Real Leaves?

[Snow1369]

hi all,
i have just been looking at how to clean branches and all that stuff and when reading some of the posts i was just wondering if it is fine to use real leaves in my tank (was thinking of buying some fake ones) if so what sort is good and what would i have to do to them?
thanks in advance

[shamous1]

I think it is personal choice on how you treat the leaves, if in fact you choose to treat them at all.

Many people do not treat them but I would personally bake them in the oven to remove and kill any bugs. As for branches I use a 105 bleach 90% water mix and soak them. I then give them a good rinse and allow them to dry.

I also use fake leaves as well and the animals don't seem to mind.

Rgerads,

shane

[junglepython2]

Leaves generally won't last long in a cage as they will become brittle and easily broken. if you want a foliage look you will need live plants or fake ones. Branches are fine to use and don't need any treatment. Eucalyptus branches look good if you wanted a type.

[DiamondAsh]

Just make sure whatever you put in your tank is Australian Native, less chance of your reptiles having an adverse effect. We bleach our branches similar to shamous1 and don't tend to have real leaves, mostly plastic in the snake enclosures. In the WD tank we have half set up with real plants buried in peet moss and they like to lounge about on them most of the day.

[Pythoninfinite]

Fresh leaves and branches are fine to use in your cages, but as has been pointed out, they don't last long in the warm environment - you'll need to change them regularly. But your snakes will really benefit from the stimulation they provide in an otherwise very unnatural environment.

I use live plants (in heavy, squat pots which can't be turned over - matched to the size of the snake!) such as pothos (devil's ivy), philodendron and a couple of other indoor species, and just rotate them every 10-12 days with others. The snakes love them, the cages smell really nice (plants remove a lot of odours from enclosed spaces) and they add a good amount of natural humidity and can look great. Probably not good with a 12ft carpet python though!

Haven't had a problem in 40 years. Just make sure the ones you select are non-toxic and you will be fine whichever way you want to go.

Jamie.

[slim6y]

What would be wrong with putting a live pot plant in your tank? for example a ficus of some sort (has loads of branches). the temperature, light and water requirments would almost take care of themselves. If you used charcoal in the top layer of the soil any urine and poo smells should go... I guess cleaning could become difficult... Maybe put rocks around the base of the plant. That way you have live leaves and branches that were already pesticided so should be clean.

Don't know about the types of plants, I just thought a nice bushy ficus... but others may have already done so... I am considering doing it for my bigger tank.

[jkrakka]

hi all just wondering is there any danger in going to the buch and collecting some branches or are there certain types that are bad for snakes. also what is the best substrate for snake i was thinking of using those sheets of fake grass but some one said that can damage the snake when it does its business cause it scratches them

[DiamondAsh]

I get all my branches from the park and flora walk at the back of my house. As long as you pick a good one and treat it before adding to the enclosure there shouldn't be a problem.

[nightowl]

Originally Posted by jkrakka

hi all just wondering is there any danger in going to the buch and collecting some branches or are there certain types that are bad for snakes. also what is the best substrate for snake i was thinking of using those sheets of fake grass but some one said that can damage the snake when it does its business cause it scratches them

fake grass is fine to use. If anything, it provides more air between the snake and the floor which could aid in the prevention of dermatitis or scale rot from damp substrate. I have used it for 6 years with no ill effects and I just place newspaper under it, which gets changed regularly. The "grass" also gets taken out, hosed down and left to dry on the clothesline aswell.

Shane

[rodentrancher]

"a ficus of some sort ". Don't use this in Frog Tanks. It is supposed to be toxic to the frogs. Cheers Cheryl. PS. Can't remember where I read this.

[caustichumor]

I have salt pans at the back of my place Lots of mangrove roots and good old driftwood lying around everywhere.