Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone!!!

I am having beyond tremendous difficulty keeping my plants healthy...even ALIVE for more than 3 months. I give tham sufficient water and UV lighting, but they just seem to wilt and die. I know what the problem is. The lower half of the plant isn't recieving adequete lighting. Therefore, the top half slowly starts dieng as well. Is there any special plant bulb I can place on the lower side of the cage that will keep them alive? Any reccomendations? Thanks as always guys!

Michele

There are a few things you can do..

1.get a powerfull bulb and point at the low light areas
(powersun, mv bulb)or a big 48" strip flourecent with plant tubes.(most hardware stores carry the plant spectrum type)

2.move the cage in front of a bright window.

3.use low light plants... pothos, dracaena, chlorophytum comosum etc.(chlorophytum is actually listed as medium-high light, but seem to do fine with flourecents.)
If you're trying to keep ficus and schefflera alive and bushy
you need them in front of a bRIGHT window, artificial light
doesn't seem to work very well as you're finding out.
option 2 and 3 are the easiest and cheapest.
Garrett

I would definetly put more lights on the cage. Not only will the plants do better, but chameleons seem to like alot of light. I keep all my cages very bright. If you have a really big cage, it is much harder. Flourecents work good cause they are low wattage, and supply alot of light.

Ank-Inc.
Adam.

LMAO...I'm on MSN messanger all the time but it's always when your'e NEVER on!!! Lol, Thanks for the reply you two. Adam- I'll be on tomorrow around 8:00 p.m.- looking forward to FINALLY talking to you!

Michele

It sounds like they're burning. Dead growth on top is often from the leaves burning from the loghts.

It could also be they are over watered, or need to be repotted. Some plants will stay alive for years in the same pot, others will just fail to thrive and start dying. If the root ball is too tight, they won't get enough water and nutrients. Also, if the soil is not properly drained, their roots will rot. Sheffelera are prone to this.

I have found that using terra cotta clay pots also helps with plant growth. Excess water is abosrbed by the pot which then acts as a humidifying agent. You need to soak the pot in warm water for a minimum of 48 hrs. before planting to let the clay soak in all the water it can hold. Clay pots are heavier than plastic so aren't appropriate for those with screen bottoms, but if you have a good solid bottom in your cage they work well. the addition of green moss around the top of the pot also helps with drainage and humidity and I set my pots on a piece of coconut fiber panel to wick up any residual water. diane
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dianedfisher@yahoo.com

My 3 CWD-Avanyu, Tripod and Drago

I usually get a single tube grow light and hang or mount it vertically along one corner of my cages so it lights the parts of the cage that don't get exposure from the cham lights on top. You have to start this when you first put new plants in, before they lose their lower branches and leaves. Once they lose the lower limbs its really hard to get them to replace them.