reptile-safe (and harmful) plants and planting tips!
Sept 27, 2015 15:42:05 GMT
nicegerbils likes this
Post by littlereptile on Sept 27, 2015 15:42:05 GMT
attached is a pdf with lists of both known harmful and known safe plants.
I copy/pasted the following text from a file in the bioactive reptiles of north america group on facebook for accessibility.
Plants and Planting
An attractive, planted bioactive vivarium for our animals is an ideal for many of us; unfortunately, the reality often falls somewhat short. There can be many reasons for this; by far the most common being that the needs of the plants themselves are not considered. Plants are living things, and to grow successfully, those needs have to be provided for.
Basic Needs
All plants that we are likely to use have three basic needs: light, water and nutrients.
Light
Most plants grow best under light that contains the blue and red elements of the spectrum (between the values of 400 and 700 nanometres or nm, fact fans!) which are optimum for photosynthesis and growth. Contrary to popular belief, plants do not need UV- in fact it can actually damage them. A balanced lighting system will provide both UV for the animals and light to stimulate plant growth- so that their growth outweighs the damage. Brightness is also an issue. Many of the plants we use in vivaria come from tropical forest floors- which are relatively dim in comparison to the forest canopy- but often much brighter than the feeble artificial light that we can provide! Plants that don’t receive enough light may grow unnaturally tall and spindly as they desperately try to reach it. Plants with coloured leaves may show a fading or leaching of their markings. Lighting technology for vivaria is getting better all the time, and there have been some exciting developments on the market recently, although these are often not cheap. Plants that naturally grow in the open will not grow well if they are over-shadowed by other plants and features, which should be a factor in their placement within the viv.
Water
All plants need water, but not all plants need it in the same way or the same quantity. It may seem obvious to state that a fern can’t grow in the desert or a cactus in a swamp, but in a lot of cases, that is exactly what we are asking our vivarium plants to do! It is important, rather than to just plonk a plant somewhere because it ‘looks nice’, to match the plant to the environment you are trying to create. I will discuss this further later, but the point here is about watering.
Apart from definite bog plants, no plant that we are likely to use likes its roots permanently submerged. Roots need water, but they also need access to air in the soil; this is where drainage layers (as discussed in other articles) are valuable- they allow the plant to access the water it needs as it passes through, while ensuring that the substrate is not permanently sodden. Roots that are forced to remain in wet, anaerobic soil will rot, and the plant will die. Bromeliads and other epiphytes are adapted to live in trees or on rocks, either growing in crevices or fixing themselves to the surfaces with special grasping roots; they are often sold potted in soil, but are best placed in positions in the vivarium that mimic their natural growing pattern- otherwise, they too will rot. The central ‘well’ in the centre of many bromeliads is the natural watering area, but on the whole, water should not be left to go stagnant in them; if the plants are fixed at a slight angle, excess water will flow out. Air plants generally only need to be sprayed with a mister. Cacti and other succulents in desert and savannah vivs
should be watered infrequently, and the soil should dry out completely between waterings.
Most of the plants that we commonly use benefit from soft, acid water- clean rainwater is ideal, but there are various treatments available if that is not an option.
Nutrients
A question frequently asked about vivarium plants is ‘how do you fertilise them?’ The answer is, in a working bioactive system, you shouldn’t need to. The breakdown of animal and plant wastes by the clean-up crew should provide the nutrients that the plants need in the quantities that they need, without us having to add more. I have been known to add a little (in the form of little balls of rolled-up clay) in new semi-aquatic set-ups, where the substrate was basically plain gravel, but even there this has only been in the very beginning, until the animals had made their contributions- and I’m not totally sure that it was necessary even then. Plants from woodland soil will have more readily-available nutrients in their natural soil (or our version of it) than those from arid, sandy soil- and are adapted accordingly.
What Plant Where?
There are literally thousands of species of plants available, from garden centres, supermarkets, florists and specialist online suppliers, so I’m not even going to try to list them! Instead, I’ll take a look at some typical vivarium set-up types, and give some pointers as to what to look out for. Plants should be researched for toxicity, but bear in mind that some lists can be misleading- for one thing, plants that may possibly be harmful to mammals don’t always affect reptiles and amphibians in the same way, and for another, the definition of ‘toxic’ can be somewhat elastic; for example, Spathiphyllum, the peace lily, is listed as ‘mildly toxic’ on some lists. If you track this definition far enough, as I did out of interest once, mildly toxic actually means ‘may cause indigestion if eaten’- not quite as alarming as it first appears! Nonetheless, if you are concerned about any plant, there are usually plenty of alternatives.
Marsh and Bog (semi-aquatic) Set-ups
These intermediates between aquaria and land vivs, as used for fire-bellied toads and some newts for example, are where true bog plants, those that thrive with their roots in mud or even water flourish. A surprising number of plant species sold for aquaria are actually bog plants, and do well in these set-ups; a good example is the broad-leaved plant Anubias, which grows very slowly under water, but much more quickly (and bigger) if its leaves are allowed to grow into the air.
Temperate Woodland
Cool, mossy woodland is a natural home for many salamanders, frogs and toads. At the relatively low temperatures, ferns and plants like creeping Jenny (Lysimachia) thrive, with reasonable lighting. Some hardy ‘warm climate’ species can also do well- Tradescantia seems not to be fussy. This kind of set-up is best kept in a cool room.
Tropical Woodland/Rainforest
For many people, this is what they have in mind, when they think about bioactive vivs- lush, multi-layered planting, abundant water and brightly-coloured frogs and lizards. In some ways, a set-up like this is easier both to create and to maintain than a temperate one; for one thing, many of the plans and animals tolerate average home
temperatures better, and for another, many, many of the plants sold as house plants are tropical in origin. There are however, a few things to bear in mind. As mentioned above, few plants thrive in permanently soggy soil; this is even more important in a ‘rainforest’ set-up, where frequent rain (in the form of a spray from a bottle or an automatic system) would end up ‘drowning’ the plants without an adequate drainage layer. Another consideration is positioning. Plants from the forest floor tend to have wide, thin, relatively fragile leaves- spread to make the most of what ever light is available. These leaves will quickly shrivel if placed directly under a basking lamp. Those taller plants with narrower tougher leaves, (Dracaena, Most of the Ficus, Palms etc.) will largely form our ‘forest canopy’ and need more direct light, as will most bromeliads and other epiphytes, which make up for not being tall by hitching a lift on others. All will benefit from a regular spray. With less spraying, and without the delicate forest floor plants, chameleons, anoles and similar arboreal lizards can benefit from a slightly drier version.
Dry Environments: Savannah and Desert
Many lizards and snakes, and some chelonians, benefit from a modified savannah-style set-up; not so dry as actual desert, nor yet as damp as any of the types mentioned above. Plant life tends to be tough; succulents, some grasses, tough small shrubs. They can usually be recognised when on sale by their waxy, water-retaining leaves and stems. They also benefit from bright light, as would be found in their natural environments. To both cater for the plants and the animals in this kind of vivarium, I like to give a ‘moisture gradient’, mirroring and based on the temperature one; the easiest way I have found to do this is to occasionally overflow the water bowl in the cool end, which is also where most of the planting will be. This end is therefore normally more damp, while the hot end remains dry, at least on the surface, giving the animals a choice of what they prefer.
Pure desert is a big challenge from a bioactive point of view, and both plants and custodian organisms are difficult to place. Many ‘desert’ animals- plated lizards, bearded dragons, barrel skinks and others thrive in savannah conditions, but true pure desert species (Uromastix and sandfish for example) seem to need it really dry. If experimenting, this is one area where keeping plants in pots is a very good idea- that way, watering the plant shouldn’t increase the humidity of the viv to a dangerous level. A drainage layer in this kind of set-up is superfluous, of course. Clearly more experimentation is needed to create a truly bioactive system in these conditions.
Conclusion
As can be seen, with proper thought and research, growing plants in most bioactive systems is not actually all that difficult; it is simply providing what the individual plants need, just as we do for our animals. A good, basic houseplant book is a valuable tool, both for identification and for growing needs. Have fun!
I copy/pasted the following text from a file in the bioactive reptiles of north america group on facebook for accessibility.
Plants and Planting
An attractive, planted bioactive vivarium for our animals is an ideal for many of us; unfortunately, the reality often falls somewhat short. There can be many reasons for this; by far the most common being that the needs of the plants themselves are not considered. Plants are living things, and to grow successfully, those needs have to be provided for.
Basic Needs
All plants that we are likely to use have three basic needs: light, water and nutrients.
Light
Most plants grow best under light that contains the blue and red elements of the spectrum (between the values of 400 and 700 nanometres or nm, fact fans!) which are optimum for photosynthesis and growth. Contrary to popular belief, plants do not need UV- in fact it can actually damage them. A balanced lighting system will provide both UV for the animals and light to stimulate plant growth- so that their growth outweighs the damage. Brightness is also an issue. Many of the plants we use in vivaria come from tropical forest floors- which are relatively dim in comparison to the forest canopy- but often much brighter than the feeble artificial light that we can provide! Plants that don’t receive enough light may grow unnaturally tall and spindly as they desperately try to reach it. Plants with coloured leaves may show a fading or leaching of their markings. Lighting technology for vivaria is getting better all the time, and there have been some exciting developments on the market recently, although these are often not cheap. Plants that naturally grow in the open will not grow well if they are over-shadowed by other plants and features, which should be a factor in their placement within the viv.
Water
All plants need water, but not all plants need it in the same way or the same quantity. It may seem obvious to state that a fern can’t grow in the desert or a cactus in a swamp, but in a lot of cases, that is exactly what we are asking our vivarium plants to do! It is important, rather than to just plonk a plant somewhere because it ‘looks nice’, to match the plant to the environment you are trying to create. I will discuss this further later, but the point here is about watering.
Apart from definite bog plants, no plant that we are likely to use likes its roots permanently submerged. Roots need water, but they also need access to air in the soil; this is where drainage layers (as discussed in other articles) are valuable- they allow the plant to access the water it needs as it passes through, while ensuring that the substrate is not permanently sodden. Roots that are forced to remain in wet, anaerobic soil will rot, and the plant will die. Bromeliads and other epiphytes are adapted to live in trees or on rocks, either growing in crevices or fixing themselves to the surfaces with special grasping roots; they are often sold potted in soil, but are best placed in positions in the vivarium that mimic their natural growing pattern- otherwise, they too will rot. The central ‘well’ in the centre of many bromeliads is the natural watering area, but on the whole, water should not be left to go stagnant in them; if the plants are fixed at a slight angle, excess water will flow out. Air plants generally only need to be sprayed with a mister. Cacti and other succulents in desert and savannah vivs
should be watered infrequently, and the soil should dry out completely between waterings.
Most of the plants that we commonly use benefit from soft, acid water- clean rainwater is ideal, but there are various treatments available if that is not an option.
Nutrients
A question frequently asked about vivarium plants is ‘how do you fertilise them?’ The answer is, in a working bioactive system, you shouldn’t need to. The breakdown of animal and plant wastes by the clean-up crew should provide the nutrients that the plants need in the quantities that they need, without us having to add more. I have been known to add a little (in the form of little balls of rolled-up clay) in new semi-aquatic set-ups, where the substrate was basically plain gravel, but even there this has only been in the very beginning, until the animals had made their contributions- and I’m not totally sure that it was necessary even then. Plants from woodland soil will have more readily-available nutrients in their natural soil (or our version of it) than those from arid, sandy soil- and are adapted accordingly.
What Plant Where?
There are literally thousands of species of plants available, from garden centres, supermarkets, florists and specialist online suppliers, so I’m not even going to try to list them! Instead, I’ll take a look at some typical vivarium set-up types, and give some pointers as to what to look out for. Plants should be researched for toxicity, but bear in mind that some lists can be misleading- for one thing, plants that may possibly be harmful to mammals don’t always affect reptiles and amphibians in the same way, and for another, the definition of ‘toxic’ can be somewhat elastic; for example, Spathiphyllum, the peace lily, is listed as ‘mildly toxic’ on some lists. If you track this definition far enough, as I did out of interest once, mildly toxic actually means ‘may cause indigestion if eaten’- not quite as alarming as it first appears! Nonetheless, if you are concerned about any plant, there are usually plenty of alternatives.
Marsh and Bog (semi-aquatic) Set-ups
These intermediates between aquaria and land vivs, as used for fire-bellied toads and some newts for example, are where true bog plants, those that thrive with their roots in mud or even water flourish. A surprising number of plant species sold for aquaria are actually bog plants, and do well in these set-ups; a good example is the broad-leaved plant Anubias, which grows very slowly under water, but much more quickly (and bigger) if its leaves are allowed to grow into the air.
Temperate Woodland
Cool, mossy woodland is a natural home for many salamanders, frogs and toads. At the relatively low temperatures, ferns and plants like creeping Jenny (Lysimachia) thrive, with reasonable lighting. Some hardy ‘warm climate’ species can also do well- Tradescantia seems not to be fussy. This kind of set-up is best kept in a cool room.
Tropical Woodland/Rainforest
For many people, this is what they have in mind, when they think about bioactive vivs- lush, multi-layered planting, abundant water and brightly-coloured frogs and lizards. In some ways, a set-up like this is easier both to create and to maintain than a temperate one; for one thing, many of the plans and animals tolerate average home
temperatures better, and for another, many, many of the plants sold as house plants are tropical in origin. There are however, a few things to bear in mind. As mentioned above, few plants thrive in permanently soggy soil; this is even more important in a ‘rainforest’ set-up, where frequent rain (in the form of a spray from a bottle or an automatic system) would end up ‘drowning’ the plants without an adequate drainage layer. Another consideration is positioning. Plants from the forest floor tend to have wide, thin, relatively fragile leaves- spread to make the most of what ever light is available. These leaves will quickly shrivel if placed directly under a basking lamp. Those taller plants with narrower tougher leaves, (Dracaena, Most of the Ficus, Palms etc.) will largely form our ‘forest canopy’ and need more direct light, as will most bromeliads and other epiphytes, which make up for not being tall by hitching a lift on others. All will benefit from a regular spray. With less spraying, and without the delicate forest floor plants, chameleons, anoles and similar arboreal lizards can benefit from a slightly drier version.
Dry Environments: Savannah and Desert
Many lizards and snakes, and some chelonians, benefit from a modified savannah-style set-up; not so dry as actual desert, nor yet as damp as any of the types mentioned above. Plant life tends to be tough; succulents, some grasses, tough small shrubs. They can usually be recognised when on sale by their waxy, water-retaining leaves and stems. They also benefit from bright light, as would be found in their natural environments. To both cater for the plants and the animals in this kind of vivarium, I like to give a ‘moisture gradient’, mirroring and based on the temperature one; the easiest way I have found to do this is to occasionally overflow the water bowl in the cool end, which is also where most of the planting will be. This end is therefore normally more damp, while the hot end remains dry, at least on the surface, giving the animals a choice of what they prefer.
Pure desert is a big challenge from a bioactive point of view, and both plants and custodian organisms are difficult to place. Many ‘desert’ animals- plated lizards, bearded dragons, barrel skinks and others thrive in savannah conditions, but true pure desert species (Uromastix and sandfish for example) seem to need it really dry. If experimenting, this is one area where keeping plants in pots is a very good idea- that way, watering the plant shouldn’t increase the humidity of the viv to a dangerous level. A drainage layer in this kind of set-up is superfluous, of course. Clearly more experimentation is needed to create a truly bioactive system in these conditions.
Conclusion
As can be seen, with proper thought and research, growing plants in most bioactive systems is not actually all that difficult; it is simply providing what the individual plants need, just as we do for our animals. A good, basic houseplant book is a valuable tool, both for identification and for growing needs. Have fun!