Disinfecting plants

[rcmike]

Hi guys, I lost a cham due to parasites and am wanting to disinfect the cage and contents so if I put another one in there they won't get them. The cage should be pretty easy but what about the plants? I have a sheffalera and a dracaena in it. Can they be cleaned without getting rid of them?
Thanks,
Michael

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Considering the price of new plants ... I would replace them.
I don't think you will be able to effectively remove all traces of parasite that may lurk in the plants, pots and dirt.
Better safe than sorry.

-Brad

 

[stevereecy]

Considering the price of new plants ... I would replace them.
I don't think you will be able to effectively remove all traces of parasite that may lurk in the plants, pots and dirt.
Better safe than sorry.

-Brad

Seconded. Lost a chameleon not too long ago to parasites, and lost another one after disinfecting the cage and trying to reuse the plant after cleaning it. Too risky, and not a mistake I'll personally repeat.

Give it to your significant other as a present.

Steve

 

[rcmike]

That is what I was afraid of. I'll just get some more whenever I decide to reuse the cage then. I figured anything that would kill parasites would probably kill the plants.

 

[dodolah]

unfortunately, the only way to penetrate the parasites cyst is by boiling water.
in which will kill the plants too.
just put the plants outside. and that's that.

 

[rcmike]

Unfortunately they would be dead in a few days if I put them outside. Our climate isn't too friendly for tropical type plants.

 

[Chase]

Well you could just keep them inside until the summer? Then you could just get new ones.

 

[dodolah]

Unfortunately they would be dead in a few days if I put them outside. Our climate isn't too friendly for tropical type plants.

you can just enjoy them inside your house. but, make sure tell your family not to touch the plants (especially the soil) and eat before washing their hands. You don't want them to get the parasites.

If you have children that are still in the age where they like to take anything they hold inside their mouth, i suggest you limit the access.

Make sure you practice extreme cleaning routine on both your chameleon's cage.
Personally, i hose the while cage with bleach solutions. Since my parasites case, i use boiling water to clean the drip tray. and steamer cleaner to clean the cage. since steamer uses hot steam to clean, people say that is effective to kill parasites and their cysts.

I just like how easy it is to clean with them. Since it's not a wet cleaning medium, you can clean the cage without taking them outside.

Hope that helps