is this plant safe...

Dawniegirl

New Member
Dieffenbachia maculata.... Anyone know if this plant is safe for my chams cage? I picked one up for a good price, its the perfect size and should hold water nicely in the leaves. I can't find it on a safe list I found from flchams but don't know if that means its not safe. Thanks!!!
 
I had one in one of my enclosures. I think it's fine. But, the only thing is my cham destroyed it. I guess when they grab the leaves their claws really mess them up. I took it out and now I'm trying to nurse it back to health.
 
I had one in one of my enclosures. I think it's fine. But, the only thing is my cham destroyed it. I guess when they grab the leaves their claws really mess them up. I took it out and now I'm trying to nurse it back to health.

hahaha that doesnt sound like a fun plant to have in a cham enclosure
 
dumb cane

Dieffenbachia maculata.... Anyone know if this plant is safe for my chams cage? I picked one up for a good price, its the perfect size and should hold water nicely in the leaves. I can't find it on a safe list I found from flchams but don't know if that means its not safe. Thanks!!!

_Dieffenbachia_ is a stem-forming member of the Aroid family, and like most in the family, it has irritating oxalate crystals called raphides. In this genus, they are dangerously potent. The effect on the mouth and throat is immediate burning sensation, followed by swelling and even bleeding. In other members of the family, this rarely presents a true danger, but in Dieffencbachia the concentrations may be so high as to present a danger of death from a single bite. There is a well documented case of an infant who died from ingesting one small section.

The plant is commonly called "dumb cane" because of its effect of swelling the mouth and throat tissues, making the victim mute. It has been used as a component of arrow poisons by native peoples of the Amazon Basin. It has been used as a device for torture of slaves.

Not all species of the genus are super potent, but I have no information on which ones might be more, or less, safe. I do not recommend this plant in the house. I do not sell it.

edit: I will add more information when I have my reference books with me.
 
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Dieffenbachia maculata is known as highly toxic for pets, DGrad wrote the symptoms. I wouldn't use it in a cham cage at all.
 
I guess I should have googled it too. I just googled a pic. Good thing I took it out. But, now that I think about it mine is different. Might not be the same plant.
 
I know that it is classified as poisonous but my cat ate my dieffenbachia his whole life and he almost made it to 20 yrs old before he died and he died of old age nothing else. The only thing that ever happened to him is the plant made his tongue numb and he walked around for a couple hours with it hanging out of his mouth. I think he might have liked the feeling of it cause it was a daily thing for him to eat it.
 
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