pine bonsai tree

yea i have just recently bought a pine bonsai tree and i want to incorporate it into my balls enclosure and i know your not supposed to use pine substrate but would like an opinion on a whole tree rather than just dusty substrate.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hossman

yea i have just recently bought a pine bonsai tree and i want to incorporate it into my balls enclosure and i know your not supposed to use pine substrate but would like an opinion on a whole tree rather than just dusty substrate.

---

I'm pretty sure it's just the wood in general.. I'm no expert but I read it's the oils.. whether it's chips, a tree, or just a slab of bark from it, I'd assume it still has the oil(toxic stuff) in it.

Yes I beleive thats correct. Although I think they are more likely to have issues with the sub as pine rather than a tree. My issue with incorporating a tree into an enclosure is its going to be a pita. Obviously wa humid enclosures tend to breed bacteria. And that tree would be a bacteria overload over time. It'll get knocked over, climbed on and broken, tipped, etc. So as nice as more naturalistic tanks look they just aren't very well suited for ball pythons.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

well i would keep it neat and clean obviously, clean it daily and what not but as far as being dangerous to my snake? i mean i know its the aroma that gives the snake respitory problems but the tree doesnt have much of an aroma. but to the snake it could be totally different

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hossman

well i would keep it neat and clean obviously, clean it daily and what not but as far as being dangerous to my snake? i mean i know its the aroma that gives the snake respitory problems but the tree doesnt have much of an aroma. but to the snake it could be totally different

---

I think it's just safer not to have it in there at all.. maybe find another non-pine or non-cedar bonsai tree, or just no tree.

It's the oils in pine and cedar wood that is poisonous to your snake. It has nothing to do with the aroma. Or to put it this way: if the snake can touch it, it's dangerous.

I use live plants in with my snakes. I wouldn't use the pine bonsai tree though. The tree itself won't do well in the climate that the snake needs. Tropical plants do better. Two that are safe for the snake and easy to care for are pothos and snakeplant, also called mother in-law's tongue. But you are going to need to change the soil the plant is in. Don't use normal potting soil, it is bad for the snake. I use my garden soil, I use no chemicals at all and no ferts. I only use compost that I make so I know it won't hurt my animals. You can also cover the soil with a layer of rocks or bark chips.

Trees contain the chemicals to ward off insects. So yes, the tree will contain those chemicals, and no, I would not put it in my tank.

Why take the risk? ;)

First, if you had a true bonsai you would not put it in a snake tank, considering the cost. You have a sapling someone put in a nice pot.

Second, the snake should not be anywhere near the stuff you have to give that pine to keep it alive.

The pine needs lots of direct sunlight, sandy soil that doesn't retain water, low humidity, fertilizer and of course pruning of the candles and roots and wiring of the branches to train them. Don't forget the pesticides you may need. Perhaps in 15-20 years you may have a bonsai but it will never live that long in a snake enclosure.