# About live plants in tarantula enclosures



## Vanisher (May 20, 2019)

I am under the impression that majority of people think live plants in tarantula enclosures are a bad idea! I am in minority, but i dont think so!
First things first. The majority of plants are unsutable in tarantula tanks. They need to much light, to much moisture and are to big. But there are some plants that are very sutible  ONE in particulair, and it spells Epipremnum sp! There are some speicies in the genus and i will go through the most useful E aureum!
This speicies is fantastic, and i think it is called Photos? And i will list 5 reasons why this one is so good!

1. It is almost impossible to kill! It can grow in almost darkness, it can grow in moist substrate, it can grow in almost dry substrate and everything between.

2. The kind of sub this plant can grow in is wide. It can grow in diffrent soils, it can grow in pure peatmoss and i think it even can grow in pure coco fibre?, and ofcourse it can grow in a mix of diffrent substrates. I have many times had sprouts of this plant in a glass of water and they grew in this for month! This means, you never have to use any fertilizer for this one.

3. It is evolving=grows in the tank, which means it change apperence all the time. As fun as it is to watch tarantulas grow, it is fun to watch a plant grow! A plastic plant stays the same all the time!

4. The root system absorbes water, meaning the plant stabilizing moisture levels in the substrate if you hapoen to dump in to much water for a speicies living in moist sub! I have during 15 years observed this and it makes a big diffrence! The substrate gets more drainage too! Pouring water on substrate without this plant and with this plant is diffrent! It drains down much more in a planted tank!

5. All you have to do is to cut of a sprout or vine 4 inch or 40 inch, ir any size you want. Put the sprout in water til it gets roots. Then plant it in the enclosure! One can just insert a sprout in substrate without it getting roots first. I have dine this many times and usally it starts to grow. But for 100% success, it is best to let it develoup roirs in water first!

There you have it! Absolutely nothing wrong in using fake plants, but i font see the points, if one can get this plant!
Sure you may have to cut it down after many month, otherwise it grows to big for the enclosure, if you have it so dome light gets to it. If the tank is in almist darkness you may not have to cut it fown, but it will live anyway! But not growing that fast.

Only surcomstances it wont survive is if you have it in a bone dry enclosure that are kept in compleete darkness! But how fun is that!?

Best regards/ Johan

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2


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## l4nsky (May 20, 2019)

Vanisher said:


> This speicies is fantastic, and i think it is called Photos?


Close, Pothos. I love these plants and have never killed one in the years I've used/kept them. One thing I want to mention is be careful where you source them as to avoid pesticides. Mine come from a specialty reptile store that grows their own cuttings for vivariums.

Thanks,
--Matt

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## velvetundergrowth (May 27, 2019)

There are many plants that will survive in T enclosures of all kinds. Personally I don't think plants are a bad idea, just an easy way to overcomplicate things. I like things nice and simple XD

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Gogyeng (Jul 23, 2019)

Any Ivy will do. The Devils' Ivy, Epipremnum aureum, is perhaps the one you mean. Its considered a pest in many countries, but its ROBUST, can vouch for that.


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## KevinLovett86 (Oct 20, 2019)

I’ve put a pothos with my p.metallica because I wanted to simulate a live tree and had no problems.


but I want an actual tree. Has anyone had any success growing a ficus in near constant darkness? I know they’re hardy too, or should I be the one to embark on this experiment?


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## The Seraph (Oct 20, 2019)

KevinLovett86 said:


> I’ve put a pothos with my p.metallica because I wanted to simulate a live tree and had no problems.
> View attachment 323865
> 
> but I want an actual tree. Has anyone had any success growing a ficus in near constant darkness? I know they’re hardy too, or should I be the one to embark on this experiment?


That would not work. Focus like high humidity, lots of light and lots of water. They are hardy but they are still trees.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## KevinLovett86 (Oct 20, 2019)

The Seraph said:


> That would not work. Focus like high humidity, lots of light and lots of water. They are hardy but they are still trees.


I want to make an actual tree work, but it seems like in the battle of plants vs real trees, I can’t really have a real tree here

Reactions: Sad 1


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## Rhino1 (Mar 1, 2020)

KevinLovett86 said:


> but I want an actual tree. Has anyone had any success growing a ficus in near constant darkness? I know they’re hardy too, or should I be the one to embark on this experiment?


Hey I know it's a bit late but Schefflera arboricola will work in very low light, I have had one in an enclosure for some time now and requires a lot of routine/regular pruning. I think the trick to growing things like this long term in a vivarium is make sure you have a drain with a tap and regularly flush out the build up of salts etc within the soil/substrate.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## s dave (Mar 7, 2020)

Just curious, but why is everyone veering away from higher light plants? My feeling is that if you've provided a good hide, the spider will be able to escape the bright conditions into darkness. I also feel like a day night cycle is good for the spiders. 

Opinions?


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