# Collected branches from outside for snakes



## GRIMJIM (Dec 26, 2017)

I know it's probably hard to tell from pictures but I collected these branches from a local wooded area and I'm just unsure if any of them are safe to use in my snake vivs.
If so, I'm probably not going to be able to fit them in the oven. I'm not sure I like the idea of bleaching them. I was thinking of just pouring a load of kettle water all over them, maybe spraying them down with some reptile Disinfectant. Would they need to be debarked?

Thanks in advance!


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Provided they are not pine then they would be OK for use in a viv. If you cant bake them, the give them a wash down with F10 disinfectant. If you don't have any F10, then use either a very, very dilute bleach solution, or better still make up a weak sterilising solution often used for babies bottles, and then rince off with clean water and let them dry.

Pine should be avoided as the sap can irritate the snakes skin.


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## GRIMJIM (Dec 26, 2017)

Malc said:


> Provided they are not pine then they would be OK for use in a viv. If you cant bake them, the give them a wash down with F10 disinfectant. If you don't have any F10, then use either a very, very dilute bleach solution, or better still make up a weak sterilising solution often used for babies bottles, and then rince off with clean water and let them dry.
> 
> Pine should be avoided as the sap can irritate the snakes skin.


Cheers yeah I knew about pine but I don't know what's pine and what's not lol. I was reading that you should stay away from deciduous woods full stop. I don't know you decide what's a decidious wood though lol. 
It's strange that pine is bad for snakes because if you look at corn snakes natural habitat span. The majority of it is pine forests 🤷🏻‍♂️
Go figure


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

GRIMJIM said:


> Cheers yeah I knew about pine but I don't know what's pine and what's not lol. I was reading that you should stay away from deciduous woods full stop. I don't know you decide what's a decidious wood though lol.
> It's strange that pine is bad for snakes because if you look at corn snakes natural habitat span. The majority of it is pine forests 🤷🏻‍♂️
> Go figure


I don't think its a case that its toxic as most may have us believe... more a case that the sap is in irritant. There are documented cases where woodpeckers choose a particular type of pine tree as its sap can be encouraged to run, and they do this to protect the nest. In the old TV documentary, a rat snake is seen climbing up the tree using the bark as purchase, but as it hits the sap starts to arch its body due to the irritation and then eventually falls to the ground below.


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## Submariner (Jul 16, 2019)

Coniferous trees ooze sap which is sticky anyway, I wouldn't want that all over my snake regardless of potential (presumably chemical) irritant qualities.

Not sure I understand why you should avoid deciduous entirely. For one thing if deciduous and pine are out there's not a lot left (and some of that will be poisonous). Yew for example, I would avoid.

With birds generally fruit tree branches are good, and maybe willow. I'd suggest the same for reptiles.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

Fruit trees are an excellent choice, and I believe now is the time a lot of apple trees are pruned back ?


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## GRIMJIM (Dec 26, 2017)

Malc said:


> I don't think its a case that its toxic as most may have us believe... more a case that the sap is in irritant. There are documented cases where woodpeckers choose a particular type of pine tree as its sap can be encouraged to run, and they do this to protect the nest. In the old TV documentary, a rat snake is seen climbing up the tree using the bark as purchase, but as it hits the sap starts to arch its body due to the irritation and then eventually falls to the ground below.


Oh yeah I remember seeing that actually. Fascinating!


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## GRIMJIM (Dec 26, 2017)

I need to learn what trees are what lol. 
Probably a long shot but I don't suppose anyone knows what kind of branches I've collected here?


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## RumbaAsul (May 1, 2020)

Some sort of Prunus/ornamental cherry.


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