Plant ID

[Rebecca]

Just wondering what these plants are. I want to put them in my WD tank. I know the front 2 are ivy of some sort.

[Kyle Barker]

Back 2 are diefenbachia i think (spelling is definatly wrong...)

[Rebecca]

I don't think that's it. Mine has more yellow/cream in the middle.

[Rebecca]

Ok I was just looking on the net and it seems like that might just be it. Is it bad for WD??

[Siretsap]

I don't think so, I had some in my cage for wd before, they would stump everything they find so they never lasted long.

[Jungle Jen]

Dieffenbachia are toxic but only if ingested. They are also known as Dumb Cane.

[Rebecca]

Ok so as long as it doesn't munch on it, it should be fine??

[Linds]

Originally posted by Siretsap
I don't think so, I had some in my cage for wd before,

I'm sure that is something you want to be 100% certain of before exposing your herps to :eek:

[Rebecca]

Well ya I don't plan on putting it in there untill I know for sure. Also is the ivys ok with them?? I tried a poisonous ivy search but of course only came up with poison ivy, not what I was looking for.

[Double J]

I have used dieffebacchia in my frog tanks....and it has done well...almost too well. It grows quickly in moist soil, high humidity...and even low light. Actually, mine grew to the height of the vivarium, couldnt grow up anymore....and then it began to grow downwards and vine around the viv... It even sprung out aerial roots, likely because of the humidity. And as it vined and sprialled around the viv, the extra roots anchored themselves around the tank in the soil...so I actually got a few "new" plants out of it.. Interestingly enough..some forms of Dendrobates pumilio will lay their eggs in the little dips from the petiole to the stem (which hold water that wont dry out in the rainforest)..and they actually raise their tads in this tiny body of water. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I fnd this plant so interesting. This is quite a variable plant in terms of colouration as well..
Anyway, I am finished rambling
Enjoy your new plants

[Kyle Barker]

what if your crickets eat it then the wd eat them? There are many types of dief's, very different looking.

[Rebecca]

I feed crickets in a bowl because they can easyily climb out of the cage and then onto my floor, good for cats bad for my sister and roommate. So I just feed the crickets before I feed to my lizards. As for them getting out of the bowl it's too high for them to jump out, I also have it stuck to the bottem of the cage.

[reverendsterlin]

diffenbachia and helix, both containing toxins

[Rebecca]

What's helix??

[reverendsterlin]

the ivy
Helix hedera I think

[Rebecca]

Oh Ok. I guess I just bought my mom some nice house plants. I really wish places would name their plants.

[Kyle Barker]

haha was it "Assorted Tropicals"? I hate that.

[Rebecca]

Yup. Why can't they just take the time and put what they are on the labels.

[reverendsterlin]

check gardenweb they may have a toxic plant forum

[geckoguy157]

i have a dumbcane in with my gherya vorax and i have had no problems proably because they dont try and eat any of the plants

[Double J]

I agree..people seem to be a little too cautious with plants in their vivs......granted I would never put a potentially toxic plant in with a species known to nibble on leaves......but in my many of my frog vivaria, and gecko vivaria.... I use philodendron as sort of the base plant.... and it is know to be fairly toxic if eaten. In fact...phillodendrons are essentially a staple in many dart frog vivariums...because they grow quickly under low light and high humidity...and they can handle the jostling that the frogs will give them. Anyway... I think my point is that if your animal will not eat the plants....you don't relally need to worry about toxicity...unless of course you wanted to use a rubber plant...which I would avoid. Instead...worry about how well the plant will do in the lighting situation in your tank (an 18 inch undercabinet fluroescent light for 8 dollars will work wonders), as well as the mositure levels in air and the susbstrate. Then do a little research on which plants would do well in your tank...and then choose a few that you like and are in your rpice range. TTrust me... I am a fairly notorious plant murderer....I have killed a vareity of plants in my tanks.... so do a litte research before you buy a plant.
However... a good rule of thumb is... "When all else fails......put some POTHOS in your tank" Not only is it non toxic...but the plant is basically impossible to kill. They will grow in next to zero light, it can handle ample punsihment from herps crawling or pulling on it, and will grow like a weed if you keep the soil moderately moist. It can be found just about anywhere and is dirt cheap.
So.... good luck

[Kyle Barker]

I agree, i use tons of toxic plants but the animals are carnivors. LOVE philodendrons. But when i had wd's they constantly ate peices of plants, espcially ones that flowered.

[Rebecca]

I killed my pothos plant ;) But then agian I wasn't actually trying to keep it alive ( I forgot I bought it).