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Need info on Keeping Ficus Benjemima and others

Hi Folks: Not sure if this is the right forum, please direct me to the right one if it is not.  I am setting up a chameleon cage and these are the plants that were suggested to furnish it with.  I need more in depth info on the care of these plants: Ficus benjamina tree, Umbrella tree, Hibiscus.  The cage is indoors, there will be a continous drip of RO water over the plant(for the Chameleon's sake)of approx. 4-6 oz./day, misting with RO water 2x/day at minimum, I might even hook a cool steam himidifier to the cage and have it set to timer, lights: 1 UV incandescent bulb, 1 14watt 5.0 UVB light at 5,500Kelvin, temps range 68-90 F. ambient temps.  Which of these plants will do better in the environment or is there others that you could recommend that will fit the bill, is not toxic, or have irritating sap(and gee, if its pretty and flowers all the better!)  thanks-Maggie
 
Hi Maggie -

We have a Benjamin ficus in our Ambanja Panther Chameleon cage. Ours is a cage, like a birdcage - not any kind of tank or terrarium. No special treatment for the ficus or other plants. One of the other plants in there i know is safe is Jasmine oficinalis. We also have a Nepenthes khasiana x ventricosa in there that just started to pitcher.

Take a look at this website, it might be helpful:
http://www.animalarkshelter.org/cin/
They used to have a toxic plant list - I haven't checked in a while.

Also, 2 very good books are:

Chameleons, Their Care & Breeding by Linda J. Davison - this was a little hard to find, we got it at a reptile show. Maybe your library can get for you through interlibrary loan. LLLreptile.com may have it.

The New Chameleon Handbook by Francois Le Barre - not as thorough, but easier to find.

I hope this helps. If you have any more specific questions please PM me.

WildBill
 
Thanks for the reply Bill.  I thought this post never posted so I reposted it again above.  The link was helpful and I will probably end up with a Hibiscus since they are so pretty, hardy and good for the Cham.  Take Care-Maggie
 
Hey Maggie,
Are you the same Maggie from the Kingsnake/dartfrog forums?
I was just wondering.
 
I can't speak to its usefulness in a terrarium or cage, but ficus benjamina grows quite large. They can be pruned but where you cut it will ooze a very sticky, white sap. I don't know if its toxic or not but its messy. Ficus also don't like to be disturbed. Temperature and light changes will cause it to drop its leaves. It will produce new leaves but may need pruning to bush it up.

I love my ficus but it makes me want to tear my hair out. Right now it looks like fall in my bedroom...leaves all over the floor. The plant has not been moved but either the temp drop (near a window) or the seasonal light change caused another round of leaf drop.

Good luck....and welcome to the forums.
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There is a Miscellaneous Plant forum which might bring more help with your other plants.

Suzanne
 
I saw one at the missouri botanical gardens that was oover 100 feet! reached the ceiling! there was a pair of them in the entrance!
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Hi: I am the same Maggie as the Maggie on the Kingsnake forums!  Good to see you here!  I always have a ton of questions and it seems one forum is just not enough for my curiosities.  Your Dart is beautiful.  Hey, if you can direct me to the right sections of the forum that would be of best help for Vivariums for Darts I would be extremely grateful!  Maggie
 
Hi Maggie

There isn't a forum specifically for vivariums per se, but there is one entitled "Greenhouses, Terrariums and Bogs"...also another one for Reptiles/Amphibians and Terrariums with animals. Just go to the main forum page where all the forums are listed and scroll down until you see them. There is also the Miscellaneous Plant forum for non-CP plants for your vivarium. There are a number of dart frog people here so perhaps check the Reptile/Amphibian forum...I think that is where they hang out.
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Suzanne
 
thanks Suzanne: Thanks for the info!  This is a really neat forum!  
 
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