Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone have a list of kinds of plants that are ok to use for Red-eyes? thanks-Ben

Here is a link to a REALLY GREAT plant list with photos and names. Can't go wrong with any of these.
Plants

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Heather
The Gang (1.1.0 agalychnis callidryas, 0.2.0 bufo spinulosus, 4.0.0 osteopilus septentrionalis)

ellasmommie@yahoo.com

You can't go wrong with the $1.99 tropical houseplants from Walmart like pothos and crotons. You have to repot them in organic soil, but they grow like crazy and aren't very demanding. I also love bromeliads since the frogs liek to sleep in them during the day. I have a huge one in my White's tank and they all hide in it.

Be very careful with crotons, if the plant breaks in any spot it can be very toxic to amphibians. Here are a snippit from a site about their toxicity.

"Dermatitis: Exposure to juice or sap from these plants or a puncture wound from the thorns may produce a skin rash or irritation. Skin wounds from some of these plants can be extremely painful causing large blisters and burning of the skin."

And that's what it does to a human... imagin what it can do to your frog! OUCHIE!!
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Heather
The Gang (1.1.0 agalychnis callidryas, 0.2.0 bufo spinulosus, 4.0.0 osteopilus septentrionalis)

ellasmommie@yahoo.com

just so you know what to stay away from

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Heather
The Gang (1.1.0 agalychnis callidryas, 0.2.0 bufo spinulosus, 4.0.0 osteopilus septentrionalis)

ellasmommie@yahoo.com

Neat Link! I love the pics, it makes it so much easier to visualize what it will actually look like thanx for sharing that
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0.1.0. Leo
1.0.0. Sneaky House Gecko
0.1.0. WTF (looking for a breeder male!)

Any plant you buy from any retailer will have pesticide and fertilizer residue on it. Pesticides are lethal to frogs and may take up to six weeks to clear the sap and plant tissue. So buy them, change the soil and grow them on a window sill for at least six weeks before using in the vivarium. Better yet, take cuttings from some plant you have had around the house for a while.

If your retailer tells you the plants have not been treated with pesticides, laugh politely and walk away. If they tell you they use only organic pesticides, remind them that cyanide and arsenic are organic. Then offer them some on a cracker.

If they offer to sell you organic soil, ask them what other kind do they imagine there is -- non-organic soil? And if they offer to sell you soil-less soil, ask them to throw in some dehydrated water while they're at it.

The only plant I am aware of that has inherently toxic sap is the deiffenbachia or "Dumb Cane." Ellasmommie mentions crotons, and that may be true too although I have never had a reaction from it.

And thank you for listening to the pet peeves of an old horticulturist.

HC

Henry, thank you for adding that info. It was an afterthought of mine as I closed my computer and headed off to play with my 2 year old LOL

If you bring home store baught plants, take them out of the soil and wash off as much of the dirt from the roots as possible. You can use pretty hot water without harming the plant. Snip off any tangled clumps of roots and be sure to clean all the leaves as well. Repot them in bed-a-beast and they will grow wonderfully!!! A good 2 months of growth in the bab will do the trick. Before putting them in your viv, wash the leaves and roots off one more time then plant away!

As for the crotons, as with many things, not everyone will have a reaction to the sap. But I certainly wouldn't want to take a chance. Oh and that Dumb Cane is bad bad bad... I actually had a cat eat a good portion of a dumbcane plant I had (stupid cat) and had to have his stomach pumped. He was not well for a while after that. He never tried to chew on any of my plants after that either.
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Heather
The Gang (1.1.0 agalychnis callidryas, 0.2.0 bufo spinulosus, 4.0.0 osteopilus septentrionalis)

ellasmommie@yahoo.com

I buy several plants when they are on sale or clearanced and half-deead. I come home repot them in bed-abeast and moss and then give them time to recover before using them in my frog tanks. i have never had a reaction rom croton and have had no problems using it, but I might take it out now. It has perfect sized leafs fro red eye tree frogs and smaller tree fogs to pearch on. Also check Lowe's becuas ethey usually can't keep their bromeliads healthy and clearance them out cheap. I repot them in moss or mount them and now they are growing so fast I had to remove cuttings.