Using old possibly infested w/parasites plants

[ChameLIonLover]

Hi guys, I have 2 pothos, 1 schefflera, 1 hibiscus and 1 bromeliad that I used to have in my old cages before I learned that my cham had coccidia. I realize these plants and their soil could have been the cause of the parasites.

Can i repurpose these plants as plants for outdoor/indoor free range use? Or is it best to just not use them? I would only be using these for when my cham
Goes outside when it's nice out, otherwise I will be buying new plants for my guy in his 2x2x4 home. He is now coccidia free and Id like to keep it that way. He is currently in a 18x18x36 inch repti breeze with fake plants.

 

[jannb]

I would not use the plants unless you repot them and wash them with 60 volume proroxide mixed 50/50 with water. Glad to hear your little guy checked clean. Be sure to re-test in a couple months. Coccidia often comes back unfortunately.

 

[ChameLIonLover]

I'll be sure to get tested then. Is 30 or 40 vPlume peroxide the same strength of 60 mixed with 1/2 with water? Thanks for the reply as always. I have no problem with washing
Thoroughly a used plant or 2 over this Labor Day weekend.

 

[ChameLIonLover]

Sorry to revisit this but I still have questions regarding the use of old plants that are possibly infested from an old cage set up.

Are not all plants outside infested with other bugs/parasites of some sort? I feel like a lot of people use their outside trees for their chameleons but have a hard time believing these are all cleaned before hand and safe. WhAts the difference between outside plants that are exposed to many other factors in comparison to my old somewhat questionable plants?

I do respect and will lisTSen to much more experienced keepers, but i would also like more feedback if possible. Thanks!

 

[SocialNumb]

Does it really matter if you're going to wash them? Just wash the plants as jannb described and be done with it. Where ever they come from you have to do the same thing. Repot and wash. It's a safety measure to protect your pet from either bugs/parasites and or pesticides/synthetic fertilizers.

Dawn dish washing liquid or similar will do if you got them new from a shop.

 

[ChameLIonLover]

Does it really matter if you're going to wash them? Just wash the plants as jannb described and be done with it. Where ever they come from you have to do the same thing. Repot and wash. It's a safety measure to protect your pet from either bugs/parasites and or pesticides/synthetic fertilizers.

Dawn dish washing liquid or similar will do if you got them new from a shop.

Thanks for your reply. It actually does matter to me as it is something that I think not a lot of people consider. People allow their chams to climb on their trees and such outside, yet I doubt that the whole tree is cleaned with peroxide or anything like that. If so, it would definitely be over kill as it's obviously not necessary (otherwise I'm sure people would have mentioned it). I wanted to ask to see what people thought. Apparently it's stupid to bring up. I like to know to what extent how careful I need to be.

That is why I asked what others thoughts were regarding shrubbery and trees outside that people let their chams climb on, which are subjected to many more environmental factors compared to plants indoors that are possibly infected with parasites. Like if we allow chams to climb on outside plants that are probably ridden with parasites already, why can't I move my old plants outside and do the same thing?

I want to know especially because I want to know if it's even worth cleaning the plants. Probably not, but I'm still curious. I know that chameleons in the wild are exposed to conditions in which they will always have a certain concentration of parasites as it is, but many of us have chams inside that are perhaps every differently attuned with the indoor conditions that we keepers provide them with. Just wanted to hear others opinions is all. In the end, it probably doesn't matter if the keeper is getting fecals tested frequently enough and monitoring weight.

Regards,

Li

 

[SocialNumb]

I'm not totally sure on this but I'm thinking Chameleon specific coccidia is not just hanging around plants outside. It seems to be host-specific. Dogs can't give it to humans and so on. In the case of this specific coccidia that infects Chameleons (or reptiles) it would be wise to kill them off before introducing another Chameleon to the same coccidia.

Please, anyone, correct me if I'm wrong. This is what I've gathered from a little reading on the subject. Most of it is above my head.

Oh, and sorry for the overall tone of my response. I didn't mean it as in it's a stupid thing to bring up. Questions aren't stupid. Not questioning is, imo.

 

[GCash]

The difference is, plants used in enclosures with known vectors of parasites can build up unnaturally high levels of infectious pathogens in such close confines. In nature there is a much less concentrated dispersion of said pathogens that help keep things in check. Not that they're not there, but a tree outside has not had a vector forced to live only within its branches infecting and reinfecting it with every defecation. Listen to jannb, wash and disinfect them to the best of your abilities. Even then, you're taking a risk.

 

[ChameLIonLover]

The difference is, plants used in enclosures with known vectors of parasites can build up unnaturally high levels of infectious pathogens in such close confines. In nature there is a much less concentrated dispersion of said pathogens that help keep things in check. Not that they're not there, but a tree outside has not had a vector forced to live only within its branches infecting and reinfecting it with every defecation. Listen to jannb, wash and disinfect them to the best of your abilities. Even then, you're taking a risk.

Knowing this info, from you, social numb and Jannb, I am now comfortable to take any of these risks, free of all contention. Thanks for your replies!

-Li

 

[carol5208]

Sorry to revisit this but I still have questions regarding the use of old plants that are possibly infested from an old cage set up.

Are not all plants outside infested with other bugs/parasites of some sort? I feel like a lot of people use their outside trees for their chameleons but have a hard time believing these are all cleaned before hand and safe. WhAts the difference between outside plants that are exposed to many other factors in comparison to my old somewhat questionable plants?

I do respect and will lisTSen to much more experienced keepers, but i would also like more feedback if possible. Thanks!

Yes, they can be, but not necessarily parasites that will infect your chameleon. Coccidia infects the chameleon through feces which the feeders eat. I dealt with it once myself and personally I threw all the plants away and when my chameleon tested positive for it still, I changed the plant for the third time. I also washed the plants with peroxide and water like Jannb said, but wanted to be on the safe side so got rid of the plants. Parasites can shed eggs in the feces which can go into the plants

 

[jajeanpierre]

The difference is, plants used in enclosures with known vectors of parasites can build up unnaturally high levels of infectious pathogens in such close confines. In nature there is a much less concentrated dispersion of said pathogens that help keep things in check. Not that they're not there, but a tree outside has not had a vector forced to live only within its branches infecting and reinfecting it with every defecation. Listen to jannb, wash and disinfect them to the best of your abilities. Even then, you're taking a risk.

I'm facing the same problem--I can't find any new hibiscus to buy to replace the hibiscus my wild caughts used (rarely) when in outside cages.

I'm going to strip all the foliage off the plants, wash the branches and repot in a hydroponic clay pellet. Then I'm going to leave them outside to bake on my deck in the sun once they have recovered from their transplant shock (if they ever do).

An outside tree is completely different from a plant in the cage. Coccidia eggs are resistant to chemicals and can live for years. Because Coccidia is so resistant to chemicals and can live so long, I would be hesitant to keep any plants from a coccidia-infected cage, regardless of the repotting and leaf washing done.