Best way to safely add fall leaves to T enclosures?

[Mavet]

So it's lovely fall up here in Canada, and the leaves on all the trees at my university campus are turning all sorts of awesome colours. I'm wondering what the best way to add some of these to my Ts' enclosures would be - if I have to bake/microwave them somehow to be rid of any parasites, etc? I see pictures of peoples' enclosures with leafy, mulchy substrate, and I'm basically wondering what the best procedure is to emulate that...? (I also have access to a variety of biology labs and equipment, if that makes a difference...)

Thanks all!

(Also let me know if there are any leaves from certain trees/plants that may be toxic or otherwise harmful to my arachnids.)

 

[jigalojey]

So it's lovely fall up here in Canada, and the leaves on all the trees at my university campus are turning all sorts of awesome colours. I'm wondering what the best way to add some of these to my Ts' enclosures would be - if I have to bake/microwave them somehow to be rid of any parasites, etc? I see pictures of peoples' enclosures with leafy, mulchy substrate, and I'm basically wondering what the best procedure is to emulate that...? (I also have access to a variety of biology labs and equipment, if that makes a difference...)

Thanks all!

(Also let me know if there are any leaves from certain trees/plants that may be toxic or otherwise harmful to my arachnids.)

I used to add leaves to my tanks, I would just boil them in water.

 

[Disquiet]

I like to use the thickest, leathery-est leaves I can find, i.e. manzanita, magnolia, then boil them for several minutes followed by a few days in the freezer. They will break down in the tank over time so make sure you add microfauna as well to keep the mold in check.

 

[Spinster]

I use Indian Almond leaves, which are sold commercially for use in aquaria for blackwater species (bettas, discus). They're said to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth, at least in fishes. I buy them pre-dried and sterilized from ebay. I use them primarily for jungle setups and to slow moisture loss in damp substrates.

I live in a big city and don't trust leaves from outdoors, they can be laced with chemicals and pollutants which can't be boiled or washed away. If you collect leaves from outdoors, make sure the tree is not poisonous. Also - freezing is less effective here in Canada because a lot of the native bugs and parasites (and their eggs) have evolved to survive Canadian winters.

 

[Mavet]

I use Indian Almond leaves, which are sold commercially for use in aquaria for blackwater species (bettas, discus). They're said to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth, at least in fishes. I buy them pre-dried and sterilized from ebay. I use them primarily for jungle setups and to slow moisture loss in damp substrates.

I live in a big city and don't trust leaves from outdoors, they can be laced with chemicals and pollutants which can't be boiled or washed away. If you collect leaves from outdoors, make sure the tree is not poisonous. Also - freezing is less effective here in Canada because a lot of the native bugs and parasites (and their eggs) have evolved to survive Canadian winters.

That sounds like a super awesome alternative to collecting my own, which I suppose cold be a bit risky (good call on the boiling rather than freezing - sooner or later we all become cold-tolerant up here!). Do you mind sharing a link for the ebay store/seller you get your leaves from Spinster? Or send me a PM if that's not allowed in forum threads... Us Torontonians gotta stick together, and I figure you've already got a source able to ship up here!

And yeah, I keep springtails in my more moist enclosures to clean up any mould that may occur, so I figure they'll continue to be effective when the leaves start breaking down. Really, I want leaves not only for aesthetic value, but also to increase humidity in certain enclosures without making them over-damp.

 

[Poec54]

A consideration is if they spray for mosquitoes where you live. In my area, they spray for them by airplane in the middle of the night.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

A consideration is if they spray for mosquitoes where you live. In my area, they spray for them by airplane in the middle of the night.

Were can you check if they sprey? Do we not have enough Chemtrails? now mosquitoe killer it probably causes cancer or makes us sicker. :cry:

 

[vespers]

So it's lovely fall up here in Canada, and the leaves on all the trees at my university campus are turning all sorts of awesome colours.

Fall leaves usually won't retain those colors for very long, and most will break down quickly.

 

[Poec54]

Were can you check if they spray? Do we not have enough Chemtrails? now mosquitoe killer it probably causes cancer or makes us sicker.

In Florida municipalities use malathion in their mosquito sprays, lethal to inverts. Some spray from planes, other use trucks. They do it when there's the fewest people out, like middle of the night or during the middle of the work days. Since they're discrete, you may not know they're doing it, which is their goal. Check with your city or county to see what they do. Mosquitoes carry some serious diseases, so that's how they justify the chemical use.

 

[Wadew]

I do not feel the local government has the ability to contaminate all the leaves with spray in the middle of the night! although it sounds scary and might have impact on some.....lol Be selective if you think this is possible. If this were the case our planet would be in a heap of trouble. Threads like this are a bit humorous, baking earth and boiling leaves.

-Wade

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

In Florida municipalities use malathion in their mosquito sprays, lethal to inverts. Some spray from planes, other use trucks. They do it when there's the fewest people out, like middle of the night or during the middle of the work days. Since they're discrete, you may not know they're doing it, which is their goal. Check with your city or county to see what they do. Mosquitoes carry some serious diseases, so that's how they justify the chemical use.

Wow I am going to start saving & drying my pothos plant leaves. Does that work?

 

[Poec54]

I do not feel the local government has the ability to contaminate all the leaves with spray in the middle of the night!

No, not everyplace, but cities and suburbs are where there's the biggest concentrations of people, the most people outside with nightlife and evening entertainment, the most concern about mosquito transmitting diseases, and therefore the places that are most likely to be sprayed. These places coincidently, are where most of us probably live too. So just walking outside and picking up leaves of sticks for your spider cages isn't a good idea for many of us. Being oblivious doesn't make it any safer for your spiders. You should know how and what the local government is spraying in your neighborhood.

 

[Mavet]

Fortunately I'm in a city (Guelph) that is very environmentally-aware, and there is a ban against pesticides here. Now, I know that doesn't preclude the possibility of contaminants coming in from elsewhere, or the presence of parasites (especially native ones), and I'm not sure I want to take that risk. Aside from my Ts being pets that I love and care for, they are also contributing to a study I'm conducting at the university, and I need them all alive and in top condition.

At this point I'm thinking that the best way to acquire safe, (somewhat) sterile leaves for my tarantula enclosures is to go with Spinster's suggestion of using commercially available Indian almond leaves that are processed to be safe for aquaculturists to use in their tanks. I figure that if they're safe for fish and aquatic inverts (which I know can be very sensitive to contaminants), and if Spinster has had success using them, they are probably the safest I can get other than silk plants/leaves.

I'm also curious though: if I were to use silk leaves instead of natural ones, would their addition still help to boost humidity in/around the substrate? Or is that benefit more to do with the breakdown and rotting of natural leaves?

Sorry, one last question: what's the best place to get silk plants/leaves if I do decide to go with that option? (Suggestions from Canadian users, or for stores/resources that are available up here in Canada would be particularly helpful, though any and all advice is welcome and appreciated.)

 

[Poec54]

I'm also curious though: if I were to use silk leaves instead of natural ones, would their addition still help to boost humidity in/around the substrate? Or is that benefit more to do with the breakdown and rotting of natural leaves?

Sorry, one last question: what's the best place to get silk plants/leaves if I do decide to go with that option?

I use plastic plants, the Zoo Med ones. Silk plants have dyes in them (and sometimes fragrances) and need to soaked first to get all of that to leach out. Remember, whatever your spider steps on is going to wind up in it's mouth when it grooms (after every meal and drink).