William Raveis R.e. & Home Services
Sable Homes Metro-West Real Estate Team: Downsizing, As Is and Estates, William Raveis R.e. & Home ServicesPhone: (508) 733-8935
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Bird's Nest Fern & Other Great Ferns for Pet Owners

by Sable Homes Metro-West Real Estate Team: Downsizing, As Is and Estates 09/30/2024

Ferns have been popular houseplants for decades. Despite their reputation for being picky about indoor conditions, ferns are easy to care for when given the right conditions. A great advantage to many ferns is their lack of toxicity, making them safe for households with pets. If you're interested in growing ferns at home, varieties like the bird's nest fern are perfect additions to your houseplant collection. Here are some other pet-safe ferns to consider:

Boston Fern

Boston ferns are an iconic houseplant found in homes around the world. These round, bushy plants are perfect for hanging baskets or tall pedestals. They prefer bright light and warm temperatures, and grow quickly when given the perfect conditions. Boston ferns make great plants for pet owners because while their long, feathery fronds might be tempting for animals to chew on, they're completely non-toxic.

Maidenhair Fern

Maidenhair ferns produce fluffy mounds of delicate leaves. While they don't require much light, they are more picky than other ferns about humidity, and will get crispy and brown if it's too dry. Maidenhair ferns are great candidates for bathrooms with moderate light, or with a nearby humidifier to keep the air moist. Tiny versions of this plant are popular picks for terrariums due to their high-humidity demands, but no matter where you grow them at home, they pose zero risk to your pets.

Crocodile Fern

Crocodile ferns offer vivid color and striking texture to a home environment. Their leaf pattern and texture is what inspired their name, resembling reptile scales. These ferns like to have evenly moist soil and indirect light but are more forgiving than some other ferns with humidity. Crocodile ferns can grow very large indoors if given the perfect conditions, some reaching five feet in height and diameter. If a pet decides to take a bite of this fern, you don't need to worry about their health. While ingesting an entire leaf might cause intestinal distress, the plant is completely non-toxic and safe to grow around animals.

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Sable Homes Metro-West Real Estate Team: Downsizing, As Is and Estates

We make selling easy; by providing a range of essential services through our extensive network, including senior move managers, attorneys, clean-out specialists, home care providers, reverse mortgage specialists, and more. 
Our streamlined approach bundles these services together, ensuring a seamless experience for buyers, renters, and sellers throughout the Metro-West region of Massachusetts, including Natick, Marlboro, Sudbury, Wayland, Framingham, Ashland, Wellesley, and beyond. 
Geography is no barrier—we assist families within and outside the state, offering our unique Refresh program where you pay at closing for decluttering, clean-outs, and staging