Maple tree sticks?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:23 pm

Well, they've been in the tat a month, so they might have done the damage that they'd do, but I thought I'd ask.

I've been using sticks from our maple trees as climbing sticks for the crabsters.

That okay? They crabs have peeled bark off, and probably eaten a fair bit. But they SEEM fine.....

I think they are sticks from a red maple and a silver maple. We have alot of them, so Im not sure.

We dont spray our trees, they are too big for that and we are lazy, so I guess you could call them organic?

I did boil them before adding them to the tat.

Its not poisonous to other animals that I know of, my goats and sheep eat the trimmings all the time with no ill effects.

So is this okay?

Thanks!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:47 pm

Oh yes! maple bark is very good for them! all varieties of maple appear to be safe.

Kilimanjaro · Post by **Kilimanjaro** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:44 pm

Yep, maple bark has a lot of tannin (which enhances color) and is very good for hermit crabs.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:55 am

maple bark?
do they sell that?

we have oaks, but no maple way down here

wait- are oak tree bark ok?
should i soak it or bake it to kiss bugs?

MamaZelly · Post by **MamaZelly** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:52 am

I suppose you can kiss the bugs if you really want to, but I don't find it necessary

I recently added a bunch of maple to my crabitat, and they all seem pretty happy with the addition. I have a number of thin branches cable-tied together with some leaves still attached as a climby, and several enjoy climbing and eating it. I also have a maple leaf pit (1/2 substrate on the bottom, torn up leaves, twigs, and peeled bark on the top). A couple of my PPs enjoy it, but the Es really love the pit. Everyone is sampling the leaves and bark.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:55 am

haha that made me laugh so hard
i meant kill em. lol

Kilimanjaro · Post by **Kilimanjaro** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:03 pm

Oak bark is fine. If you are planning to offer it as a food, I like to rinse it off with water and then bake it at 200* for ten minutes or so, just in case there is something not good on the bark.