How Do I Make My Ficus Cham-Safe?

[johncjb]

Hey Guys,

Just the other day I bought a ficus tree from Lowes for my cham (which i dont have yet )

I noticed dirt/dust/pesticide on the leaves of the plant.

How do I safely remove the pesticide/dirt so the ficus is chameleon-safe?

Thanks for all your help

 

[tony19]

You an use rocks that are to big to fit in your chams mouth. You just cover the soil ontop with the rocks and that way your cham can't eat your soil.

As for the pesticides my best guess would be to wash the leaves. BUt I'm not 100% on this one sorry. But others will know better then me.

 

[jbrough42]

Use a large bucket or tub fill it with water and a mild detergent. Turn the plant upside down and "swish" it around in the water throughly. Take it out and give it a good rinse and then "swish" it again. Then rinse the plant a couple of good times with clean water.

Also make sure that you repot it in an organic soil with no fertilizer in it. And as was mentioned above. Make sure you cover the soil so the cham can't get to the dirt, either river rock or screen or something of the sort works well

 

[Kimmers]

Shower time

If it's a single stem plant you can give it a nice shower! I wrapped the pot in a sturdy garbage bag gathering the top and twisting until it was tight against the bark. Then I taped it down firmly to the top of the pot (not to the stem itself). I put the plant in the shower and ran a warmish water for a while. I turned it and shook it around. The pot still got saturated but the dirt stayed in the pot!

 

[lisagr07]

I use Dawn Dishwashing liquid to wash any plants I get. I figure if it's safe enough to cleanup the oil spill animals it should be safe enough for my chams!

 

[jbrough42]

I use Dawn Dishwashing liquid to wash any plants I get. I figure if it's safe enough to cleanup the oil spill animals it should be safe enough for my chams!

+1 I use the same thing and for the same reason

 

[johncjb]

Thanks for all the help, guys and gals