Aeonium black roses and chameleons?

PlanetRemulak

Avid Member
I’ll be rescuing a sick little lady veiled today. She will be coming with her own enclosure that is badly in need of live plants. My back yard planters are currently overrun with Aeonium Zwartkop black roses (pics attached). Pretty sure these are considered to be a type of succulent. Wondering if anyone would happen to know if these are toxic to chameleons? They grow very easily out here and have large thick branches, but they are not present on safe plants list (which honestly should have probably been my first indication that these will likely be a no-go). They’re also not listed on any UNSAFE lists and, according to Google, are “not known to be toxic to people or animals.” Thay may very likely be a different story with veiled chameleons, though. Thoughts on this? Any live plants I add will be sanitized.

Thanks!
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I’ll be rescuing a sick little lady veiled today. She will be coming with her own enclosure that is badly in need of live plants. My back yard planters are currently overrun with Aeonium Zwartkop black roses (pics attached). Pretty sure these are considered to be a type of succulent. Wondering if anyone would happen to know if these are toxic to chameleons? They grow very easily out here and have large thick branches, but they are not present on safe plants list (which honestly should have probably been my first indication that these will likely be a no-go). They’re also not listed on any UNSAFE lists and, according to Google, are “not known to be toxic to people or animals.” Thay may very likely be a different story with veiled chameleons, though. Thoughts on this? Any live plants I add will be sanitized.

Thanks!
I can't find a definite answer either, though I haven't done an exhaustive search.

Toxicity aside, Aeonium Arboreum would be difficult to keep healthy in most chameleon enclosures due to its light & water requirements. If you can provide suficient light, you could keep one outside of but near the enclosure.

Otherwise, best to keep to the plants on these lists:
https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
https://www.madcham.de/en/pflanzen-fuers-terrarium/
https://www.chameleons.info/l/safe-and-unsafe-plants/
https://www.chameleonschool.com/safe-plants-for-chameleons/
 
Succulents typically do not stand up to the humidity and moisture we have to put into cham cages. Also Veileds eat their plants so you have to use veiled tested plants. This image will help you. Choose the Veiled tested ones.

View attachment 301696

Thank you so much for this! Very helpful. The veiled chameleon I intended to rescue ended up going to a friend with veterinary experience and 3 veileds back at home already (ultimately I felt they were better equipped to handle caring for a sick and neglected chameleon than I). Still great to know! I actually have several of these plants on my patio already and intend to make good use of them when I finally get a panther chameleon (that had actually been my original plan).
 
I can't find a definite answer either, though I haven't done an exhaustive search.

Toxicity aside, Aeonium Arboreum would be difficult to keep healthy in most chameleon enclosures due to its light & water requirements. If you can provide suficient light, you could keep one outside of but near the enclosure.

Otherwise, best to keep to the plants on these lists:
https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/
https://www.madcham.de/en/pflanzen-fuers-terrarium/
https://www.chameleons.info/l/safe-and-unsafe-plants/
https://www.chameleonschool.com/safe-plants-for-chameleons/

I greatly appreciate you looking into it at all - thank you very much for your input (and for th helpful links as well)! I too like the idea of one outside of the enclosure, or for use as a tree to camp out on for outside time. I‘ve already mentioned this to Beman, so I don’t mean to sound like a broken record here.. I ultimately ended up deciding it was best for my rescue cham to go to a friend with veterinary AND chameleon experience (I apologize for the amount of time it took for me to respond. I became pretty invested in my rescue girl and was feeling pretty bummed that she didn’t end up with me permanently).

I will be moving forward with my original plan to get a panther chameleon, so your help is still greatly appreciated!
 
I greatly appreciate you looking into it at all - thank you very much for your input (and for th helpful links as well)! I too like the idea of one outside of the enclosure, or for use as a tree to camp out on for outside time. I‘ve already mentioned this to Beman, so I don’t mean to sound like a broken record here.. I ultimately ended up deciding it was best for my rescue cham to go to a friend with veterinary AND chameleon experience (I apologize for the amount of time it took for me to respond. I became pretty invested in my rescue girl and was feeling pretty bummed that she didn’t end up with me permanently).

I will be moving forward with my original plan to get a panther chameleon, so your help is still greatly appreciated!
Very wise decision. :) Starting your chameleon experience with a healthy one is always best. Taking on a neglected one, especially a female is a tremendous challenge. Hopefully you’ll be able to still see her and get progress updates from your friend who has her.
 
Very wise decision. :) Starting your chameleon experience with a healthy one is always best. Taking on a neglected one, especially a female is a tremendous challenge. Hopefully you’ll be able to still see her and get progress updates from your friend who has her.
Things like this are really great to hear (er, read in this case). I don’t regret my decision, but responses like these really bring home the point that however it turned out, a sick animal was taken out of less than ideal living conditions and given a chance to get well again. I’m thrilled to have had any hand in that. Her previous owner told me just before I went to go get her that she hadn‘t been eating, and I’m very glad to say that quickly changed when my friend got her home that night. I’ll see about asking for an updated picture after she‘s put on a bit of weight :)

thank you so much for the kind words!
 
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