Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok, i was just told to use a ficus plant, everywhere i looked ficus trees are way too much for me, is a coffee bean tree ok? cuz thats what my mom said she'll let me use....

thanks for your help
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0.1.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 rudis chameleon
0.0.1 house gecko
1.0.0 rabbit
0.1.0 dog
1.2.0 cats
2.0.0 goulian finch

Ficus trees range from about 4.99 for small 8.99 for medium and about 16.99 and up depending where you get it.
If you can't afford a small item such as that what are you going to do when it gets sick and needs to see a herp vet (not cheap)?
What about food, vines, calcium powder, drip/mister, flourescent light or murcury vapor light (expensive)?
Just some things to think about...

Thats not necisarily true. I live in Ohio, and for a long time ficus trees were out of my price range if I were to buy them up here. I was lucky to have a ficus that we bought in florida, but until there was a homedepot around us, a small ficus cost about $40, and they quickly got more expensive the bigger that they were. Thats too much for most people, especialy if you have to get more than one and replace it every few months. A vet bill can be expensive, I know, but it happens and is over with. Buying $40 or more worth of plants every month or two is much more expensive because it is continuous ontop of the other expenses. We northern keepers often don't have the luxury of cheap tropical plants. The only advice I can think of is look around in the spring or summer and try to find someplace that you can afford, and get several, that way you can rotate them and hopefully keep atleast one alive through the winter. Also try some pathos, you can probably get some of these for less, or even get a few clippings for free. These are viney, and you could hang them from the top, they don't even need dirt, they will root and grow in water. Sorry this is so long, I just wanted to point this out because I don't think that you are being cheap, and understand where you are coming from. Good luck!

you can always buy a ficus online. reptiledepot carries them and they are fert free.

you can buy them on ebay as well.

state and county lines no longer stop us from getting (most) os the plants we want...and cheaply.
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Adam
Portland, OR

1.1 Jacksons Chameleons (Female is red phase)
0.0.4 Rhacodactylus ciliatus
0.1 Uroplatus Phantasticus

Micky-Kinney,
nowhere in my post did i say he/she was being cheap. If buyinh a tree is going to be too expensive then what about the rest of the things chamleons need. As you most know when a chameleon starts showing signs of being sick it is often twards the end.
I'm not rich myself but i know what goes along with herp keeping.
Regardless of what part of the country you are if a ficus or any other plant is a problem you have a long road ahead.
Suggestion, why not use pothos. They aren't expensive and are far better than ficus. I have about 13 sitting on the balcony and all my cages have only pothos as i find them far better and hardier than the other..

i've relaly been raised to not put out money for something if i don't have to, you know, so if theres a way i can get around having to shell out the money for a ficus tree then i'd like to do that....
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0.1.0 leopard gecko
0.1.0 rudis chameleon
0.0.1 house gecko
1.0.0 rabbit
0.1.0 dog
1.2.0 cats
2.0.0 goulian finch

I have used coffee trees plenty of times with no problems. They don't like to be real close to the light though. My Jacksons seem to like the coffee tree better than my vields however. Alot of chameleons are found on coffee trees in the wild. Hope that helps