Using tree branches in your python enclosures

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Damn... I have to agree with Michael again! The fear of introducing termites into your house with branches is totally unfounded, as Michael says, they die when separated from the nest, and the queen is way underground in an air-conditioned chamber so there's no chance she will come with the wood.

AUSHERP, if you can tell us exactly what the risks are in using untreated bush branches, I might concur with you. Which husbandry publications authoritatively suggest processing branches, and what reasons do they give? Like Michael, I'm not suggesting people don't do it if they don't want to, I just want to see the objective (case based) evidence that your reptile will suffer if you don't.
 
I soak mine in a combo of kerosene, bleach and my secret ingredient, Detol for a minimum of 6 days.
I then soak them in a very hot bath for 1 hour. Immediately after that, I then hose them off for 3 minutes with a fine misting spray and finally, I dry them for 19 days in a partial sunny position, that gets the sun between 9 to 9.15am each day. DO NOT EXPOSE THEM TO ANYTHING OVER 15 minutes of direct sunlight!!! This will damage the branch considerably.
I do this 3 more times and your branches are ready to add to your enclosure.
I have never had a snake live in any of my enclosures after applying this method....
I hope this information helps!
 
Michael, the enclosure looks nice, but why did you have to put a fake snake in the shot, that just ruined it! ;)
 
Ha! I used to send mine the nuclear facility at Lucas Heights and get them zapped with Plutonium, and I had a pressure pack can of plutonium solution to spray, to give them a touch-up every few hours. The advantage of this treatment was you could see any skeletal malformations - they glowed in the dark...
 
Can I quote you in my next paper (Southside Morelia pers. com. 2010)? The paper is about sloughing but that's quite relevant, isn't it? :lol:
And you too Jamie - this is a scientific breakthrough!
 
Can I quote you in my next paper (Southside Morelia pers. com. 2010)? The paper is about sloughing but that's quite relevant, isn't it? :lol:
And you too Jamie - this is a scientific breakthrough!

Anytime mate!! There is a message there for sure! lol

Here's one I made myself from a normal branch and I split the bark to make it look like buttress roots on a rain-forest tree. I then cut the "hanging" roots from a real fig tree for authenticity. There you go, looks effective hey?
 

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It certainly worked Michael - my snakes didn't live long enough to catch anything!
 
so basically i can just go and pluck any branch from the bush and put it in with any of my snakes? there is absolutely no need to worry about anything??? do you guys really believe this, because i think if i post tomorrow and have done such a thing i will be crucified.....
 
Who is Angela Tague? This looks to me more like an advertisement than an unbiased essay. Whatever - no argument.
I absolutely love your Boyds set up Scott - first class.
 
so basically i can just go and pluck any branch from the bush and put it in with any of my snakes? there is absolutely no need to worry about anything??? do you guys really believe this, because i think if i post tomorrow and have done such a thing i will be crucified.....


Not any, look for clean non-rotting piece that looks good and healthy (if I can use that term). I am off with my chainsaw next week to lop some quava branches (it's a weed here) - nice hard wood, once it's dry, fantastic for perches.
 
AUSHERP I have complete faith that none of my animals will catch anything from the wild... or at least that the chance is extremely, extremely low. NOTHING in this world should have to live a sterilised existence. That's what we have immune systems for, and snakes are no different.

Parasitic mites are exactly that: parasitic. They NEED a host to live on, and most parasitic mites die within a few hours of being away from the warmth, humidity and blood of their hosts.. they don't sit around on logs waiting for animals to brush by, they generally hop animals during mating etc.

As for bacteria, your hands are covered with them, so are the tools you use, the water they drink, the kitty litter they live on.. they don't need sterilised branches.

Unless a snake shed its mites onto your branch 10 minutes before going into the enclosure or you can see visible colonies of mould/bacteria I wouldn't worry about it.. I would brush off any dirt, shake of any insects I see but that's about all I would do apart from ensuring it's not rotten etc. But if it makes you feel better to soak and sterilise things, go ahead it certainly won't do any harm.
 
'mites, jiggers & flea larvae...) Who is this 'authority?' It's a joke, right? 'Microscopic parasites?' - just which microscopic parasites? Just as you did AUSHERPS, make the statement that your lizards got mites from natural material placed in their enclosure, without even knowing what mites they were, or whether the mites were pathogenic. This simply perpetuates the myth of 'the dangerous bush branch.' Come to think of it, all the pythons, red bellies, whipsnakes, small eyed snakes, green tree snakes and brown tree snakes we see around here do look sick - must be all those untreated branches on the local trees.

You may be crucified old mate, but it will be by newbies, I bet not one experienced herper would even raise an eyebrow if you did the (for you) unthinkable...
 
Great thread I was just at everything reptile today asking the very same question. Very good info on here
 
Never had a problem myself!
Its a learned experience that helps you choose which branches are acceptable for your enclosure and splitting hairs is not conducive to the thread..JMO!!
 
well you guys have answered my question, thank you. looks like you can take anything from the wild and use it in your enclosure as well it happens in the wild and also with captive breed pythons as you can see. I've also got some rocks i'm putting in too. bamboo looks like it would make a nice perch.
 
But what if you collected a branch from the wild that had an infected brown tree snake on it.... Then I think the boiling water, bleach, petrol, detol, Vaseline, paracetamol, 3M adhesives for $3.99 at Bunnings and swimming pool salt treatments would help.

But zuesowns.... ROCKS??? You are kidding right? You're going to put ROCKS in your enclosure?

Now with rocks... It's really important to put them in your oven for 4 hours at the highest temperature they go.... Leave them for three days (don't open the oven) then remove the rocks and pour boiling water over them while keeping a sterile environment. Then submerge in methylated spirits (at this point you can set light to the spirits, but it's not necessary - that's just overkill).

Don't put the rocks in the tank/enclosure until you've tested them first on a snake you don't like (you should always have a 'test' snake that you're not particularity fond of to try new things on).

Good luck :)

You have to be careful with rocks, they can contain all sorts of nasties... But clean the bamboo off of any pandas first as well.
 
I reckon Slim6y lol if someone thought you were serious they would and the rock could explode in there oven!
 
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