# Using tree branches in your python enclosures



## zuesowns (Jun 16, 2010)

I was just wanting to know if it was ok to use any branches and put them straight into the enclosure?

I was suggested to use Australia native tree branches, are any ok?


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## Megzz (Jun 16, 2010)

You always need to disinfect them first I think. I was told soak them in a diluted bleach/water mix.


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## JAS101 (Jun 16, 2010)

i dont soak any branches , i use boiling hot water and poor it all over the branch i am going to use. let it dry and then put it in the enclosure .


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## zuesowns (Jun 16, 2010)

thanks for the tip. yeah I don't know if I'd want to bleach but i've been suggested that also.

so any branches are ok or better, safer to use Australia native.


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

Many keepers go to unnecessary lengths with hygiene. Have all the branches in the bush been soaked in bleach? Pythons are animals that crawl through leaf-litter, dirty water, fungus covered branches - that's their natural way of life. Are captive bred snakes any different? If you keep your snakes in sterile conditions from the day they're born, the chances are they'll be susceptible to all diseases under the sun because their immune system has never been exposed to pathogens and therefore they have no immunity. Think about it.

The only thing you have to watch is not to bring a colony of ants, ticks or similar with your branches.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

Better to use any non-toxic Australian species - eucalypt, wattle etc. You DON'T need to bleach or sterilise them at all - this is a nonsense notion promoted by people who don't realise that snakes live in the bush completely surrounded by non-sterilised stuff. They won't get mites, germs or viruses from branches, and even the chance of picking up a tick is probably millions to one!

You may want to, as ZOOJAS suggests, pour boiling water over them, especially if the branch is an old, dead one, simply because they may house ants, which can be a nuisance. Having said that, I have a monitor enclosure which has a large colony of large nocturnal ants living in a log, and has for about 2 years, without there being the slightest conflict between the reptile occupants and the insects. The lizards are out & about during the day, and the ants come out after dark - neither worries the other, and the ants keep the enclosure pretty clean.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

Ha! Great minds think alike Michael!!!

Jamie


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## solar 17 (Jun 16, 2010)

*What happens in the wild ?.....solar 17 [Baden]*


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## PhilK (Jun 16, 2010)

Don't worry about disinfecting them.. take them from the wild and put them in the enclosure. Nothing on them will harm your snakes, people baby their snakes far too much.

Just make sure you collect branches from where you're allowed to.


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## AUSHERP (Jun 16, 2010)

The only thing I worry about with branches is mite, I use heaps of branches in my enclosures but I like to stick with the smooth skinned gums. If I feel a bit paranoid I do pour a kettle over the branch.


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## zuesowns (Jun 16, 2010)

yeah fair enough. the only thing I was worried about was getting mite, ticks etc.


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## bellslace (Jun 16, 2010)

I think you should soak them in the bath tub for half a day. I found a great piece in the bush which had come from the ground. So I sprayed it with top of descent. I had inspected it and it was very clean, no layers of bark to harbour mite but to my surprise 10 minutes after I sprayed it there were 100's of large ants crawling out of the smallest hole which I hadnt noticed. I sprayed it again every few hours and I thought they were gone and more would keep coming. So in the end i filled my bathtub with hot water and dropped it in........ and guess what?...... more ants I hadnt even gotten half of them. The bath did the trick though finally.....

Just be careful you dont want an ants nest getting in there........
You should soak it!


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

zuesowns said:


> yeah fair enough. the only thing I was worried about was getting mite, ticks etc.



You don't get snake mites from branches. Other species of mites are not going to use your snake as a host.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

Snakes do NOT get mites from branches taken from the bush. Mites come from other snakes, the people who have handled infested snakes, or equipment used with infested snakes. Branches from outside pose no threat at all in this regard. The odd tick, while a nuisance, is not a danger to your snake either. Most (all) wild snakes have a resident population of ticks, worms and other beasties which under most circumstances do little or no harm. The chance of your snake getting a tick from collected branches is zilch.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

Stop that Michael!!!

Jamie.


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## slim6y (Jun 16, 2010)

Pythoninfinite = Waterrat....

I bet Michael, you're the sort of person that has two keyboards and two screens and you wrote both of those comments at the same time... I put you in the brilliant bucket and your talent is wasted here... We could have you as an amusement park freak... much better pay too!

That aside...

I have used branches from from several trees - not sure if any were native and non-toxic but as of now all my snakes are still living.

I've even used bamboo... is that a no-no? I guess if a panda bear escaped and entered my snake enclosure I'd have troubles...

I've used broom handles as well... They're particularly good, but not very 'realistic' in looking...

But do remember - even a sizeable log will eventually begin to break down in the right conditions - so keep an eye on them


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## PhilK (Jun 16, 2010)

Slim you should have soaked that bamboo for an hour or poured some boiling water over it to kill any pesky pandas.

As everyone else has said - parasitic mites don't live on branches. They live on other snakes. If they lived on branches they would die, so have no fear - nothing can harm your snake from a branch you get from the wild.


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## slim6y (Jun 16, 2010)

PhilK said:


> Slim you should have soaked that bamboo for an hour or poured some boiling water over it to kill any pesky pandas.



Don't be so stupid PhilK - you know this is a forum where anyone can read that utter stupidity...

Everyone KNOWS the only way to kill a pesky panda bear is to burn citronella incense!!!

Keeps your bamboo free of pesky pandas....


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## The Devil (Jun 16, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> Many keepers go to unnecessary lengths with hygiene. Have all the branches in the bush been soaked in bleach? Pythons are animals that crawl through leaf-litter, dirty water, fungus covered branches - that's their natural way of life. Are captive bred snakes any different? If you keep your snakes in sterile conditions from the day they're born, the chances are they'll be susceptible to all diseases under the sun because their immune system has never been exposed to pathogens and therefore they have no immunity. Think about it.
> 
> The only thing you have to watch is not to bring a colony of ants, ticks or similar with your branches.



Thank you, thank you, at last someone who uses a bit of LOGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

Not to upset Jamie again (sorry mate), I go off the branches onto bamboo. 

I use bamboo extensively but in humid conditions, it grows black mold like soot. Interestingly, the yellow GTPs don't get dirty when crawling over it, nor would they avoid contact with it. However, when it starts looking bad I replace it.
I sprayed the bamboo with F10, which suppose to kill fungal spores but it made no difference, the mold came back again.

.... your turn Jamie


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

I'm going to sulk now... I have nothing more to say (I guess more than a few members will be relieved!)

J.


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## J-A-X (Jun 16, 2010)

i 'double black bag' mine and leave it in the sun, no i'm not concerned about the snake picking up nasties, i'm more worried about ants and spiders invading my house..... nasty little crawlies they are,


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## slim6y (Jun 16, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> Not to upset Jamie again (sorry mate), I go off the branches onto bamboo.
> 
> I use bamboo extensively but in humid conditions, it grows black mold like soot. Interestingly, the yellow GTPs don't get dirty when crawling over it, nor would they avoid contact with it. However, when it starts looking bad I replace it.
> I sprayed the bamboo with F10, which suppose to kill fungal spores but it made no difference, the mold came back again.
> ...


 
You do use citronella to kill the pandas like I do... Don't you?

As for mould... It's the environment... You can treat your bamboo with a natural oil like linseed (to be honest I am not sure if it will work or not) mixed with 50/50 turpentine. So long the spores have no porous material to adhere to, then you could actually guard against them. 

Or lower humidity....

Black Soot Spores - Just happen!


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

slim6y said:


> As for mould... It's the environment... You can treat your bamboo with a natural oil like linseed (to be honest I am not sure if it will work or not) mixed with 50/50 turpentine.



Wow! I am sure juvenile GTPs would just love to crawl over bamboo smeared with linseed oil and turps. I wana grow them, not kill them. LOL


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## slim6y (Jun 16, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> Wow! I am sure juvenile GTPs would just love to crawl over bamboo smeared with linseed oil and turps. I wana grow them, not kill them. LOL


 
When dried... yes... dried... there is no residue. I have used it to treat hard wood (oak) on all my enclosures. None of my snakes are dead and none of my enclosures are mouldy...


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

I use Vaseline & petrol, it kills mites quick smart...


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

Alright. I am just happy to replace it when it looks moldy. The neighbor is always happy to see me cutting his overgrown crop.


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## AUSHERP (Jun 16, 2010)

mite and mite eggs can lay dormant in logs and things of the sort, i once had a mite infestation from a log i had just thrown in with my skinks.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

AUSHERP said:


> mite and mite eggs can lay dormant in logs and things of the sort, i once had a mite infestation from a log i had just thrown in with my skinks.



Was it African Snake Mite? I very much doubt it. Unless the log had been in contact with an infested snake. You may attribute the mite outbreak to the log, but if it was Snake Mite it came from a source much closer to home - a reptile, person or equipment used with an infested animal - could even be a bag previously used for a reptile.


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## AUSHERP (Jun 16, 2010)

perhaps it was a coincidence but, better safe than sorry. seems a bit dumb to trust the bush with our expensive animals.


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

AUSHERP said:


> mite and mite eggs can lay dormant in logs and things of the sort, i once had a mite infestation from a log i had just thrown in with my skinks.



So, the skinks ended up with the mites? In that case they were probably other, native species of mites. It the fists instance, we were talking about snake mites and snakes, not lizards. Bit confusing.


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## euphorion (Jun 16, 2010)

I only bother to bleach/soak/bake/scrub branches that i intend to varnish for a display enclosure. the rest just go in as is. i find the ones i have bothered to treat and varnish both look better and are much easier to clean, i dont like the way faeces and uric acid stain the unvarnished branches, look grubby. call me vain but it makes me happy


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## AUSHERP (Jun 16, 2010)

@ waterrat. just an example of the dangers of using things directly from the bush. any publication on captive husbandry says the same thing. that everything should be treated, even if only with boiling water, is that 5 minutes not worth it?


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

AUSHERP said:


> @ waterrat. just an example of the dangers of using things directly from the bush. any publication on captive husbandry says the same thing. that everything should be treated, even if only with boiling water, is that 5 minutes not worth it?


 
I don't argue against it. If a log / branch / rock I pick up in the bush looks sus, i.e. has holes in it, dirt, mud, etc., I treat it too but I don't think it's always necessary to do it as a precaution.


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## AUSHERP (Jun 16, 2010)

thankyou. natural branches beat anything on the commercial market as far as cage furniture goes and they are free! now that we have agreed on the ups and downs, i'd like to see some set ups!!!


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

AUSHERP said:


> i'd like to see some set ups!!!


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## euphorion (Jun 16, 2010)

show off...


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## snakehunter (Jun 16, 2010)

I think the biggest worry with picking up logs is termites, don't want those buggers in your house


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## felixtherat (Jun 16, 2010)

just peel the bark off and pour the kettle over the branches its easy simple and gives you peace of mind


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

snakehunter said:


> I think the biggest worry with picking up logs is termites, don't want those buggers in your house


 
Mate, termites are social insects ("eusocial" to be exact) and a few of them brought home would do no harm because they would soon die without their queen, other casts and their dark tunnels. But I agree, there is no need for them in a reptile enclosure.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

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.


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## Southside Morelia (Jun 16, 2010)

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!


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## Southside Morelia (Jun 16, 2010)

Michael, the enclosure looks nice, but why did you have to put a fake snake in the shot, that just ruined it!


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

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...


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

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!


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## Southside Morelia (Jun 16, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> 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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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

It certainly worked Michael - my snakes didn't live long enough to catch anything!


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## AUSHERP (Jun 16, 2010)

Safe Decor for a Reptile Cage - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com
Hope this helps.


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## AUSHERP (Jun 16, 2010)

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.....


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

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.


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## Waterrat (Jun 16, 2010)

AUSHERP said:


> 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.


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## PhilK (Jun 16, 2010)

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.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 16, 2010)

'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...


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## bpb02 (Jun 16, 2010)

Great thread I was just at everything reptile today asking the very same question. Very good info on here


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## Southside Morelia (Jun 16, 2010)

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!!


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## zuesowns (Jun 17, 2010)

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.


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## slim6y (Jun 17, 2010)

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.


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## Bearded_Lady (Jun 17, 2010)

Hahaha you just love stirring pot dont you slimey?


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## slim6y (Jun 17, 2010)

Bearded_Lady said:


> Hahaha you just love stirring pot dont you slimey?


 
If words of wisdom are called stirring, then that's just what I provide


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## zuesowns (Jun 17, 2010)

I reckon Slim6y lol if someone thought you were serious they would and the rock could explode in there oven!


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## Waterrat (Jun 17, 2010)

zuesowns said:


> I reckon Slim6y lol if someone thought you were serious they would and the rock could explode in there oven!


 

Try microwave (if the rocks are small enough). Especially rocks containing iron - BIG BANG and the sparks are spectacular too.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 17, 2010)

Better they explode in the oven than in your enclosure... the dangerous exploding rock syndrome.. there's nothing worse...
J.


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## junglecarpet (Jun 17, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> Many keepers go to unnecessary lengths with hygiene. Have all the branches in the bush been soaked in bleach? Pythons are animals that crawl through leaf-litter, dirty water, fungus covered branches - that's their natural way of life. Are captive bred snakes any different? If you keep your snakes in sterile conditions from the day they're born, the chances are they'll be susceptible to all diseases under the sun because their immune system has never been exposed to pathogens and therefore they have no immunity. Think about it.
> 
> The only thing you have to watch is not to bring a colony of ants, ticks or similar with your branches.


I agree with you 100% on this... well said


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## slim6y (Jun 17, 2010)

Pythoninfinite said:


> Better they explode in the oven than in your enclosure... the dangerous exploding rock syndrome.. there's nothing worse...
> J.


 
I never thought about that - and it could be worse if they followed my instructions and left a residue of methylated spirits on it. Exploding fireball of molten granite... Could be dangerous. Best you don't use rocks at all. 

I personally don't use rocks in my enclosure but not because of the exploding issue but because one of my snakes is particularly aggressive. I already have to feed her using plastic, blunted cutlery - imagine if she had rocks in her enclosure.


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## AUSHERP (Jun 17, 2010)

HA HA. all i said was its a good idea to pour 1 kettle over a branch not drop it in a volcano!!!! i love how everyone just picks one guy to support no matter what he says even if they don't believe it. or one guy to condemn. all i said was its better safe than sorry. and you cant set the rules now about which are suitable ie. a nice hardwood branch because a few posts ago and all the sarcasm on the thread implies that i can stick a branch in my enclosure NO MATTER WHAT!


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## AUSHERP (Jun 17, 2010)

my bredli enclosure with non gamma rayed natural environment, rocks and branches. I was just tryin to give the bloke a little advice.


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## slim6y (Jun 17, 2010)

Can I ask - do you think it would be 'effective' to pour just one jug of boiling water over a log to effectively kill or remove potential parasites?

The reason I ask is because the heat provided by the water would for sure be enough to kill the animals, but... The insulating effect of the wood might be contrary if the said parasites etc were burrowed in the wood or were below the bark layer.

In reality (without reading your previous posts in this thread) you make a good comment on 'is it worth the risk?' - I'd agree... Is it? But by that very meaning, one jug might just not be enough.

Then you may as well have gone the whole hog anyway...

I'm really not terribly certain that we can ever be 100% sure (hence my test on the least favoured snake comment) - but the reality is (and pointed out by many) the risk is far lower than the bother if using decent wood.

Personally, I've often adopted the better to be safe than sorry attitude... But of recent times, I'm doubting the validity of some.

As for the comment on 'Snakes are crawling all over this stuff all the time....' 

That doesn't wash!

In a small enclosure, in an environment considered sterile (compared to the outside world), even the smallest introduction can cause troubles for a snake (or animal) not previously exposed to said pest.

I recall reading a great comment (I forget exactly how it goes):

Snakes get run over in the wild, but I'm not about to drive my car through their enclosure.


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## Pythoninfinite (Jun 17, 2010)

One thing that people overlook is that when a snake occupies an enclosure for any length of time, the furnishings become far more contaminated than anything fresh taken from the bush or off a tree. Most manufacturers of cold-sterilising comounds (F10, VirkonS etc) will state that sterilising wood is rarely possible. Once a snake has spent a few weeks crawling through its own waste and over the same logs/branches again & again, the enclosure is far more pathogenic than the bush... In the wild a snake would almost never come upon it's own crap, but snakes that live for long periods in roof spaces can be surrounded by crap & shed skins.

I still can't find out what organisms we're trying to keep out of our enclosures if we use fresh branches/logs...


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## PhilK (Jun 17, 2010)

AUSHERP said:


> HA HA. all i said was its a good idea to pour 1 kettle over a branch not drop it in a volcano!!!! i love how everyone just picks one guy to support no matter what he says even if they don't believe it. or one guy to condemn. all i said was its better safe than sorry. and you cant set the rules now about which are suitable ie. a nice hardwood branch because a few posts ago and all the sarcasm on the thread implies that i can stick a branch in my enclosure NO MATTER WHAT!


 Grapes a bit sour? I am not "picking one guy to support no matter what" nor am I condemning anyone. Everyone in this thread gave their personal views - most of which are that they don't bother doing anything with branches from the bush. If you don't agree with that and would prefer to pour boiling water over your branches that is fine, but don't get upset at us not agreeing with you.

The original poster of this thread has certainly got a good cross section of answers out of it, so I think we all did well before the jokes started.


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## slim6y (Jun 17, 2010)

PhilK said:


> The original poster of this thread has certainly got a good cross section of answers out of it, so I think we all did well before the jokes started.


 
What jokes?:shock:


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## Waterrat (Jun 17, 2010)

May I throw in my last 2 bob worth of opinion?
There was a question about branches from native or other trees in relation to toxicity. I am not a botanist but would say, since snakes don't eat or lick the branches, there is little chance of intoxication. I don't think there are any natural branches that would be toxic to touch such as treated timber fence palings, etc..

Bark or no bark? I quite like the look of bark and my snakes don't mind the texture of it. To make it long lasting, I paint the surface with _aquadhere glue_. This not only seals the bark but also prevents it from cracking and pealing.

Probably the best branches come from clear-water, sandy-bottom creeks in form of driftwood. They may well be occupied by a swag of aquatic invertebrates but once the wood dries out, they dry out and die with it. You can be certain (if it's of any concern) there won't be any mites, ticks or fungi on it.

Another safe product are branches cut from living trees. I prefer quava trees because they are hard, nicely formed and they are regarded as weed up here. It's important to let fresh branches dry out over several weeks because some timber (e.g. lianas) contain sap and resin that ooze out of the cut ends over time. The branches also shrink in length.

Lastly, I would be very careful about branches bought from pet shops. There, they may have been exposed to biological contaminants from the animals and that is one instance where I would do all of the above suggested treatments.

Cheers
M


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## cris (Jun 17, 2010)

PhilK said:


> 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.


 
I dont know much about mites, have never even seen a reptile mite in anything but pictures but i thought they were quite capable of surviving for a resonable amount of time without a host, hence why many have trouble getting them out of their collections.

I agree that many are way over the top with sterilizing stuff, but many branches can have all sort of things in them from ants to reptiles. I dont really think its over the top to wash a branch under hot water or soak it in water, especially if it has hollows gaps under bark etc. If something is clean and solid then it goes straight in the enclosure.


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## Waterrat (Jun 17, 2010)

Cris, each to their own, I would never say don't do this or that. 
I worked in a Zoo for 6 years where "effective display" was no. 1 priority. Every time I went camping on my days off, I would bring back bags and boxes full of leaf litter, cassuarina needles, sheets of bark, moss, lichen, rocks, logs and whatever I thought would look nice and appropriate. It went straight into the cages and I remember seeing native cockroaches, amphipods, spiders, even small centipedes crawling amongst the material. They perished within a day or two and I can say, we have never, ever had any problems.


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## Troyster (Jun 17, 2010)

Im with you Waterrat, i also use drift wood collected from a local beach.
I usually leave the collected pieces to dry out for a couple of weeks before use.During which time anything that was living in the logs that ive brought home is generally eaten by ants leaving the wood perfect for putting straight into the enclosure.


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## PhilK (Jun 17, 2010)

cris said:


> I dont know much about mites, have never even seen a reptile mite in anything but pictures but i thought they were quite capable of surviving for a resonable amount of time without a host, hence why many have trouble getting them out of their collections.


 Hmm.. perhaps that is the case with reptilian mites. I was more basing my argument off what we learned in parasitology last year, and come to think of it maybe it was LICE that can't survive off their hosts... That'll teach me to type without thinking.


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## Waterrat (Jun 17, 2010)

Troyster said:


> Im with you Waterrat, i also use drift wood collected from a local beach.
> I usually leave the collected pieces to dry out for a couple of weeks before use.During which time anything that was living in the logs that ive brought home is generally eaten by ants leaving the wood perfect for putting straight into the enclosure.


 

Ahhh, this is different. Driftwood collected on the beaches is saturated with salt and needs to be thoroughly washed / soaked in freshwater. Salt can do horrible things to snake scales and skin. For the same reason one should never use beach sand for substrate in a reptile enclosure.


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## Southside Morelia (Jun 17, 2010)

Please everyone look at my home made trees...they deserve more than 1 compliment...lol


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## Waterrat (Jun 17, 2010)

Yeh, they're bl..... ignorant, aren't they.


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## JAS101 (Jun 17, 2010)

Southside Morelia said:


> Please everyone look at my home made trees...they deserve more than 1 compliment...lol


 i have had a look , looks pretty good .


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## Southside Morelia (Jun 17, 2010)

ZOOJAS said:


> i have had a look , looks pretty good .



Thanks M & Zoo, LOL you guys are the greatest!!! Makes me feel so much better after a hard day in the office and a wife that whips me to near death each night and kids that don't appreciate my 14Hr work days to pay for their Wii's and PS 3's and Foxtel etc and snakes that bite me when I try to kiss them after feeding the rats...:lol:
I love APS friends...


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## Troyster (Jun 17, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> Ahhh, this is different. Driftwood collected on the beaches is saturated with salt and needs to be thoroughly washed / soaked in freshwater. Salt can do horrible things to snake scales and skin. For the same reason one should never use beach sand for substrate in a reptile enclosure.




In the past ive only ever given them a good hose down to remove any mangrove mud that may be on them and to also remove any sand and never had a problem.


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## baxtor (Jun 17, 2010)

Pythoninfinite said:


> I use Vaseline & petrol, it kills mites quick smart...



that sounds a lot like napalm.


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## cracksinthepitch (Jun 17, 2010)

i use a tree called a Golden Spray, its a native and looks like a sheoke and similar to the expensive reptile vines you can buy from petshops, over time they do flake and break down especially when you up the humidity but i have got 4 years out of the first one and have just lopped some more branches for some more cages.


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## Akasha81 (Jun 17, 2010)

I am in the process of building my next three enclosures. I have just gotten a few awesome native branches for use in python and beardie enclosures. I wouldnt have the resources needed to soak such large pieces in bleach/water mix, so I think I will just pour hot water from a jug and my massive soup pot... or open to any other suggestions.. what about using a steam machine? would that work?


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## Akasha81 (Jun 17, 2010)

Southside Morelia said:


> Michael, the enclosure looks nice, but why did you have to put a fake snake in the shot, that just ruined it!



Jealousy is a curse you know.... heehee!!


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## Jungletrans (Jun 18, 2010)

Please keep in mind that is actually illegal to remove anything from the bush without a permit . lf everyone did there would be nothing left . A way around this is to go to new estates or new roads , they bulldoze lots of trees , hollow logs and bush rock , and you can take this without upsetting anyone as it will all be dumped anyway . l only treat old hollow logs , with a hot bath , l like to use freshly cut branches . Just look for a fork or something interesting , that is the right thickness . These can go in untreated .


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## Waterrat (Jun 18, 2010)

That's news to me jungletrans, I think such restrictions only apply to NPs, reserves, etc.. You can collect branches on any private property or public land as long as you're sensible and not causing environmental damage. The same applies for driftwood.


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## Octane (Jun 18, 2010)

I have a friend with 150 acres I just go and pick-out aged dead fall. I get branches that are not rotten, with no insect infestation and the bark missing or falling off. They have been exposed to the sun usually for several months so I just cut them to size and put them in the enclosure. 
Why over complicate things.

Cheers Octane


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## JAS101 (Jun 18, 2010)

Waterrat said:


> That's news to me jungletrans, I think such restrictions only apply to NPs, reserves, etc.. You can collect branches on any private property or public land as long as you're sensible and not causing environmental damage. The same applies for driftwood.


 jungletrans is right , in vic u need a permit even on public land but private land u can go for ya life .


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## Jungletrans (Jun 18, 2010)

ln VIC private land is fine as long as you don't cut down a tree , although most people just go ahead and clear their land , if they get caught it is only a small fine . Unless you park illegally then it will cost you a fortune .


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## The Devil (Jun 28, 2010)

Southside Morelia said:


> Thanks M & Zoo, LOL you guys are the greatest!!! Makes me feel so much better after a hard day in the office and a wife that whips me to near death each night and kids that don't appreciate my 14Hr work days to pay for their Wii's and PS 3's and Foxtel etc and snakes that bite me when I try to kiss them after feeding the rats...:lol:
> I love APS friends...



Scott, sorry it's taken 12 days to comment on your post, I have only just stopped crying. You POOR POOR guy, and you are whinging about working 14 hour days. Something wrong with the younger generation these days.
If you send me your postal address I'll post you a few boxes of tissues................

Are you that exhausted from your so call 14 hour days that you confuse your wife with the rats and kiss the wrong one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In sunny Qld we have a power rate increase starting Thursday, about 15%....................


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## MrThumper (Jun 28, 2010)

You should see the snakes in the wild...they have ppl following them thru the bush disinfecting everywhere they go....PFFT !!

Never disinfected any, I change them monthly and never had a prob in 11 yrs


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