Potted Pothos care?

[MissterDog]

Started looking into Pothos plants for Tapioca’s cage, but I have a few uncertainties I’m bumping into. If anyone has any experience with pothos I’d love any feedback!

1. I’ve seen a few sources mention processing new plants with a bleach treatment while others suggest simply letting the plant grow on its own for a month before adding it to the enclosure. Is one method more necessary than the other? Or is doing both a good practice?

2. Soil, what does everyone recommend? I know anything with fertilizer should be avoided but wondering if anyone has any specific brand of type that is best recommended? Could coco fiber work? What about a drainage layer in the pot? I often see rocks or gravel used for drainage.

3. Lastly, pee. I’m not sure what steps should be followed if my ball python decides to relieve himself on the plant or the soil. My first thought was changing the soil but heard repotting it, especially if it’s already sick or freshly pruned, could make it die faster by disturbing it too much? What actions should be done while making sure my enclosure is sanitary?

Or what other care or details in general should I keep in mind with pothos planta or potted live plants in an enclosure? What things are often overlooked and what other info should I look into?

Thanks for any feedback! I’m a total plant noob so I’m trying to gather all the info I can before committing to the idea.

[Alter-Echo]

Pothos are easy, keep soil moist, standard spectrum fluorescent lighting for at least 12 hours a day, and an organic fertilizer twice a month at the recommended rate. I use happy frog organic soil for my pitted ones, ABC vivaruim recipie for my planted tanks. Cocofiber will work, but you will need to fertillize once a week with 1/4 the fertilizer dose.

Snake pee probably won't harm these plants... They tolerate some pretty rough conditions and will probably thrive off the urea.

As far as the bleach goes, I soak the plants in rainwater overnight and spray the plant down with tsp per gallon vinegar solution, then rinse with water. This will neutralize most pesticides.

Biggest thing to remember is that repotting the plants into new soil every 6 months is required, as most soils break down and get loaded with excess minerals that can harm the plant over time. Soil is always changing, and keeping it fresh keeps the plant healthy.

[Sauzo]

Started looking into Pothos plants for Tapioca’s cage, but I have a few uncertainties I’m bumping into. If anyone has any experience with pothos I’d love any feedback!

1. I’ve seen a few sources mention processing new plants with a bleach treatment while others suggest simply letting the plant grow on its own for a month before adding it to the enclosure. Is one method more necessary than the other? Or is doing both a good practice?

2. Soil, what does everyone recommend? I know anything with fertilizer should be avoided but wondering if anyone has any specific brand of type that is best recommended? Could coco fiber work? What about a drainage layer in the pot? I often see rocks or gravel used for drainage.

3. Lastly, pee. I’m not sure what steps should be followed if my ball python decides to relieve himself on the plant or the soil. My first thought was changing the soil but heard repotting it, especially if it’s already sick or freshly pruned, could make it die faster by disturbing it too much? What actions should be done while making sure my enclosure is sanitary?

Or what other care or details in general should I keep in mind with pothos planta or potted live plants in an enclosure? What things are often overlooked and what other info should I look into?

Thanks for any feedback! I’m a total plant noob so I’m trying to gather all the info I can before committing to the idea.

I use pothos in all my snakes' cages.

1) I just pulled the plants out of the nursery pots and washed them off, roots and all in tap water. Then just planted them in my own terra cotta pots with organic potting soil. Worked fine.
2) All i use is terra cotta pots with organic potting soil. The pot has its own drain hole in the bottom. Just dont use too big of pot or the plant will probably get root rot. I learned that the hard way. Better off being a little root bound with Pothos.
3) The snake wont pee on it. I would be more concerned about the snake flattening the plant as all of my snakes have climbed on the plants or dug in the pot and uprooted them.

If you keep pothos, they dont need a lot of light and my advice for watering is wait until the top inch or so of soil is dry or the leaves start to not look so perky. Being in a viv, they dont need that much water especially if you are using less light like LEDs.

[MissterDog]

Pothos are easy, keep soil moist, standard spectrum fluorescent lighting for at least 12 hours a day, and an organic fertilizer twice a month at the recommended rate. I use happy frog organic soil for my pitted ones, ABC vivaruim recipie for my planted tanks. Cocofiber will work, but you will need to fertillize once a week with 1/4 the fertilizer dose.

Snake pee probably won't harm these plants... They tolerate some pretty rough conditions and will probably thrive off the urea.

As far as the bleach goes, I soak the plants in rainwater overnight and spray the plant down with tsp per gallon vinegar solution, then rinse with water. This will neutralize most pesticides.

Biggest thing to remember is that repotting the plants into new soil every 6 months is required, as most soils break down and get loaded with excess minerals that can harm the plant over time. Soil is always changing, and keeping it fresh keeps the plant healthy.

Good to know! Though wouldn’t having pee absorbed in the soil make things unsanitary or promote any bacteria growth? Granted I know it will be isolated in the pot and I’m guessing, or hoping replacing the soil every 6 months will help keep things in check? I’m a bit of a clean freak with Tapiocas cage lol so I’m unsure how lax I should be when it comes to plants.

[MissterDog]

I use pothos in all my snakes' cages.

1) I just pulled the plants out of the nursery pots and washed them off, roots and all in tap water. Then just planted them in my own terra cotta pots with organic potting soil. Worked fine.
2) All i use is terra cotta pots with organic potting soil. The pot has its own drain hole in the bottom. Just dont use too big of pot or the plant will probably get root rot. I learned that the hard way. Better off being a little root bound with Pothos.
3) The snake wont pee on it. I would be more concerned about the snake flattening the plant as all of my snakes have climbed on the plants or dug in the pot and uprooted them.

If you keep pothos, they dont need a lot of light and my advice for watering is wait until the top inch or so of soil is dry or the leaves start to not look so perky. Being in a viv, they dont need that much water especially if you are using less light like LEDs.

Thank you Sauzo! I was hoping you’d chime in! I remember seeing photos of your plants and really liking the look of them! What kind of pothos are you using?

Have you ever had your pots knocked over? I’m debating about getting slightly shorter, rectangular pots/planter to use to put on top of Tapioca’s basking ledge. Unless you think that increased the chances of being uprooted? I’ve been reading they have a tolerance up to 85F?

As for pee, I hope you’re right! Lol Tappy has proven to go in very strange places so I honestly have no idea if the plant would be his next “hey I never peed on this before but here we are” location. Fingers crossed right? :p

[Sauzo]

Thank you Sauzo! I was hoping you’d chime in! I remember seeing photos of your plants and really liking the look of them! What kind of pothos are you using?

Have you ever had your pots knocked over? I’m debating about getting slightly shorter, rectangular pots/planter to use to put on top of Tapioca’s basking ledge. Unless you think that increased the chances of being uprooted? I’ve been reading they have a tolerance up to 85F?

As for pee, I hope you’re right! Lol Tappy has proven to go in very strange places so I honestly have no idea if the plant would be his next “hey I never peed on this before but here we are” location. Fingers crossed right? :p

I've used golden pothos, jade pothos, marbled pothos, and njoy pothos as well as other stuff like parlor palm and prayer plant. Out of the pothos, the quickest growing and easiest to maintain in low lighting has been jade pothos(the normal green variety). The stuff grows like crazy in AP LED cage lighting. The golden pothos does ok too. The njoy has been doing good in a T8 but is very slow growing. The marbled more or less lost all the white on it from being in low light and the parlor palm got killed by my dumerils who dug it up while i was sleeping lol. The prayer plant is doing ok after almost dying too. I have a black thumb with plants and so far, the jade or green pothos has been the best. Like i said, i learned that over watering them and planting them in big pots will kill them. Use small pots and water only when the soil has dried out and you see the leaves start to droop or not look perky.

As for temps, i keep all my snake cages the same temp as the room which is anywhere from 77-80F. I offer a hot spot of 88F with flexwatt. So the plants arent subjected to very high temps but they do get 80%+ humidity most of the time.

I have had Dottie tip her pot over but only a little bit of dried dirt spilled out. Nothing big, i just uprighted it again. The first few days are going to be the real test as that is when all my snakes were the most curious and would climb on them and flatten them. After a few days, they didnt really care too much.

You can try the rectangular pots. I just use the 6 inch round terra cotta pots as they breath well and are more natural. Plus they are a little rough so gives the snakes something to rub on to shed too if they need it. The reason i used single pots is it allows me to move plants in and out as needed and overall just easier to move a small 6 inch pot than to try and move a much longer rectangular pot.

Give it a shot. I mean worst case, small pothos are common and cost about $7 here so if it dies or the snake kills it, you arent out a whole lot of cash.

[MissterDog]

I've used golden pothos, jade pothos, marbled pothos, and njoy pothos as well as other stuff like parlor palm and prayer plant. Out of the pothos, the quickest growing and easiest to maintain in low lighting has been jade pothos(the normal green variety). The stuff grows like crazy in AP LED cage lighting. The golden pothos does ok too. The njoy has been doing good in a T8 but is very slow growing. The marbled more or less lost all the white on it from being in low light and the parlor palm got killed by my dumerils who dug it up while i was sleeping lol. The prayer plant is doing ok after almost dying too. I have a black thumb with plants and so far, the jade or green pothos has been the best. Like i said, i learned that over watering them and planting them in big pots will kill them. Use small pots and water only when the soil has dried out and you see the leaves start to droop or not look perky.

As for temps, i keep all my snake cages the same temp as the room which is anywhere from 77-80F. I offer a hot spot of 88F with flexwatt. So the plants arent subjected to very high temps but they do get 80%+ humidity most of the time.

I have had Dottie tip her pot over but only a little bit of dried dirt spilled out. Nothing big, i just uprighted it again. The first few days are going to be the real test as that is when all my snakes were the most curious and would climb on them and flatten them. After a few days, they didnt really care too much.

You can try the rectangular pots. I just use the 6 inch round terra cotta pots as they breath well and are more natural. Plus they are a little rough so gives the snakes something to rub on to shed too if they need it. The reason i used single pots is it allows me to move plants in and out as needed and overall just easier to move a small 6 inch pot than to try and move a much longer rectangular pot.

Give it a shot. I mean worst case, small pothos are common and cost about $7 here so if it dies or the snake kills it, you arent out a whole lot of cash.

Thanks so much for the tips and insight! I'm definitely going to give them a try and see how they do!(So many choices of pothos!) I'll probaby buy two so I have a spare on hand incase the first gets tramped haha. Thank goodness they are cheap!

[Sauzo]

You can also propagate the plant by taking cutting and putting them in water until they sprout roots and then plant them. I never got it work personally but like i said, i can kill plants by just looking at them for the most part lol.

I'm actually thinking of trying a dracaena plant in Pat's AP cage when i get it. That as the center piece surrounded by pothos i think would look good.