Plants to avoid in your vivarium - Page 4

Delphine · #31 03-17-2009, 12:18 PM

I currently have a pothos, peperomia and palm.
I will have to check to see if the palm is safe.

thank you.

Chu'Wuti · #32 03-17-2009, 09:11 PM

According to Kaplan (see link posted previously "Edible and Harmful Plants"), ivy can be a problem:

Quote:

Hedera helix (ENGLISH IVY); berries, leaves; gastrointestinal tract affected by saponins; plant also causes dermatitis.

So I would avoid ivy as a vivarium plant with most animals.

Double-check everything.

Quote:

there are three main “tried and true” genera of palms that do well as houseplants. They are: Howea forsteriana (Kentia Palm), Chamaedorea (Bamboo Palms) species, and Rhapis species (Lady Palms). However, there are other species that will survive indoors. There may be many more that are not well known to the trade, and these species will be mentioned toward the end of this article.

These three genuses are not named on Kaplan's list. However, it's best to determine just what genus you have and check.

A good rule of thumb is to only use plants that are from the same region that your animals are from, as they may have genetically coded "memories" regarding them; plants from a different region are not genetically encoded, so they won't know which are safe and which not.

Delphine · #33 03-18-2009, 10:44 PM

I wish I could find a good list of tropical plants from New Caldonia.
-searching the interwebs-

Chu'Wuti · #34 03-18-2009, 11:15 PM

Good luck!

Delphine · #35 03-19-2009, 02:44 PM

I know right. You think someone on the web would have made a list or something.

Chu'Wuti · #36 05-10-2009, 12:36 PM

I was just re-reading this thread as I'm thinking about what to do with some gift tanks (75-gallon & 40-gallon), and I noticed this question in the very first post by Terrestrial_ Man:

Quote:

(do insects have bad reactions???)

The answer is absolutely YES. One of the reasons many plants have toxic chemicals is that they are using them to fight off insect pests. My DH says that plants were the first organisms to invent chemical warfare; we're waaaay behind! Of course, as the plants evolved, so did the insects, so we end up with butterfly larvae that can live on the sap of a plant that would kill everyone else or make them sick (Monarchs & Milkweed), etc.

Still having fun here . . .

agreendream · #37 06-07-2009, 05:27 AM

Pants, I was hoping to add Dischidia, though I should have guest it would have irritating sap like Hoya's and its family.

Thanks!!

heartagramtc · #38 11-02-2009, 12:39 AM

hey all been a while. i have a question for you all. I had a plant come into work the other day and I really want it for my Cham. it would suit her colors perfectly! BUT i have not seen anywhere if its a Toxic or non-toxic plant, i know we have a few plant people, and im hoping you will respond.

Here is all the info i have on the plant:
Known as: Hawaiian Snowbush, Redleaf Breynia, Snow Bush, Snow-on-the-Mountain, Sweetpea Bush, Ice Cream Bush
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Breynia
Species: disticha
Cultivar: Roseo-picta

Pics:

Epiphile · #39 11-02-2009, 07:16 AM

I had a look and couldn't find any indication that it was toxic- it's prone to the regular plant pests, and I found papers on a related species (B. nivosus) that tested negative for phytotoxicity (although B. oblongifolia made the FDA's Poisonous Plant Database list, whatever that's worth). I haven't had any experience with this plant personally, though, so you may want to look further into it.

agreendream · #40 11-02-2009, 08:18 AM

Hi, yes beautiful plants but the family its in Euphorbiaceae have the reputation for producing a irritant, a milky white sap. On human skin it is normally just a bit itchy but if the effected skin is exposed to strong sun light then its really leaves a burn mark. Its used as a glue from some of the plants.
That said no one else has found a problem so I would actually test the plants, brake a bit and watch for any milky residue, if non then your probably good to go!