Jumping spider safe flowering plants

[VictoriaBR]

Hey guys,
I’m looking for some flowering plants to put in bioactive enclosures for jumping spiders, mainly Phidippus Regius Florida locale.
I’m from the UK so don’t know much about the flowers and plants in their native habitat. I currently use just pet safe foliage plants but wondered if there are any flowering plants that would be safe to use? Some of my customers want a more“pretty” aesthetic to their enclosures

 

[Smotzer]

It would be best if you came up with a list of things you would be interested in using and I can help you narrow it down to what is most appropriate or not.

also Just because there are flowering plants which there are many thousands, doesn’t mean it ever will flower indoors unless the light spectrum is changed to stimulate flowering and fruiting production, which is different. Sometimes it’s best to mitigate customers expectations.

 

[VictoriaBR]

It would be best if you came up with a list of things you would be interested in using and I can help you narrow it down to what is most appropriate or not.

also Just because there are flowering plants which there are many thousands, doesn’t mean it ever will flower indoors unless the light spectrum is changed to stimulate flowering and fruiting production, which is different. Sometimes it’s best to mitigate customers expectations.

Yeah this is the issue I’m facing, the huge range of variables. I have a full spectrum lighting system for all my critters but most of my customers do not, so whatever plants I test out on their behalf probably won’t yield the same results as when they try them.
I guess I’m just trying to find some that are definitely not toxic to jumping spiders before my customers just decide to try anything they think looks pretty from their local garden centre without knowing if it is toxic to them or not.

 

[Smotzer]

Are you using live plants currently? If so what are you using?

Plants aren’t going to be toxic, but the chemicals used to treat pests on plants are.

 

[VictoriaBR]

Are you using live plants currently? If so what are you using?
Plants aren’t going to be toxic, but the chemicals used to treat pests on plants are.

I currently use Pothos, string of hearts, string of turtles, wandering Jew, and nerve plants. Don’t know their scientific names off the top of my head sorry.
If no plants are toxic then that’s great, I just assumed those that say toxic to pets would be best to stay away from even though spiders don’t really eat plants, but they have been known to drink nectar from them.

 

[Smotzer]

Epipremnum aureum, Ceropegia spp., Peperomia prostrata, Tradescantia zebrina,, and Fittonia spp. Are the Latin names for the plants you listed I assume off of your common names.

Well what is toxic to cats and dogs is very different to what is toxic to arachnids. I can’t say for certain that no plants are toxic to spiders but in general jumping spiders live their lives on surfaces on plants and objects and they don’t injest the plant material.

but you have to 100% make sure the plants you use are free from chemicals as even very small amounts on the plants or in the soil if you don’t bare root the plants can kill the spider. You must wash thoroughly the roots and the leaves and stems and then I’d recommend growing them in quarantine first of buying from a garden center or nursery

 

[VictoriaBR]

Epipremnum aureum, Ceropegia spp., Peperomia prostrata, Tradescantia zebrina,, and Fittonia spp. Are the Latin names for the plants you listed I assume off of your common names.

Well what is toxic to cats and dogs is very different to what is toxic to arachnids. I can’t say for certain that no plants are toxic to spiders but in general jumping spiders live their lives on surfaces on plants and objects and they don’t injest the plant material.

but you have to 100% make sure the plants you use are free from chemicals as even very small amounts on the plants or in the soil if you don’t bare root the plants can kill the spider. You must wash thoroughly the roots and the leaves and stems and then I’d recommend growing them in quarantine first of buying from a garden center or nursery

Fab thank you. I was thinking if I could get something from a garden centre, wash it thoroughly and repot it and allow it to grow out for a while, then wash and repot again before eventually putting it in the enclosures? Hopefully that way any chemicals the garden centre use have had a few months to grow out of their system? Or do plants not work like that
If I were to use seeds and grow something from seedling to plant would they be safer? Or are the seeds sprayed with a fertiliser of some kind before being packaged and sold?

 

[Dry Desert]

Fab thank you. I was thinking if I could get something from a garden centre, wash it thoroughly and repot it and allow it to grow out for a while, then wash and repot again before eventually putting it in the enclosures? Hopefully that way any chemicals the garden centre use have had a few months to grow out of their system? Or do plants not work like that
If I were to use seeds and grow something from seedling to plant would they be safer? Or are the seeds sprayed with a fertiliser of some kind before being packaged and sold?

Unfortunately if the plant has had pesticide treatment, and most have in the garden centre, also by the plant wholesaler, prior to arriving at the garden centre, the pesticides will be in the root system and leaves and could take years for the plant to " purge" itself.

Even if you ask the garden centre if your plant has been treated, they may answer no, but cannot guarantee what the wholesaler has done.

Using seeds would be a safer bet.

 

[The Snark]

Unfortunately if the plant has had pesticide treatment, and most have in the garden centre, also by the plant wholesaler, prior to arriving at the garden centre, the pesticides will be in the root system and leaves and could take years for the plant to " purge" itself.

Even if you ask the garden centre if your plant has been treated, they may answer no, but cannot guarantee what the wholesaler has done.

Just spray with a mild solution of laundry detergent then clean water. Repeat several times. Should get the toxicity way down.
While not likely, avoid chrysanthemums (pyrethrin toxin) and all plants that produce Solanine. Natures powerful pesticide. (Potato, tomato, eggplant, nightshade et al.)

 

[me and my Ts]

You could try jewel orchids, they’re fairly easy to grow and propagate in my experience

 

[VictoriaBR]

Unfortunately if the plant has had pesticide treatment, and most have in the garden centre, also by the plant wholesaler, prior to arriving at the garden centre, the pesticides will be in the root system and leaves and could take years for the plant to " purge" itself.

Even if you ask the garden centre if your plant has been treated, they may answer no, but cannot guarantee what the wholesaler has done.

Using seeds would be a safer bet.

I did think that might be the case with taking years to purge the chemicals completely from their system.
I often wonder if the reptile shops buy from regular wholesalers where the price is cheap, or if there are special wholesalers that deal with plants specifically for animals and therefore don’t use any chemicals? I’m not convinced most pet shops would do this and instead go with the cheap option and hope simply washing the plants and not using chemicals on them once in their care would be enough

 

[VictoriaBR]

Just spray with a mild solution of laundry detergent then clean water. Repeat several times. Should get the toxicity way down.
While not likely, avoid chrysanthemums (pyrethrin toxin) and all plants that produce Solanine. Natures powerful pesticide. (Potato, tomato, eggplant, nightshade et al.)

That’s a great help thank you!

 

[VictoriaBR]

You could try jewel orchids, they’re fairly easy to grow and propagate in my experience

Fab thank you! I’ll see if I can find some online

 

[me and my Ts]

Fab thank you! I’ll see if I can find some online

You could check Josh’s Frogs they have all sorts of plants

 

[CRX]

As for the pesticide thing, that has always really upset me. Its nearly impossible to get a genuinely clean, organic, natural plant nowadays unless you literally grow it yourself or pay alot more money from some artisan nursery thing (and I bet they still probably use some kind of chemical). It even extends to the fruit and veggies we buy in the store, the apples are covered in wax, almost everything probably has residual chemicals on it. Really sad world we live in, everything is done for profit.

 

[CRX]

ALSO yeah! Joshsfrogs is a great recommendation! They literally sell plants to use in delicate tiny dartfrog enclosures. But I dont know if they ship to the UK

 

[The Snark]

@CRX Modern day rule of them: wash your fruits and veggies as you wash your dishes, plus an additional rinse with quality bottled water

 

[me and my Ts]

But I dont know if they ship to the UK

Whoops, didn’t see op is from UK, I doubt they ship there

 

[CRX]

Whoops, didn’t see op is from UK, I doubt they ship there

I expect theres probly something similar in the UK though. There has to be dartfrog keepers there too.

 

[VictoriaBR]

You could check Josh’s Frogs they have all sorts of plants

I’m from the UK