Orchid Suggestions for a Vivarium - Orchid Board

connorology · #1 03-17-2019, 08:46 PM

Good Afternoon,

So I'm relatively new to orchids and houseplants. My main interest is growing them in planted vivariums that house animals that I keep (I have a panther chameleon and a couple of poison dart frogs).

My panther chameleon

Over the past six months or so I've been getting pretty into it, and completely redid my chameleon's vivarium. Currently he has 30 unique plant species in his enclosure, including four orchids (Macodes petola, Macodes sanderiana, Ludochilus "sea turtle", and an unknown Phalaenopsis). So far, the jewel orchids are doing well and exhibiting new growth. We'll see how the Phal does - airflow is good in this vivarium, and I have it mounted in an area away from the mister.

Chameleon vivarium

Macodes petola

Ludochilus

I am looking to expand my orchid collection and was hoping for some suggestions that might work for my setup. I am planning to mount 1-2 small/miniature orchids on a piece of driftwood I will adhere to the far left wall, which will be directly misted daily by my misting system. I also may have a space in the middle of the cage on my main piece of driftwood (pictured), that will get a small amount of splash from the mister as well. Temperatures in these two locations range from 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit, though 68-80 is probably the more typical range. Humidity is typically 50-70% with the lights on, and around 80% at night. Lighting is probably 500-1500 foot candles depending on how the plants end up oriented in relation to the lights (I have two LED bulbs and four HO T5 tubes). I am also hoping for orchid species that will bloom continuously or multiple times per year.

So far Restrepia brachypus and Masdevallia nidifica have caught my eye as potentially fitting the bill, though my understanding is my setup might get too hot for M. nidifica. Do these choices sound reasonable? Are there any other obvious standouts that I should consider?

Thanks,

Connor

WaterWitchin · #2 03-18-2019, 10:59 AM

I don't have a suggestion for orchids, but that is one cool chameleon! Super nice!! I've always wanted one, but fearful of being able to take care of it well enough.

It's beautiful.

connorology · #3 03-18-2019, 06:13 PM

Thanks! Chameleons aren't too difficult if you know what you're doing. That said, I've been keeping reptiles my whole life and wouldn't recommend a chameleon as a first pet lizard.

As for orchids maybe I'm going about this the wrong way: Is there anyone on this forum who is known for being really into Restrepias or miniature orchids? I could send them a DM.

I'm comfortable committing to the Restrepia brachypus, but they seem a bit hard to come by at the moment, so I'm wondering if a similar sized Resterpia of a different species would be a reasonable alternate.

Roberta · #4 03-18-2019, 09:00 PM

Lots of Restrepias to choose from... suggest Andy's Orchids - ask for Andy or Katrin, one of them can point you toward species that stay small. Another nice, and very forgiving miniature is Haraella retrocalla (AKA Haraella odorata), blooms multiple times per year.

(Beautiful Chameleon!)

Kilmiquix · #5 03-18-2019, 09:07 PM

That is a gorgeous vivavarium. I am so jealous. I have been researching what it takes to plant out a tropical terrarium. Your setup is exactly what I dream of minus animals, though your chameleon makes me reconsider.

If you have any helpful links for beginners, DM them to me and I'd be eternally grateful.

Congratulations! Stunning!

connorology · #6 03-18-2019, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kilmiquix

That is a gorgeous vivavarium...If you have any helpful links for beginners, DM them to me and I'd be eternally grateful.

Thanks! I got carried away and sent you a rather lengthy DM. I think you could set up a pretty nice terrarium without animals. One disclaimer I will post here is this citation:
Anderson, C.V. (2010). Keeping Chameleons in Glass Terrariums. Chameleons! Online E-Zine, July 2010.

(The forum won't let me post the URL for some reason).

It's about chameleons, but my understanding is it applies to epiphytic orchids as well. There needs to be ventilation towards the bottom and at the top to pull air into the enclosure, or your orchids can rot and your chameleon will get a respiratory infection.

...Maybe this is common knowledge on the Orchidboard, but I don't want to accidentally spread bad husbandry info.

---------- Post added at 08:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:45 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

Lots of Restrepias to choose from... suggest ask for Andy or Katrin, one of them can point you toward species that stay small. Another nice, and very forgiving miniature is Haraella retrocalla (AKA Haraella odorata), blooms multiple times per year.

(Beautiful Chameleon!)

Thanks, I think I will do that. Andy's is also located in California, which is a benefit for me because it'll mean faster shipping (I'm in NorCal).

Are they more responsive by phone or email?

Side note: these forum rules for new members are killing me. I just spent a hot second trying to figure out that quoting your original post was blocking my response because I am not allowed to post URLs yet. But once I am... nothing but links to trojans!

(I am kidding. Probably. Hopefully).

Roberta · #7 03-19-2019, 12:03 AM

Especially during show season, Andy is probably more reachable by email. He and his team are on the road a lot this time of year, this coming weekend will have an open house and so will be gearing up for that. Advantage of email is that you send when you're available, he can respond when he gets some bandwidth.

Also, in discussing what you are looking for, let him know your temperature ranges... most Restrepias grow on the cool side, your vivarium is probably fairly warm, but there are very likely some species that are more forgiving than others. Or, he may have other suggestions. (That Haraella that I mentioned grows over a very wide temperature range) Other miniatures that you might like if Restrepias won't work in the heat, consider one of the Macroclinium species. Or Ceratochilus biglandulosus (flower bigger than the plant, name bigger than both)

connorology · #8 03-19-2019, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

Lots of Restrepias to choose from... suggest - ask for Andy or Katrin, one of them can point you toward species that stay small. Another nice, and very forgiving miniature is Haraella retrocalla (AKA Haraella odorata), blooms multiple times per year.

(Beautiful Chameleon!)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

Especially during show season, Andy is probably more reachable by email. He and his team are on the road a lot this time of year, this coming weekend will have an open house and so will be gearing up for that. Advantage of email is that you send when you're available, he can respond when he gets some bandwidth.

Also, in discussing what you are looking for, let him know your temperature ranges... most Restrepias grow on the cool side, your vivarium is probably fairly warm, but there are very likely some species that are more forgiving than others. Or, he may have other suggestions. (That Haraella that I mentioned grows over a very wide temperature range) Other miniatures that you might like if Restrepias won't work in the heat, consider one of the Macroclinium species. Or Ceratochilus biglandulosus (flower bigger than the plant, name bigger than both)

Thanks, I sent them an email that contains all the parameters (temp, light, humidity). I do like the appearance of the Restrepias, but if there are better suggestions I am open to those as well. My overall goal is to find an orchid that will fit in the space and that I can get to bloom a few times per year. I'm not set on any particular species (or even a particular genus).

Subrosa · #9 03-19-2019, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roberta

Especially during show season, Andy is probably more reachable by email. He and his team are on the road a lot this time of year, this coming weekend will have an open house and so will be gearing up for that. Advantage of email is that you send when you're available, he can respond when he gets some bandwidth.

Also, in discussing what you are looking for, let him know your temperature ranges... most Restrepias grow on the cool side, your vivarium is probably fairly warm, but there are very likely some species that are more forgiving than others. Or, he may have other suggestions. (That Haraella that I mentioned grows over a very wide temperature range) Other miniatures that you might like if Restrepias won't work in the heat, consider one of the Macroclinium species. Or Ceratochilus biglandulosus (flower bigger than the plant, name bigger than both)

I totally agree, but a phone call during the off season is an interesting experience, particularly if you're looking for things not listed on the website. As often as not I end up speaking with Andy himself. If not, I get a call back from him. As those familar with his operation are aware, the large number of orchids listed on the website are a small fraction of what he has on hand, and when I've asked about things not on the website he usually knows instantly if he has them, where they're located, how big they are, etc. And naturally he'll share what he knows about its cultivation. It's just amazing when I think about the many thousands of species he has on hand at any given time.

Paul · #10 03-19-2019, 09:11 AM

A cautionary note for you, Connor.
Biggest issue with plants in a vivarium is damage done by the inhabitants. While your chameleon is carnivorous (or insectivorous for those who wish to nitpick), he's also heavy. Plants in a heavy traffic area tend to take quite a beating. (Consider the lawns of folks who own dog and have a fenced in yard. Typically there are dead zones/paths in the grass due to the dog(s) running/walking over those areas repeatedly.)

Terrestrial orchids were a good choice as your cham is unlikely to ever descend to the ground. And, fortunately for the plant life, its quite a sedentary bloke overall. However, do keep in mind that any cute micro minis will be best placed on the ground, walls or hanging from the ceiling out of reach. The cham's weight and grip strength would not be healthy for the plants.