Tomato plants

[JHumm]

I have a tomato plant that would make a perfect spot for my cham to sit out side and soak up some natural rays. People seem to say they are toxic to chams but nobody says why. Can anyone answer this?

 

[Carlton]

I have a tomato plant that would make a perfect spot for my cham to sit out side and soak up some natural rays. People seem to say they are toxic to chams but nobody says why. Can anyone answer this?

Tomato plant tissue is toxic if it is eaten (leaves and stems. fruit is OK). Tomato is a member of the nightshade plant family. Most species are toxic to some degree, some highly so. If your cham happens to bite on or chew the leaves that could be a very bad thing.

 

[JHumm]

Good to know. Thanks Carlton!

 

[JHumm]

will it irritate his skin if he climbs on it or does he have to ingest it?

 

[sapphira80]

To my knowledge, tomato plants are only toxic if ingested. So technically, sitting on the plant wouldn't be toxic, but if he takes a bite OR zaps a bug that's been eating the tomato plant, it IS toxic. This is the reason you can only feed chams hornworms that have been feed an artificial diet, not their natural diet, which is tomato plants.



It seems quite risky IMHO to put him on the tomato plant for sun. Perhaps bring a safe house plant out for him to sit on?

 

[ridgebax1]

The tomato plant and leaves contain solanine which is a toxic glycoalkaloid. Tomatoes and potatoes are both members of the solanaceae family which also includes plants like Angel's and Devil's Trumpets and may others from which many useful pharmaceuticals have been derived. None the less obviously the fruit of the tomato plant and the tubers from potatoes are not toxic. Although eating unripe potatoes can theoretically make you ill.

 

[JHumm]

Thanks everyone! I had Frank on the tomato plant a few hours before I realized it could be toxic. (watching the whole time and he didnt eat anything) I just wanted to make sure I wasnt going to have to give him a bath