Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Jades had this pothos for about 4 monthes and it is hanging up in the top cornor of her cage. Today I was in there and there was a big fat mealy bug sitting on the leaf.
Is it okay to just leave it alone?
I thought plant pest didn't like the humidity.

Different pests like different environments. Spider mites like it dry, but mealies thrive in greenhouse-type conditions, as do white flies, fungus gnats and other bothersome critters. The bugs certainly won't hurt Jade and if she eats some leaves with the bugs - cool. However, mealies reproduce quickly and my guess is if you looked closely, esp. where the leaf stem meets the main stem (the node), you will surely find more. Just be aware that these things hide well, so pull back the leaf stem a little and look right in the crotch - it may get embarassed but that's the price the plant will have to pay - LOL!!
The good thing is they are easy to get rid of without using pesticides. They are killed instantly with alcohol (rubbing, not vodka )

You have a few choices:

Take the plant out and clean cage thoroughly - you don't want a stray insect that fell off on its way out to re-infest a new plant! Quarantine the plant from all your other house plants. I always find a bathroom/tub to be a good place. Mix one cup rubbing alcohol and one quart water. Spray plant thoroughly - both sides of leaves as well as stem crotches. DON'T DO THIS IN THE SUN you'll fry your plant.

Then take a q-tip, dip in alcohol and touch to all the insects you see. They can be very small so look carefully. Actually, you can do these steps in either order. It wouldn't hurt to repot it with fresh sterile soil

In the meantime put in a clean temporary plant for Jade. Using a fake one for the time being might be a good idea b/c if there are any mealies left they will die with no food - or they'll wander onto another plant!

I would keep the mealie plant out for a full week. Treat daily using both steps. It may seem like a lot but your other option is tossing the plant and buying a new one. If it is a serious infestation that is what I would suggest doing but if you caught it early you should be able to get rid of them.

Good luck!

lele

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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

thanks lele, I was hoping that you would reply!

I read that alchol is bad for the plant. The plant is need of love anyway since Jade decided to do 'practice' digging in it. She moved down into her digging container yesterday and today she should lay.

We need some help with our ficus trees. We finally found some 3 foot ficus trees at our local Canadian Tire. They were in need of love when we baught them. We took two, and trimed away all the dead braches, and I have been spraying them to keep the humidity up. Some of the leaves that are falling off are all spotty. Brown spots. Some of the leaves are very deformed. They look like pea pods, folded over and closed.
Any tips of keeping these alive.