Beech leaves as bedding ?

[Pepsi_35]

Just checkin -
Can I use fallen dry beech leaves as bedding , wanted to make sure that they are not toxic to my snakes .

Thankyou
Sharon

[John_E_Dove]

That sounds like an interesting idea but I don't think I'd use them without first moistening them and microwaving them for at least 15 minutes to kill off any harmful pathogens they might have picked up.
As for toxins they contain, it is my understanding that Beech leaves lose the miniscule amount of toxins they contain when the turn color and drop off the tree.

[morti]

Is something wrong with all of the accepted knowledge on good bedding?

[Pepsi_35]

Thanks John
was going to give them a quick freeze first - they are freshly fallen wanted to check before ( Vetting them ) they should be clean as they have fallen onto concrete - there are loads out there from 3 huge beech trees with a presavation order on them - may go and stock up before it rains still plenty coming down its raining leaves lol ........... couldn't remember if they were toxic or not wanted to check before collecting bagfulls of them ( free bedding yay )

Thanks again Sharon

[John_E_Dove]

Originally Posted by morti

Is something wrong with all of the accepted knowledge on good bedding?

LOL, Yes there is. 1. That info does not cover Beech Leaves, 2. Accepted bedding is not free.

[John_E_Dove]

Originally Posted by Pepsi_35

Thanks John
was going to give them a quick freeze first - they are freshly fallen wanted to check before ( Vetting them ) they should be clean as they have fallen onto concrete - there are loads out there from 3 huge beech trees with a presavation order on them - may go and stock up before it rains still plenty coming down its raining leaves lol ........... couldn't remember if they were toxic or not wanted to check before collecting bagfulls of them ( free bedding yay )
Thanks again Sharon

I am not sure freezing them would kill the possible harmful stuff they could have picked up. Many of those things, bacterium etc, survive the winter in one form or another.
Microwaving with added miosture in a closed container steams them as though they were in an autoclave thus killing most if not all bacterium etc.

[Pepsi_35]

Will give it a go - Been having a look round to see if I can find anymore info. Never had mites or anything nasty with any of my reps so want to check and make sure first - in the wild they don't have us fussing over them, or filing down sharp edges on cages etc ......... but being enclosed more risk. I'm sure my pines and boa would love rustling around in them, once they are sterile. Bit more research me thinks .............

Thankyou again Sharon

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[TammyJamaica]

One thing you also have to watch out for on the leaves is mold if they are moist at all in the tanks, and once you have humidity, which is necessary, you will get mold on the leaves after about three days.

You get the daily papers? I use my newspaper as substrate, weighed down with river stones (good size to avoid ingestion) half way across the tank around the pool, and of course the hide/hides and driftwood branches.

I also sometimes use dried leaves, but I find it makes spot cleaning difficult (where's poo - poo?) whereas it is plainly visible on the newspaper.

[Pepsi_35]

Thankyou all comments / suggestions taken onboard -
Just thought my snakes would like a change, if safe, the back of our house is like a carpet of leaves - recycle recycle recycle, even if only used for a short period of time ............. i have use alsorts of beddings in the past tend to use newspaper a lot as I have quite a few reps and as metionioned is easy to change and keep clean. I'm sure the pines would love it .

Thankyou Sharon

[tokaysrnice]

I have tried the microwave method to sterilize a small hunk of wood for one of my cages. I nuked it for two minutes with a small cup of water and when I opened the microwave thier were all kind of bugs coming out. So i nuked it for another 2 minutes same thing. I eventually went with the tried and true stove and left it in there for 15 minutes at 300 degrees no bugs.

If you wanted to use leaves I would bag them up in a paper bag and stick them in the stove and be very attentive as to not burn your house down.
Also I don't know about leaves as the sole substrate because of cleaning issues, but it would be awesome as an additive to give some bulk to a aspen substrate. I'm sure the pituophis would love it.
Nate