These plants toxic for crested geckos?!Also Substrates

[smewbin1]

I bought 4 plants for a crested gecko I have yet to get 2 plants I know are okay and are not toxic I am concerned with the green/pink plant and purple plant. I got caught in the moment and did not think about toxic factor when i bought them. I do not know the name of the plants they did not come with a sticker or anything also I have yet to put any of them in the ground they're still in pots. Substrates I got in cage are 1 1/2" of coconut bark on the bottom and 1 1/2inch of organic soil and 1" of Jungle bed  for T-Rex on the top. I was going to lay  terrarium moss on the very top for humidity factor is this set up okay or is this  a bad idea for crested geckos?I have a 12" by 12" 18" tank BTW   

[samanthajane13]

Those are Fittonia, and they're FINE!!  And they glow under a blue
"party" bulb...not a black light.   I used to help in a greenhouse as a volunteer...

MOST of us use paper towel for a substrate because there's less chance that the geckos can ingest it and become impacted.

I've seen horror stories of geckos dying from eating barks, soil and Bed-a-Beast type shredded coconut husk.

You can still do a nice "planted" tank be grouping the pots into the corners and along the back and sides according to height, without actually planting them.

[samanthajane13]

Oops-didn't see the purple...I forget the name of it...Royal Velvet something...but it's safe. too!  But it will need to be trimmed every so often.  Put the cuttings in a glass of water on a window sill, and they'll root for you.

Yeah-the pink veined plant is the Fittonia.

[smewbin1]

Okay I will work something out with papper towels in my cage even tho it will look boring  . but I don't want the little guy to die soo.The plant info was helpful also I would not know what to do with the plants if i could not put them in the cage  if i had them outside cage my cats would prob eat them

[samanthajane13]

Personally, I'd go to Home Depot and get some clay pots to replant them into.

They keep the plants from drying out too fast, and look much nicer than plastic pots.

Just make sure the soil you use is pure peat moss...no perlite or vermiculite mixed in.  You can put a couple of small stones in the bottom for drainage.

Also. if you can find living moss some place, arrange the moss on top of the soil in the pots.  That does two things-it keeps the geckos from digging too much, and it helps the plants retain water.

Put your tallest plants in the back corners, then work outward, getting smaller as you move toward the middle, sides and front of the tank.  Put a couple of small ones in from of the largest plants, too.

[CritterCollin]

I use the moss for substrate, but for the days they are in quarantine they are in a cage with paper towels as substrate. I transfer them to a feeding container every day so they can feed, and when they are in the tank I want to put them in, I keep doing it and they learn that the food is in that container. I eventually use less of the seperate container until they only need a food dish with gecko diet in it. I have had no problem with impaction yet!

[samanthajane13]

You should really feed insects and worms in a separate-empty-cage, too.

[CritterCollin]

I do.

[samanthajane13]

COOL!

 

[Heather]

I keep my hatchlings on paper towel, but my sub adults and adults are in natural planted terrariums.
 looks nice. I like it.i also only clean once a year. I keep earthworms in the soil to help breakdown the poop. No impaction related deaths in...uh...Seven years I think.
 The only plants I ever put in is pathos because I don't have the mad plant identifying skills. and the plant-store people never have a freakin clue what they're talking about.