For those of you with ficus in your chams cage, how do you maintain them? I can't seem to keep them alive in the cage, they always start dropping leaves and getting white spots. I assume either too hot (getting burned from the heat lamp) and probably too much water (from the mistings, water drippers). When I take them out of the cage and just place them in the house by a window, they do great. I read that ficus likes to dry out between waterings and it's easy to over-water them, but how do you avoid that in a cage that is constantly getting water? Any suggestions would be helpful. I really wanted to use live plants in my cham cage but I can't seem to keep anything alive and growing, so right now the poor guy is only getting fake plants.
Ficus Tree Maintenance
- Thread starter BPal75
- Start date
I would switch to pothos or dwarf umbrella plants. These tolerate water more. Pothos are also not picky about lighting. Other plants will need plants lights. Ficus are very picky lighting and water will cause them to drop leaves.
https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf
https://chameleonacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Chameleon-Plants-122819.pdf
That's a bummer. I specifically bought a ficus benjamina because it was recommended on this site as a good plant for a cham's cage. In fact it is the first plant listed as a center piece plant on the list you linked to. Perhaps it should be removed from that PDF if it's not a great plant to use.
Kris Chams
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have that same problem and I am going to try to put a grow light in there and maybe that will help. They do need live plants in there and I hope that a grow light will be beneficial, I would hate to lose my little ficus tree.
Um it is not that it isnt a good plant to use... Plants need light. There are some that do better in cages that do not have plant lights. There are some that tolerate wet conditions.. There are some that tolerate dryer conditions. Knowing the cage environment that your working with and what you need to provide for plants to thrive is important. It is a part of the total husbandry. If your just running your T5HO UVB fixture and the heat lamp then pothos are going to be one of the few plants that will deal with low light like that. Most keepers run plant lights. Not only does it brighten a cage up but it provides the lighting the plant needs to grow and thrive.
Kamikaze Chameleon
Avid Member
Hydra_cosplay
Avid Member
Ya that's a perfect free range tree!I LITTERALY just got this today and its too fuck1ng big for my new cage ??☠?
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Salty, why are you always yelling? We hear you just fine with normal text. ? ?
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have heard/read that weeping figs will drop all of their leaves when placed in a cham cage and regrow them once it has adjusted. I have yet to find one for sale near me, so I can’t test this theory. I do know that one of my hibiscus dropped what was left of it’s leaves (after being ravaged by Stella eating them) and is trying to grow new ones...if Stella will just stop eating them.
NashansCamos
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have a small maybe 2ft tall ficus in Jango’s cage... it is doing great under SANSI grow lights. Maybe a grow light would be goo. I also have a 5ft tall ficus for free ranging
Klyde O'Scope
Chameleon Enthusiast
Protect the soil with a shield to prevent misting water from over-watering, and water that plant only when needed. AFAIK, misting the leaves shouldn't be a problem.
CasqueAbove
Chameleon Enthusiast
Good light and drainage seem to be the key for me
Kamikaze Chameleon
Avid Member
All i have is the 2 t5ho lights i also put my old t10 up so hopefully that's enough light for it?
NashansCamos
Chameleon Enthusiast
It will need light most likelay. I like jungle dawns fir free ranges because they have a wide spectrum
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Typical Big Pothos and Big Schefflera trying to take over
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