I'm really confused

[ChamomilleCame]

Kay, so I have a schefflera actinophylla outside in my patio. It's pretty large, like 30 ft. I've used the branches (w/ leaves) for my cham's cage. I didn't realize that both actinophylla and abricola were different! I just read that they were toxic I've been using these branches for almost three months and nothing has happened to my cham. He doesn't really chew on them, but he has licked them to get water. I don't know about this... Can a chameleon really get hurt from these leaves/ tree??
Thanks for your help

 

[brandon1]

Did you just read this post lol:

https://www.chameleonforums.com/please-help-me-id-plant-78095/

Anyways this website: http://lancaster.unl.edu/factsheets/031.htm states that this plant is non toxic, but you may wish to look further into this just to make sure. I've actually never even heard of schefflera actinophylla before, but I think that most Schefflera species are non toxic, with maybe a few exceptions. The fact that you've had them with your cham for a few months, and he's licked water off of them and possibly ate a little of the plant, and nothing has happended to him makes me believe that the plant is safe. But to be on the safe side I would do some research. I'll check it out too because this now has gotten me curious .

 

[EvilLost]

I just want to clarify that many people throw around the word "toxic" but it is very important to ask HOW.

Some plants are toxic simply by touching them (think poison ivy)

Some plants are toxic when ingested in certain amounts (many of the plants we currently use actually fall into this category).

Still others may be toxic by other means (sap? flowers? etc)



A plant that is toxic when ingested does not present a threat to an animal that does not eat it but merely touches it.

Lastly, you have to consider the "how much". A toxic dosage to a human, or a cat, or a dog, is likely going to be much higher than for the tiny chameleon. Although a direct ratio can't be taken, it is a decent approximation.

 

[ChamomilleCame]

Yeah, I just read the thread
I had never put thought into the toxicity thing. Thanks for that

 

[brandon1]

I just want to clarify that many people throw around the word "toxic" but it is very important to ask HOW.

Some plants are toxic simply by touching them (think poison ivy)

Some plants are toxic when ingested in certain amounts (many of the plants we currently use actually fall into this category).

Still others may be toxic by other means (sap? flowers? etc)



A plant that is toxic when ingested does not present a threat to an animal that does not eat it but merely touches it.

Lastly, you have to consider the "how much". A toxic dosage to a human, or a cat, or a dog, is likely going to be much higher than for the tiny chameleon. Although a direct ratio can't be taken, it is a decent approximation.

Good point. That's why I mentioned to look further into it. She already stated that she has had the plant in there for a few months and her cham has licked water off of it, and in having the plant in the same cage with her cham for that long it would be inevitable for her cham to come in contact with it, so that rules out the possibility that it could be toxic by contact. As for ingesting it, she mentioned that he doesn't really chew on it, so if he has a little bit it doesn't seem that it could be toxic by eating it because she claims he is fine, and if he's been in there with the plants for months and hasn't nibbled on any of it, apparently he is not interested in eating off of it. And as far as a kind of sap that could cause irritation to the chams eyes or skin, she says that she's been using branches off a 30' tree so obviously to get the branches from the tree she would have to cut or break them off, thus exposing the inside of the branches which would harbor toxic saps if the plant contains those. But since her cham appears fine I don't see how the plant could be toxic in any of the three phases of toxicity.