection. I feel the cons out weigh the pros, but thats just me. I think it looks good to for a terrarium.

 

[Reptilelover47]

The main health risk it poses is when the chameleon accidentally ingests it, say trying to catch a cricket with his tongue. Once ingested the soil can cause impaction which can lead to death. I have had this happen to one of my chams. Once they get sick it is hard to tell the reason for it. I only realized that ingesting the substrate was the problem after a necropsy. I always advise those with soil of this constant problem. I think it is better to just take it out and not worry, but just MHO.

Like you said it also causes issues with cleanliness and mold. Crickets can hide in there and die.

Another issue I have found is that it doesnt dry out between misting. This can cause serious health problems for your cham like respiratory infection. I feel the cons out weigh the pros, but thats just me. I think it looks good to for a terrarium.

Thank you.
Never thought of that, I'll probably do something now. lol. And just so you know, he is cup trained.
Sorry to hear that, that's horrible. So, what do you do instead? Just the enormous flower pot in the cage?

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

I use a plastic crate to lift the pot up off the cage bottom, which is bare. I like to have the pots off the bottom of the enclosure to make the bottom easier to clean and to allow everything to dry out. One of the main things needed. It also helps making the bottom easier to clean. I then set my pots on top of the crate. I use terra cotta pots because they help keep the tank more humid and add some weight so they dont tip. I then plant all my plants in the pot or post and then put large river rocks over the soil so the cham cant get to the dirt. In your case, you have pothos plants, which usually work better if you suspend them with fishing line from the top because then they grow down like vines and create cool paths for your cham.

 

[Reptilelover47]

I use a plastic crate to lift the pot up off the cage bottom, which is bare. I like to have the pots off the bottom of the enclosure to make the bottom easier to clean and to allow everything to dry out. One of the main things needed. It also helps making the bottom easier to clean. I then set my pots on top of the crate. I use terra cotta pots because they help keep the tank more humid and add some weight so they dont tip. I then plant all my plants in the pot or post and then put large river rocks over the soil so the cham cant get to the dirt. In your case, you have pothos plants, which usually work better if you suspend them with fishing line from the top because then they grow down like vines and create cool paths for your cham.

BTW, I didn't mention it before and meant to... The cage completely dries out multiple times a day, like 10% humidity a few times a day and the soil gets completely dry. Also, he has never ingested soil, I still don't want to risk it, but I just wanted to say that since he's had this setup he will only eat from a cup no matter what it is. If it's bright blue or green and squirming around an inch in front of him on a branch he's lazy and still only wants what's in the cup.
But now here's a thought… I don't mean to sound like I'm being pushy about this, I'm just exploring options, but what if I used river rocks all over the bottom of the cage across the soil? Is that a bad idea? You're saying that you use them to cover the soil in a huge pot and then leave the ground bare, is there much of a difference if I were to cover the substrate tray with river rocks? That terra cotta thing is smart, I would've never thought about them helping humidity. Also, you keep mentioning fishing line, and I've gotta say that scares me. What if the cham gets caught in it or it ties around him, you might not even know. Think about a baby who gets a hair wrapped around a finger, that baby could lose circulation and lose the finger and no one would know the hair was there 'til it's too late. You get what I'm saying? My lil brat is clumsy and wants to climb everything he can grab the fishing line worries me, but I'm assuming you've never had a problem? Just curious. The wire I use is not slick at all, it looks it but if you take that kind of wire and grip your fingers on it and try to slide them down it, there is definitely friction, and after it's been bent, scraped, or has a lil dirt on it there's definitely friction. I know plenty of people use it in their terrariums. My cham sleeps on it almost every night has never fallen from there. lol. I've never even seen him slip and sometimes he's upside down. lol.