Scored!

[Andee]

Went to michael's to grab some fake plants for the future chameleon cage and also my leo cages. Over half of the plants I got were 50% off. Now I just need some grape vine wood and also need to bash down some of the cork bark I have into smaller pieces

But here is the haul. Spent 100.00 on 3 6' garlands and a small 2' garland, and three flower bunches. One of the larger garlands has a water safe bendable vine in it too that is a great thickness for a chameleon

 

[MissSkittles]

Good deal! Do make sure to wash and rinse them well though and if you can let them air dry outside for a day, that would be awesome…gotta get all the manufacturing dust and odor off. I am going to advocate for safe live plants…I hope you have at least a nice pothos or something else that is live. I Defintely would not use any for our plant-eating veiled friends or even bearded dragons. I was going to liven up my beardie’s tanks with some fake plants and then my girl decided to try to eat my neon green top. (She’s cute but not that bright) Your leos will definitely enjoy them, and of course, you will enjoy all the pretty accents.

 

[Andee]

Yes I am gonna be washing with a mild vinegar solution and soaking in water after and then probably have them out in the sun later today. I think fkr live plants for my future chameleon (i will be doing a few as well as fake because its easier for upkeep) i think i will do a pathos for its ease and wide leaves for drinking, but spider plants are safe from what I remember and I have a friend who had some beautiful cuttings recently. I want to do one more lower light plant for the bottom though? Any recs? I was thinking of doing a small plant grow light as well to encourage healthy growth from the plants, but I have never done that before with chameleons. Do you know if they tolerate it well?

 

[MissSkittles]

Yes I am gonna be washing with a mild vinegar solution and soaking in water after and then probably have them out in the sun later today. I think fkr live plants for my future chameleon (i will be doing a few as well as fake because its easier for upkeep) i think i will do a pathos for its ease and wide leaves for drinking, but spider plants are safe from what I remember and I have a friend who had some beautiful cuttings recently. I want to do one more lower light plant for the bottom though? Any recs? I was thinking of doing a small plant grow light as well to encourage healthy growth from the plants, but I have never done that before with chameleons. Do you know if they tolerate it well?

I love tradescantia zebrina for a beautiful little pop of some color, plus it grows so very easily, vines and you can make new plants from clippings. Usually it will vine downwards, but I found when I had one against a wall, it vined upwards, which was super cool. They do like a good amount of water too, which makes them great for chameleon enclosures. Yes, spider plants are safe. I have had them in with my veileds and they didn’t bother them. I guess they weren’t very tasty. Polka dot plant is another that has some color. However, they tend to get very leggy and then aren’t as attractive. I’m attaching a couple of plant graphics from Chameleon Academy and Petr Necas.
Regarding plant lighting, I have been using blindingly bright Sansi 70w plant lights for several years and my chams seem to have no problem with them, other than they will often try to bask under them since they are the brightest light. Unless you are using some plants with very high light needs, like hibiscus, a simple lower wattage light works fine. I have used screw in 15w and 35w bulbs, which have worked wonderfully for my lower and average light plants.

 

[Andee]

Omg I love the zebrina! I will have a lot of room since the new baby will be going into a dragonstrand at some point (I normally would put them in right away but if I get one from kammersflage a lot of the ones I am drawn to i think might be a bit too young for the full cage right away). Lower wattage plant light or just a basking light? Thanks so much for answering all my questions, I love learning all the new info out there or just things I dont know

 

[MissSkittles]

Omg I love the zebrina! I will have a lot of room since the new baby will be going into a dragonstrand at some point (I normally would put them in right away but if I get one from kammersflage a lot of the ones I am drawn to i think might be a bit too young for the full cage right away). Lower wattage plant light or just a basking light? Thanks so much for answering all my questions, I love learning all the new info out there or just things I dont know

I just posted some pics of one of my chams and his tradescantia zebrina is directly behind him. You can see how pinkish/purple it becomes. Beneath him the light green leaf is a neon pothos and mixed in is an umbrella plant (schefflera).