Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

This isn't a question about plants for arrow frogs, but a question about plants for my turtles. I figured you guys would be the reigning plant experts and would know more about plants than any turtle people would.

I need to know some plants that i can place in a warm, well lit, humid environment. The only plants i can find are all low or mid-level lighting. Plus it has to be safe for my turtles in case they decide to take a bite out of it.

Any tips would be truly appreciated.

Thanks!

aaron

You might want to post on the turtle forum. I know most of the plants I used in terrariums are toxic. Pothos, Philodendrons, etc...

Melis
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Quality Captives

As far as I have heard...... and from my experience... pothos is not a toxic plant. I have pothos in with my Chameleo calyptratus (not to mention my amphibian and gecko tanks), and they munch on it incessantly. Philodendrons on the other hand are poisonous. With my red-eared sliders, I have put in hornwort... which gets chowed down within two weeks. That plant will be safe for your turtles..... if you want to replace it every so often.
The thing about dart frog people and plants is this:
Dart froggers have emerald green thumbs... but the area of info where we are lacking in most commonly is knowledge of toxicity of plants. Because of course.. plant toxicity generally has little effect on our dart frogs and generally is not a concern in such settings as dart vivaria.
Good luck
Double J

I disagree with DoubleJ about the toxcity of pothos. His statement is incorrect, "...and from my experience... pothos is not a toxic plant. I have pothos in with my Chameleo calyptratus (not to mention my amphibian and gecko tanks), and they munch on it incessantly. " I don't know if you have dogs or cats, but it is considered toxic to them. Go to any cat site or look up 'toxic plants' on google and you shouldn't have any problems finding a long list:

The following list was found in 2 minutes on the web, all of these are considered toxic to cats. I guess it is up to you wether or not to use them with other animals. I have highlighted some of the plants which can be found in terrariums.

Baby's Breath
Bird of Paradise
Begonia
Bird of Paradise

Caladium
Calla Lily
Clematis
Cordatum
Corn Plant
Cornstalk Plant
Cyclamen

Daffodil
Devil's Ivy
Dieffenbachia
Dracaena Palm
Dragon Tree
Dumb Cane

Easter Lily (in cats!!)
Elephant Ears
English Ivy

Foxglove
Fig, Creeping
Fig, Weeping
Foxglove
Geranium
German Ivy
Gold Dust Dracaena
Golden Pothos

Hemlock, Water
Hens & Chicks
Hyacinth
Hydrangea leaves

Impatiens
Indian Rubber Plant
Ivy
Ivy, Boston
Ivy, English
Ivy, Pothos

Jasmine
Jonquil

Lantana
Lily of the Valley

Mistletoe berries
Mother-in-law's Tongue
Morning Glory

Oleander

Peace Lily
Philodendron
Poinsettia
Potato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves)
Pothos
Primrose

Rhododendron

Sago Palm
Scheffelera
Silver Pothos
Spider Plant
Star Gazer Lily
String of Pearls
Striped Dracaena
Sweetheart Ivy

Tiger Lily (cats!!!)
Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves)
Tulip bulbs

Weeping fig
Wisteria

Yew, American/English/Western
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Quality Captives

Just out of curiosity, what site did you get the list of toxic plants from. I have never seen pothos listed as being toxic. I looked it up in my Ettinger's Textbook Veterinary Internal Medicine: the dog and cat. It didn't have pothos listed; but admittedly it is not a toxicology text, it is more geared toward the general practitioner. I would like to know your source so that I can look into it more. I would guess that 'toxicity' falls more into the 'iritant' area, but would like to find out for sure.

Also - it is a myth that poinsettia is excessively toxic. It has gotten a very bad label. At most the sap will cause a mild mucus membrane irritation or a contact dermatitis. (see Hornfeldt's 'Confusion over toxicity of poinsettia, JAVMA 194:1004, 1989). I keep poinsettias in the house every year but keep them away from the animals and child. I don't encourage them to eat them nor do I try to grow them throughout the year but they are just to pretty not to have around.

Thanks for that reference
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Russ

Don't bother w/ the reference for the pothos toxicity.

I found pothos listed in a veterinary reference under it's family name, araceae. The toxic principle is oxalate crystals in the stalks - irritating to the mucosal surfaces and, with a few of the members of the family, apparently can cause systemic toxicity d/t the effect on the kidneys and CNS.

Side note - spinach and broccoli are higher in oxalates - not enough to cause an acute reaction but enough to cause problems over a longer time period, one of the reasons we are told to limit these components to no more than 10% of the diet in reptiles.
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Russ

I would disagree with you about your statement about most dart froggers not knowing about toxicity issues and plants. Most people that have a cat (hopefully know this) know that Christmas is one of the most dangerous times of the year for cats. Poinsettas are one of the most deadly plants for them, my home has been poinsetta free for the last 15 years because my cats like to munch on the leaves of everything.

Because my cats have always been plant munchers, I have noticed they vomit more when I bring pothos, philos etc into the home. You would think they would learn after the 1st or 2nd time....but they don't.

Because I have always loved animals and nature I have always been interested gardening (indoor & outdoor) and have been fortunate to share the company of others froggers who share similar interest.

Although your statement might be true that your knowledge about plants is limited to your experience, many people in the hobby have an intense interest in plants and have had it for years. Like I said earlier, and you reiterated, toxitity in ther terrarium isn't an issue, so there isn't much info on the frog/terrarium forums about this subject.

Melis
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Quality Captives

Wow, thanks for the informative posts. My above post was not meant to imply that you are not knowledgeable when it comes to plants. I hope my message was not taken the wrong way.
I believe what I was trying to say was that froggers have great working knowledge of plants within the vivarium. However, the hobby has its own set of rules that apply only within its confines and of course, vice versa. Someone such as myself is generally quite comfortable within that realm, though I am not necessarily as knowledgeable beyond the pane of glass separating the micro-tropics from the rest of the world.
Therefore, it is easy for someone like me to have tunnel vision, and overlook something that is common knowledge to someone who keeps plants outside the confines of a vivarium. You certainly know your houseplants. And you are correct, this hobby, for many, is a fusion of a previously existing love for plants, and a passion for amphibians. It is clear that my statement in the previous post was a hasty and unfair assumption. It is valuable to have people with your knowledge and experience that comes from beyond the glass box, as it has clearly come in handy in this situation, and surely will in many others. However, I do believe it is quite possible to have a deep interest in, and love for plants even if it began in, and is limited to the confines of a tropical vivarium. Prior to my addiction to this hobby, I had little motivation to work directly with plants. In my case, a passion for amphibians has opened doors to a fabulous new world of tropical flora that enhance the glass box where my frogs live, and enrich my mundane, concrete environment. The beautiful thing about this hobby, is that whether you have been in it for two months, two years, or two decades, it is an unending cycle of learning and passing on knowledge. You certainly do learn something new every day, especailly in this hobby. I certainly have today. Thanks for the informative posts above. I will now keep the pothos baskets that I pillage for use with my amphibians out of the reach of the mouths and paws of my feline companions. My cats (and my carpet) will be forever greatful.
Cats are another addiction altogether.
Happy frogging
Double J

we don't have to worry about our animals eating plants, so toxcity isn't a concern!
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Quality Captives

Hi,

There are very few plants that will die in what we call high light. When they say it is a "low light" plant, that means that it will survive in low light, most of these plants do much better with more light. Just keep them wet. Try some ficus, it seems nearly indistructible in all of my tanks.

Alexander