Repotting Plants - Question About Soil Type & Access to Soil

I'm working on a project with my 11-year old who wants to get a chameleon and we're in the process of setting up a proper habitat for the eventual new family member. I want to get everything about the setup as close to correct as possible before we order the cham so he has a great habitat to move right into.

Anyway, we just recently purchased four live plants between 10" and 18" and we've cleaned all the leaves with a mild dishsoap and water and plan to continue to rinse them several times a day before we add them to the habitate which won't be until next Wednesday or Thursday. Ordering cham on Thursday for Friday arrival.

We need to repot the plants to remove them from the fertilized soil and I know I'd seen others offer advice before but can't seem to find the threads.

Beyond using top soil, what other type of non-fertilized soil can/should be used when repotting plants to put in a chameleon's cage?

Oh, also, I'd read that placing large, polished river rocks on top of the soil to prevent the chameleon from eating the soil was a good idea so I bought some of those too. However, I later read from another poster that they allow their chameleon access to the soil in case he wants to eat some but he does sift it to remove any large particles that may cause impacture. Not sure one method or the other is better or it it just a preference thing.

Is it OK to leave "clean" soil available to the chameleon as long as it's been sifted? It seems to work for this poster I'd read did it but just wondered what others do?

It is good that you are doing your homework! You do not need to buy rocks if you can find ones that are big enough. Another solution is to pack the top layer of soil. That is usually all I do but there is always a risk.

you can use super soil. They sell it at home depot but not all home depots have it atleast not by me anyways. Your main concern is you want to remove the soil that has all the little fertilizer balls on the top so your chameleon doesnt injest them somehow.

fox farm's happy frog and light warrior mixed Makes a perfect soil that will sustain plants the soil is teaming with health and as far as keeping them happy using liquid ferts is the way to go nothing stays with the soil like fert balls and the run off can be gathered... also home depot, lowes carries rubber mulch its not loose but pressed and would be great for covering the base of your plants... just a thought the fox farm products are high quailty and well worth the 10-20 dollars a bag...

Seeco said:

It is good that you are doing your homework! You do not need to buy rocks if you can find ones that are big enough. Another solution is to pack the top layer of soil. That is usually all I do but there is always a risk.

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Thanks for the feedback! Yes, I've been researching and reading for about four weeks now and these forums have played a HUGE part in helping newbies like us. My son has been amazingly patient. (To think this whole project started with him bringing home a frog he'd caught at school about six weeks ago that we weren't ready to keep!"

So, his 11th birthday is 10/22 and the plan it so have the entire habitat setup by next Wednesday, go buy crickets and start gutloading them Wednesday, (is that soon enough, too soon or too late?) order the chameleon of his choice on Thursday and I've already taken Friday off work to be home when he arrives and he can open the box when he gets home from school.

Once again, thanks for the advice - this site and the peoeple on it are great!

Carol - thanks for the advice on the super soil. I'll check our local Home Depots to see if they carry it. The soil that came with the plants definitely has those little foam balls in it which I can tell would be very bad and possibly even curious to a baby cham; even an older cham. But I knew we'd have to repot when we bought the plants thanks to this site. Unfortunately the Earl May's don't carry any unfertilized planting soils.

Thanks, txskunk. I've never heard of Fox Farms so I'll check on that too. You'd mentioned liquid fertilizers but I was under the impression that all fertilizers should be avoided in the plants' soil?

I've seen that rubber mulch and that's not a bad idea either. I have the river rocks already so I think I'll give those a shot. Plus, I like the idea that they'll add some extra weight to the pots to prevent potential tipping. Something worth considering for sure though.

Let me put it this way better be safe then sorry,to prevent your chameleon from eating the soil and contracting impaction disease(serious problem)or other types of problems like parasites for exemple PLATYHELMINTHES(CESTODES and TAENIAS)the eggs of these parasites are usualy ingested when the mouth or tongue of the feeding chameleon come into contact with infested soils,first change your soil ones a year use(ORGANIC SOIL or ECOLOGICAL SUBSTRATE)then put a screen on top of the soil and finaly put river rocks on top of the screen,use rocks large enough to prevent your chameleon from acidently swalowing them,its eazy,looks nice and keeps your chameleon safe.HO YA CHECK IF YOUR PLANTS ARE NOT TOXIC TO CHAMELEONS,a lot of plants are!!!!!!!!!!!!

DEVO said:

Let me put it this way better be safe then sorry,to prevent your chameleon from eating the soil and contracting impaction disease(serious problem)or other types of problems like parasites for exemple PLATYHELMINTHES(CESTODES and TAENIAS)the eggs of these parasites are usualy ingested when the mouth or tongue of the feeding chameleon come into contact with infested soils,first change your soil ones a year use(ORGANIC SOIL or ECOLOGICAL SUBSTRATE)then put a screen on top of the soil and finaly put river rocks on top of the screen,use rocks large enough to prevent your chameleon from acidently swalowing them,its eazy,looks nice and keeps your chameleon safe.HO YA CHECK IF YOUR PLANTS ARE NOT TOXIC TO CHAMELEONS,a lot of plants are!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Thanks, Devo. Some great feedback here. As for the plants, I was careful to check all the varieties purchased against several "safe plants for chameleons" lists.

Hey no problem,have fun with your son building the enclosure and post some pics when your done!

I think your son is one lucky kid! Please post up some pictures from Fridays arrival!

I would do a search for Chris Anderson and talk to him.