plants in enclosures!

[pete12]

Hey guys i was wondering if i could put some plants and branches in my enclosure i was thinking like gum tree branches with leaves on them? or some other type of plants...

can anyone help me out?

Thanks,Pete

 

[Chrisreptile]

You could put some gum tree branches in there, but they would die pretty quickly.

 

[xScarlettex]

whatever you put in your enclosure needs to be sterile so it may be tricky to sterilise a gum tree branch

 

[Auzlizardking]

Plants Dangerous to Your Reptile or Amphibian
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.

The following plants are all dangerous to some degree. Some, like oleander and Dieffenbachia (dumb cane) can cause death almost instantly. Others may cause only a mild reaction, but it is still best to remove them from any areas where they would be in contact with your herp.

This is not a complete list, so if you are in any doubt about the safety of plants that you have, please contact your veterinarian or the poison control center.

Plants dangerous for herps:
Air plant
Amanita
Amaryllis
American yew
Andromeda
Arum lily
Australian flame tree
Autumn crocus
Avocado
Azalea
Balsam pear
Baneberry
Bird of paradise
Bishop's weed
Black laurel
Black locust
Bloodroot
Bluebonnet
Blue-green algae
Boxwood
Bracken fern
Broad beans
Broomcorn grass
Buckeye
Buckthorn
Bulb flowers
Burdock
Buttercup
Cacao
Caladium
Calla lily
Camel bush
Candelabra tree
Cardinal
Castor bean
Chalice vine
Cherry tree
Chinaberry tree
Christmas candle
Clematis
Cocklebur
Coffee
Coffee bean
Coral plant
Coriander
Corncockle
Cotton bush
Coyotillo
Cowslip
Crown of thorns
Cutleaf
Daffodil
Daphne
Datura
Deadly amanita
Death camus
Delphinium
Devil's ivy
Dieffenbachia
Dutchman's breeches
Eggplant Elderberry
Elephant's ear
English ivy
English yew
Ergot
Eucalyptus
Euonymus
False hellebore
False henbane
Felt plant
Firethorn
Flame tree
Four O'Clock
Foxglove
Ghostweed
Glottidium
Golden chain
Ground cherry
Heliotrope
Hemlock
Henbane
Holly
Honeysuckle
Horse bean
Horse chestnut
Horsetail reed
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Indian licorice
Indian turnip
Inkberry
Iris
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Jasmine
Java bean
Jerusalem cherry
Jimsonweed
Johnson grass
Juniper
Kentucky coffee tree
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Leucotho
Lily-of-the-valley
Lima bean
Lobelia
Locoweed
Lords and ladies
Lupine
Malanga
Mandrake
Marijuana
Maternity plant
Mayapple
Meadow saffron
Mescal bean
Mexican breadfruit
Mexican poppy
Milk vetch
Milkweed Mistletoe
Mock orange
Monkshood
Moonseed
Morning glory Yam bean
Yews
Yellow jasmine
Mountain laurel Mushrooms Narcissus
Navy bean
Nettles
Nightshades
Oak
Oleander
Panda plant
Parsley
Peires
Pencil tree
Periwinkle
Philodendrons
Pigweed
Pikeweed
Poinciana
Poinsettia
Poison ivy
Poison oak
Pokeweed
Potato
Precatory
Privet
Pyracantha
Rain tree
Ranunculus
Rape
Rattlebox
Rattlebush
Red maple
Rhododendrons
Rhubarb
Rosary peas
Sandbox tree
Scarlet runner
Skunk cabbage
Snowdrop
Snow on the mountain
Sorghum grass
Sorrel
Spindle tree
Spurges
Sudan grass
Sweet pea
Tansy ragwort
Thornapple
Tobacco
Vetch
Virginia bower
Virginia creeper
Wattle
White cedar
Wisteria

 

[book]

Depends on your set up, substrate type and the humidity requirements of the reptile you are keeping.
My Eastern Water Skinks have a coir peat substrate which is kept moist enough for them to dig tunnels.

In these conditions I can grow Herring Bone Fern which will grow any where like a weed. I also have Mondo Grass growing but is not as hardy so I pull out anything not doing well. In one set up I have a bonsai Fig Tree which is doing very well.
Make sure the plant is not toxic to your reptile and rinse any new plant well before putting it in so you limit other organisms getting in your set up. Take out anything that is not looking healthy as you do not want a plant rotting.
It has an element of risk and more maintenance but I enjoy the mini gardening.

I can't see the point of putting in a live branch that is already decaying.
A nice dry dead branch cleaned well to remove any molds or potential parasites makes a nice addition.

There are also plenty of good looking artificial options.

 

[Kirby]

i thought it would be great to put some gum leaves and log in with my shingleback skinks, i checked them all over for bugs.. BUT, somehow they ended up with 12 paralysis ticks between the three of them. they are all fine, healthy and safe tho now.