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Plants and Branches . . .
 
Most chameleons spend their entire lives living in shrubs and trees. Plants provide a sense of security as well as a "home" within their enclosure. Plant leaves are a natural surface for water droplets which the chameleon will drink from. Within the enclosure, there should be branches for your chameleon to climb back and forth on. Branches with different widths and angles make it possible for your chameleon to exercise it's grip. Precaution should be used when selecting branches, as some may originate from trees and plants that are toxic.
Due to pesticide and fertilizer use in most plant nurseries, whenever you introduce a new plant or branches to your animal's enclosure, there are some preparation steps we highly recommend following. Many nursery's and garden centers use heavy duty pesticides to protect the plants but these same pesticides may prove FATAL to your chameleon if ingested. Make sure they are removed! Here are some easy steps to help you do just that:
Plants:
Step 1: Take a clean bucket and fill it with a squirt of anti-bacterial soap and water. Create a soapy solution. Invert the plant "head down" into the water. Vigorously swish the plant around so that all the leaves and stem are covered in bubbles. Let the plant sit for approximately 5 minutes.
Step 2: Rinse the plant thoroughly so that any soap solution is removed.
Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2, 2 more times.
Step 4: The potting soil the plant originally comes in may contain time released fertilizers and soil additives that could be detrimental to your animal if ingested. We recommend re-potting the plant first, before your chameleon's introduction. We use Supersoil which can be purchased at most local garden centers. We consider this simple process to be vital in setting up your chameleon's new home.
Branches:
Use the same cleaning procedure as outlined above in Steps 1 and 2. If needed, scrub off any caked on debris or loose bark. Be sure you are using branches that originate from non-toxic trees or shrubs. If you want to take the guesswork out . . . we offer sterilized, safe chameleon branches, cleaned and ready to go! CLICK HERE for full details!
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