# Growing Peppers in Vivarium???



## ysolty (Feb 1, 2012)

Hi all, don't think I've posted since my Ziggy escaped and was missing for 6 weeks. However, he's been back 6months or so and has settled back in great. :2thumb:

This post is to ascertain if it is safe for me to grow Chilli Peppers in my vivarium, within the coconut fibre substrate-I've previously grown alfalfa in it and it is a very good nutritious stuff.

What, if any are the problems with growing Chilli's in there.

Any information would be great.

Thank you 

:cheers:


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## Adam Birchall (Nov 6, 2011)

What if what ever you have in there decides to eat them? Chillies can be hot for most people what will they do to a reptile?


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## ysolty (Feb 1, 2012)

That's the only thing I can think of being a problem, however they grow in the wild where the iguanas are indigenous. I wouldn't put super hot one's in anyway.

There's hundreds of different strengths and strains of peppers.


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## Adam Birchall (Nov 6, 2011)

ysolty said:


> That's the only thing I can think of being a problem, however they grow in the wild where the iguanas are indigenous. I wouldn't put super hot one's in anyway.
> 
> There's hundreds of different strengths and strains of peppers.


If that's the case then I'd see no problem with it, I'm sure someone more experienced than me will tell me I'm wrong lol.


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Chilli! yuk! I hate it!

couldn't tell you, I reckon though if your iggy tried it and didn't like it he probs wouldn't eat it again, remember igs don't chew their food either 

Why not just grow them on a window sill or a garden?


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## ysolty (Feb 1, 2012)

Each to there own, lol.

I mean I give him sweet red peppers and he loves them, obviously they've got no kick to them at all. With the chill (pepper) plants they grow as flowers, so have leaves (obviously) which again, may be a fresh sustainable extra for him to eat... there's gonna be more leaves than chillis.

Reason for growing them in the viv is I live in the UK and it's not exactly prime conditions. In the viv I've got the solar lamps and it's perfect.

What dya rekon?? 

Thanks


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

ysolty said:


> Each to there own, lol.
> 
> I mean I give him sweet red peppers and he loves them, obviously they've got no kick to them at all. With the chill (pepper) plants they grow as flowers, so have leaves (obviously) which again, may be a fresh sustainable extra for him to eat... there's gonna be more leaves than chillis.
> 
> ...


 
I live in the UK too  I grow loads outside for my iguana  never tried chillies though, I am not even sure nutritionally the leaves would be suitible? you obv know more than us, or if not it might be worth checking out


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## ysolty (Feb 1, 2012)

Salazare Slytherin said:


> I live in the UK too  I grow loads outside for my iguana  never tried chillies though, I am not even sure nutritionally the leaves would be suitible? you obv know more than us, or if not it might be worth checking out



Well I'm new to the Chilli growing side. Might have to look further into it, or try it with some less potent ones 1st.

What kinda things do you grow?


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

ysolty said:


> Well I'm new to the Chilli growing side. Might have to look further into it, or try it with some less potent ones 1st.
> 
> What kinda things do you grow?


 
Hey mate, I just had a quicky on google for some information on nutritional values on the leaves, I can't see a nutritional chart that I can understand so if you find anything please post the results because I might be interested if its going to be worth it just for the leaves.

I grow turnip tops, mustard greens, mixed flowers and leaves and herbs, and some fruit, really need an allotmant patch or something lol.


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## ysolty (Feb 1, 2012)

I will do.

This may sound daft, do you need to grow turnips to get the tops??
Also how do you start growing mustard greens? and do you know if it's possible to cultivate dandelions?

My ig LOVES them, heads and all.

Thanks


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

ysolty said:


> I will do.
> 
> This may sound daft, do you need to grow turnips to get the tops??
> Also how do you start growing mustard greens? and do you know if it's possible to cultivate dandelions?
> ...


 
Well, all I know is you can't buy it in any supermarket and rarely in greengrocers which is a shame really, I am forced to grow it for the tops becasue their is no other way really for me to get it.

Mustard greens (all kinds) grow pretty easily, they are easily started off on a window sill and then if left will thrive into nice nutritouse mature leaves when replanted at around 5-6 weeks.

I beleive you can cultivate dandilion leaves, shelled warriors sells the seeds to do it, but I find my iguana alot of foods from the wild too, and dandilions is one of them so I just let nature do that job for me, there is a forest across the road from me away from the roads, and potential garden chemicals, about a 15 minute walk.


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## iggiethegecko (Jul 17, 2011)

Should be fine to just grow them on a sunny windowsill - that's what I've done in the past and I live in Yorkshire which isn't exactly renowned for it's tropical climate! Get yourself a little propogator to start them off in.

I don't know whether they would be harmful to your ig, but they are an irritant to humans, so I personally wouldn't risk it.

Another idea might be to get a viv set up just for plants. You could reuse your iggy's old UV lights in there when they need replacing.


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## Bongo1992 (Jun 1, 2012)

To be honest i've always thought this would be quite a good idea. However the closest I got to doing anything like this was putting plants in my turts tank. Only for my YB slider to absolutely demolish them. 

I'm seriously no expert but I'd have thought the same thing - that if they didn't like eating whatever it was that they wouldn't do it again...


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## Xanthe (May 31, 2012)

Well, I know a lot of birds LOVE chillis! Different animals have different palettes, after all. So it's worth a shot. I'm sure instinct would let him know if he should or shouldn't be eating them.

Having said that, When I lived with my parents, I used to grow them quite successfully in large pots on the patio. Bare in mind that it was south-facing. So you may not need the vivarium to do it anyway, although you may get better yield from the heat.
*
~Xanthe*


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Xanthe said:


> Well, I know a lot of birds LOVE chillis! Different animals have different palettes, after all. So it's worth a shot. I'm sure instinct would let him know if he should or shouldn't be eating them.
> 
> Having said that, When I lived with my parents, I used to grow them quite successfully in large pots on the patio. Bare in mind that it was south-facing. So you may not need the vivarium to do it anyway, although you may get better yield from the heat.
> 
> *~Xanthe*


Technically that isn't true, most captive foods already are not natural, oppurtunists eat things that they normally wouldn't should the oppurtunity cross their path.: victory:


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## Xanthe (May 31, 2012)

*@Salazare Slytherin* 
But that's not what I said, is it?

I meant that, instinctively he'll know if the food isn't safe to eat.
*
~Xanthe*


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Xanthe said:


> *@Salazare Slytherin*
> But that's not what I said, is it?
> 
> I meant that, instinctively he'll know if the food isn't safe to eat.
> ...


 
Still that isn' altogethert true either, pleanty of iguanas have been poisoned from eating the wrong things they instincltively will taste their surroundings (house plants etc)  in there natural range that might be the case but not in captivity, but even then I have no doubt a wild iggy has died from eating the wrong thing too.: victory:


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## Xanthe (May 31, 2012)

*@Salazare Slytherin* 

Well, then. I suppose that's where survival of the fittest comes into play.
*
~Xanthe*


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## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

Xanthe said:


> *@Salazare Slytherin*
> 
> Well, then. I suppose that's where survival of the fittest comes into play.
> 
> *~Xanthe*


 
and I couldn't agree more!: victory:


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