Everything I've read says that Real Plants are the best.  When your plants are healthy your Chameleons are healthy.  Well that sounds simple enough.  I went to the local Home Depot, picked up some healthy looking plants and decorated the cages with them.  Then they decorated the bottom of the cage with their leaves and died.  Wonderful.  I tried again and again with the same results.

Finally I decided to ignore the experts and try Silk Plants.  The Chameleons didn't seem to notice a bit.  The silk plants didn't mind the gallons of water I poured through the cage day after day and they never shed a leaf.  When they get dirty you take them outside and spray them with the garden hose.

I'd be using them today except Tiger managed to get herself pregnant.  Tiger suddenly had an urge to eat her Biovine and chew on her silk plants.  Latex and silk are not good for Chameleons AT ALL!

While not all Chameleons eat plants, it's not uncommon for a Panther or Veiled Chameleon to nibble on plants occasionally.  The hibiscus, especially the flowers, and the schefflerra (umbrella tree) and ficus are common favorites.  I have trouble keeping those alive.   All the watering I do plus perhaps a lack of UV light seemed to kill them.  This time around I installed additional UV lighting and punched some drain holes in the bottom of the plant pot.  More UV light is something the Chameleons need anyway.  If there's not enough UV for the plants there's not enough for the Chameleons. 

Many Chameleon owners recommend the Pothos, especially for climbing.  If your Chameleons eat too much of the Pothos they will end up in trouble.  The Pothos is very high in oxalic acid - which binds to calcium and creates calcium oxalate - a salt that accumulates in the kidneys (which means kidney stones).  The occasional nibble is fine but if your Chameleon is chowing down on your Pothos it might be an idea to remove it.  If you aren't sure what plant to try, go to www.google.com and type in "Chameleon Safe Plant List".  I found this list http://home.att.net/~chameleons/safeplants.html and it looks quite good.

I must reluctantly admit that real plants, while a bit more of a pain, are superior to the silk plants.  Water beads on the leaves making a really good drinking surface.  The soil holds moisture and provides humidity.  Tiger seems to prefer climbing on the Pothos over even her Biovines.  Best of all, Tiger has stopped eating her biovine.