Live plants?

[BlueyBabe]

Hi. I want to know what I can put in my Northern blue tounged skink's cage. For live plants ... I saw a picture on here .. I saw a few spinder plants in one of the cage ... Can I use this? Is it bad for my skink if he eats it?

Thank you.

[BlueyBabe]

Please answer ....

[Geoff Gates]

I would not have live plants in an indoor setup....too many problems with humidity and you will find that the plants are just another thing to look after.

You're better off with some artificial ones to provide a natural look.

[jasjmm27]

I would not have live plants in an indoor setup....too many problems with humidity and you will find that the plants are just another thing to look after.

You're better off with some artificial ones to provide a natural look.

I second that...artificial plants work great and a nice backdrop could spice things up even more...and all you do is wash them , no humidity to worry about or whether they live or die! The star of the show, your Bluey, will get ALL the attention!

[Katrina]

I'm not sure about the spider plants - for some reason I think that most plants with two colors (the white & green stripes) are typically poisonous, but then again, my cats used to eat them all the time.... maybe try a google search.

I'd also love to get some live plants in Kira's home (when she gets bigger), but I'd look into Aussie plants that we can get over here, or at the very least some greens, so that if she nibbles she is eating healthy!

Humidity is not an issue here, as it is very dry in Canadian winters (humidity in our house is around 20%), so I am trying to find ways to increase the humidity, especially when she is shedding. As long as the plant had good drainage and wasn't over-watered I don't think it would be an issue - does anyone see any problems with this??

[SailleSkinklover]

I am horrible with live houseplants, in a viv or otherwise. I leave the plant-growing to MaMa Nature. She's best at it anyways!

I may just be really brain-fried and tired, but the wording in your poll was very confusing to me so I didn't vote: But if I did vote, I'd say Nope to indoor Vivarium plants.

[BlueyBabe]

Thank you all .. I will pick up a few fake plants this week when i go to walt-mary.

Thank Yah Everyone!!

[Geoff Gates]

Humidity is not an issue here, as it is very dry in Canadian winters (humidity in our house is around 20%), so I am trying to find ways to increase the humidity, especially when she is shedding. As long as the plant had good drainage and wasn't over-watered I don't think it would be an issue - does anyone see any problems with this??

Katrina,

I think you are better off making a humid hide.

What often occurs with live plants is that they get hammered by the bluey lying on them, crawling over them etc.

Drainage is an issue as the water tends to mess up the substrate. Also I would be wary of creating an environment for bacteria and other organisms to grow. Blueys are susceptible to ventral scale rot and the usual cause is an enclosure that has wet/ moist substrate.

What you could try is leaving plants in pots and covering the pot with substrate for a natural look. Then rotating plants in & out of the vivarium so that when the plant needs watering and a breath of fresh air you can replace it with another plant.

[evil pixie]

I seem to recall watching a show that talked about dangerous household (live) plants, and spider plants were the most toxic of any of them; I think they have like 10 dangerous toxins in them or something like that.

[Bird_Brain]

Fake plants are so much easier to maintain and you dont have to worry about them harming your skink. Check around with the local craft stores and occasionally you will find great sales on fake plants.

[shingleback aus]

i like the plant we call in aus "pig face" its a suculant so the the blueys eat them its got heaps of moister and because there native they grow like mad.

[BlueyBabe]

Thanks everyone.

How do I make an humid hide for my bluey?

This is what is in his cage right now:
1 peice of slat (Under the lamp)
Aspen
1 Turtle Hide( Extra Large) I got him an turtle hide because it is hard plastic and he likes to scatch himself on it.
1 Water Dish (I will soon be getting a bigger one) He only drinks out of this one ... I bath him 3 times a week. I will get him an "pool" soon ..
Fleace planket under his Turtle Hide. (He loves it)

At night I put an big alpaka/fleace coat in the cage with him. (He loves to cuddle and borrow in this coat) If you touch it .. he hisses!

Is there anything else I should add?

Again how do I made an humid hide? He is in an 55 Gallon tank .. we will be upgrading soon.

Emma

[Katrina]

Humidity is not an issue here, as it is very dry in Canadian winters (humidity in our house is around 20%), so I am trying to find ways to increase the humidity, especially when she is shedding. As long as the plant had good drainage and wasn't over-watered I don't think it would be an issue - does anyone see any problems with this??

Katrina,

I think you are better off making a humid hide.

What often occurs with live plants is that they get hammered by the bluey lying on them, crawling over them etc.

Drainage is an issue as the water tends to mess up the substrate. Also I would be wary of creating an environment for bacteria and other organisms to grow. Blueys are susceptible to ventral scale rot and the usual cause is an enclosure that has wet/ moist substrate.

What you could try is leaving plants in pots and covering the pot with substrate for a natural look. Then rotating plants in & out of the vivarium so that when the plant needs watering and a breath of fresh air you can replace it with another plant.

Thanks for the info (everyone, especially Geoff)! It does seem like more work than its worth, and I have lots of stuff to think about to make it feasible... Thanks!

[Leigh]

I dont use a humid hide,but then again my IJ doesnt have shedding issues,he's got enough substrate depth to submerge in,and a large dish to bathe in,its on stilts so its raised enough for him to go and lay under.

[Tattoo]

No humid hide at my house either. Vermont is pretty humid (like England) so no shedding issues. Blueybabe I would think New Hampshire would provide enough moisture for you to not need a humid hide. If you have any left over shed on your skink a few minutes in some warm water and a very gentle rub will remove it. I find myself more worried about too much moisture here instead of not enough. Have you gotten a hygrometer and checked your humidity levels?