# Chameleon safe plants?



## Link3898

so after reading around the net Ive come to the conclusion that you guys here seem to be the most knowledgeable about the whole plant animal combo as far as forums go... so heres my question.. 

Are any of these plants Toxic if eaten by a chameleon?(so i know which to remove)
heres what ive got in the enclosure now

Split leaf philodendron
Selaginella erythropus 'Ruby Red Selaginella' 
Peperomia prostrata
Ficus pumila var. quercifolia
Cissus amazonica
microsorum thailandicum 
Unknown fern's - 3 different kinds all hitch hikers
Unknown moss (spreads like crazy)
anthurium warocqueanum
Ludisia discolor
Macodes petola
Dossinodes 'Indras Web'
Alocasia reginula

also there are a couple different "generic supermarket" orchids that ive got no idea what they are...

for Bromeliads (from what i remember neoregelia are non toxic)
Neo. "tigerstripe"
Neo. "fireball"
Neo. ampullacea red
Neo. compacta 'small form'
Neo. (unknown spikey something)
Tillandsia concolor

I plan on adding 
Elaphoglossum metalicum 
Elaphoglossum herminieri

any tips on this would be awesome... i really dont want to have to find out the hard way...


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## billschwinn

Lets make this easy. What kind of chameleon, A Veiled Cham will eat a good amount of vegetation, most other types don't eat vegetation.


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## Link3898

thats the thing.... right now the one i am getting is a panther.. the next i plan on is a flap neck and after that then a carpet... so its not just one type its for chameleons in general. ive known people that had panthers that ate tons of vegetation...


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## Link3898

Link3898 said:


> thats the thing.... right now the one i am getting is a panther.. the next i plan on is a flap neck and after that then a carpet... so its not just one type its for chameleons in general. ive known people that had panthers that ate tons of vegetation...


Edit: oh and for whatever reason the last veiled chameleon i had never touched any greens... the only greens he ate the crickets or super worms had to first...


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## Link3898

OOOOHHH yes. just to be clear...  before anyone with a short fuse reads that above statement... i do plan on getting a couple different kinds of chameleon's BUT they are not going to be together!! each in their own enclosure.
(i am no stranger to chameleon care.. just which plants they cannot eat)


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## ggazonas

Ficus and Schefflera always work well


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## Link3898

ggazonas said:


> Ficus and Schefflera always work well


yeah, ive used both of those in the past... however i am not this time... well no tree style ficus anyway


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## epiphytes etc.

monstera- split leaf philo, is very toxic... biting causes it to release calcium oxilate crystals that puncture the tender mucas membranes. the fruit however is delicious


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## billschwinn

I know some ficus are quite toxic. A good rule of thumb is avoid plants with milky sap.


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## blacksmith

I've been keeping/breeding panther chameleons on pothos, schefflera, and hibiscus, successfully for many years. I've never seen a panther eat plants. I'd like to see a photo of your chameleon cage with all those plants.


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## Link3898

blacksmith said:


> I've been keeping/breeding panther chameleons on pothos, schefflera, and hibiscus, successfully for many years. I've never seen a panther eat plants. I'd like to see a photo of your chameleon cage with all those plants.


 request granted  this enclosure measures 7 ft tall and just under three feet wide by three feet deep.









the enclosure isnt done yet, still need to cricket proof corners and walls so they cant climb out, and still need to finish the edges, add the mistking system that comes tomorrow  and center the hanging pendant.



billschwinn said:


> I know some ficus are quite toxic. A good rule of thumb is avoid plants with milky sap.


 thats a good rule...



epiphytes etc. said:


> monstera- split leaf philo, is very toxic... biting causes it to release calcium oxilate crystals that puncture the tender mucas membranes. the fruit however is delicious


Hummm.. yeah i forgot about this... well crud, that would have covered the "tree" with the perfect vines and roots for the chameleon to traverse on.. looks like its not staying though.


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## Link3898

alright... now i am slightly confused.. this was listed on the safe list for chameleons on Safe Plants List for Chameleons... CUT-LEAF PHILODENDRON also SPLIT-LEAF PHILODENDRON (Monstera deliciosa)

so... is it toxic to chameleons or not? what about the rest of the plants ive got listed?


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## epiphytes etc.

aroids as a rule are toxic. if you've used pothos (epipremnum pinnatum) in the past without issue, maybe monstera will work for you. i used to keep veiled's and they munched happily on many ficus, and never had a problem. maybe their yemani origins have equipped them with an iron stomach? in habitat they frequent acacia trees, which they also feed on. your "cage" looks really good, i've always wanted to build something similar. i recommend any vitus or cissus sp., as they tend to be edible anyway. best of luck, and keep us posted. 

also, since panthers are of malagasy origin, use malagasy plants? baobabs are fast growing and very nutritious.


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## Link3898

Link3898 said:


> Are any of these plants Toxic if eaten by a chameleon?(so i know which to remove)
> heres what ive got in the enclosure now
> 
> 
> Selaginella erythropus 'Ruby Red Selaginella'
> Peperomia prostrata
> Ficus pumila var. quercifolia
> Cissus amazonica
> microsorum thailandicum
> Unknown fern's - 3 different kinds all hitch hikers
> Unknown moss (spreads like crazy)
> anthurium warocqueanum
> Ludisia discolor
> Macodes petola
> Dossinodes 'Indras Web'
> Alocasia reginula
> 
> also there are a couple different "generic supermarket" orchids that ive got no idea what they are...
> 
> for Bromeliads (from what i remember neoregelia are non toxic)
> Neo. "tigerstripe"
> Neo. "fireball"
> Neo. ampullacea red
> Neo. compacta 'small form'
> Neo. (unknown spikey something)
> Tillandsia concolor
> 
> .




so..... what about the rest of em? anyone?


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## epiphytes etc.

once again, alocacia, being an aroid, is toxic. the rest are probably all fine...


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## Link3898

Oh whoops, I forgot to delete the alocacia from the list since it was already mentioned.. 

thanks for the help then


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## Groundhog

I do not keep chameleons (can't get cool nights in summer), but I have a couple of thoughts:

1) I have never heard of any tropical herp actually dying from eating a tropical plant. While some recommend going biotopical (e.g., basilisks with neoptropical plants, water dragons with Asian plants), I have never seen a documented case where, let's say, a NW chuckwalla died from eating an OW Euphorbia!

2) But this does not apply to all plants from outsides an animal's natural region. Ivy (Hedera) will kill bearded dragons; this is not an urban legend. This is why, to play it safe, I try to stay biotopical. 

3) The vert setup with all the bromeliads looks good--but why, may I ask, for chameleons? For me, that would be the perfect setup for big hylids, phyllomedusines and/or conehead lizards or bigger anoles. 

Not just a biotopical bias--don't chameleons like branches w/o lots of obstacles? Isn't this why people tend to load chameleon setups with ficus, schefflera and vines--to make it easier for them to navigate?

4) As to the flowering plants on your list, I have never heard of any herp having a problem--especially the bromeliads. (As for the ferns, I have never seen a problem, but I am not 100% certain).

My bigger, non-rhetorical question is this: How do chameleon feet deal with big aroid leaves? And how do aroid leaves deal w chameleon feet?!?

For me, if I had a Panther:

Ficus 
Scindapsus pictus (I know, it's close enough for me)
Medinilla sedifolia (mounted) 
A couple of Madagascar angraecoids (mounted)
And that Madagascar Asplenium that Andy sells...


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## EvilLost

I can't believe I haven't noticed this thread...

I'm building a VERY similar project (with the same dimensions!) and even a similar design...i'm shocked i havent noticed this thread!!

in your picture, how did you mount your light? it looks like its separated from your back wall? I was giong to place my light directly on my backwall (i dont want to support it from the ceiling) and then use light diffuser to prevent them from crawling up; possibly cover it with no see-um to stop cricks too


i also had a large alocasia i was putting in there (for aesthetics as he will have a ton else to climb). when you guys said aroids are toxic, in what method do you mean? My cham never eats his plants so thats not an issue, but there is a possibility he might climb the stems so if its toxic via touch then that is an issue...but i LOVE this plant 

great build btw! i like the idea with the glass on the bottom ...i might have to steal that one o


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