Incense

JoshDM020

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
356
Used the search function, results were at least 3 years old and I was wondering if theres any new information.
I occasionally burn incense as an air freshener. By occasionally, I mean once maybe twice a year.
I use it instead of sprayables because it seems safer than all those airborne chemicals and whatnot.
Just wondering if that is even too often and i need to stop all together or if that should be... acceptable at least for t's. It'll be the only smoke they're exposed to and in minimal amounts as ive cleared out a small room that would put a door between them and the smoke.
 

Kendricks

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Messages
153
Incense is really bad for your health, and almost certainly for your T's as well - but I'm no expert for arachnid health-care, so who knows.
Personally, I'd not risk it.
Burnt some myself some years ago, while it can gave nice effects, ultimately it is just bad for you and everyone (everything) exposed to it, so I stopped. Saves money too.

Money that can be spent on T's instead. ;)
 

Bugmom

Arachnolord
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
646
Some people will say never do this. I'm not one of those people. I don't think that it's an issue unless the smoke is going in your tarantula enclosures and they are in a small room with no ventilation.
 

TownesVanZandt

Arachnoprince
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
1,041
It depends on what the incense contains. Some types on incense have been used to repel insects, I believe. With that being said, I smoke cigarettes in my living room where all my tarantulas are. I never blow the smoke directly into the enclosures of course, but I have never seen any bad effects from that.
 

Kendricks

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Messages
153
Typica
It depends on what the incense contains. Some types on incense have been used to repel insects, I believe. With that being said, I smoke cigarettes in my living room where all my tarantulas are. I never blow the smoke directly into the enclosures of course, but I have never seen any bad effects from that.
Smokers often tend to believe that the smoke won't get where they don't blow it - which is wrong.
Lighten a cigarette somewhere in the house and even I smell it after a short time, meaning: it goes everywhere.

How it affects arachnids, who knows, doubt there were studies for that, but show me something living and breathing that's not negatively affected by it and I'd say you win the Internet.

Also, it doesn't depend on what incense you burn. There are ones that contain less "garbage", yes, but burning something always causes problems/risks.
In case of incense, there were studies that revealed that it's everything but harmless.
 

TownesVanZandt

Arachnoprince
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
1,041
Typica

Smokers often tend to believe that the smoke won't get where they don't blow it - which is wrong.
Lighten a cigarette somewhere in the house and even I smell it after a short time, meaning: it goes everywhere.

How it affects arachnids, who knows, doubt there were studies for that, but show me something living and breathing that's not negatively affected by it and I'd say you win the Internet.

Also, it doesn't depend on what incense you burn. There are ones that contain less "garbage", yes, but burning something always causes problems/risks.
In case of incense, there were studies that revealed that it's everything but harmless.
Ah, of course, incense, cigarettes, air pollution, traffic, etc. is all potentially harmful. What OP asks is whether burning incense once or twice a year will harm his T´s, which I pretty much doubt unless it contains something particularly poisonous. It´s not like he´s planning to convert his house into a Buddhist temple!

I used cigarettes as an example. Obviously it´s not good for me, and probably it´s not good for arachnids either, but I have yet to see them being affected in any way as a result of it.

IMO it´s good to be precautious about both your own and your animals health, but there´s no need to go overboard and hysterically avoid everything that potentially might be harmful. As far as keeping arachnids goes, I´d say you absolutely have to avoid spraying chemicals, pesticides, bug repellents and other things that are known to kill them around the house, but apart from that you should be able to live a completely normal life :)
 
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boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
@Kendricks is right, there are actually quite a few studies linking incense burning to an increased cancer risk, similar to cigarette smoking. Having said that, nobody knows how it would affect Ts. And I don't know if burning incense twice a year would constitute a health risk for a human, either - those studies linking incense and cancer have been done in communities with hight incense use, like once a week.

it seems safer than all those airborne chemicals and whatnot
Incense sticks contain quite a few of chemicals, you know, and things are not safer just because it's mainly organic chemicals. From what I can see artificial air fresheners are actually safer - although I think they usually smell terrible.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
No, no... go figure. Harmless. Sometimes I invite a group of bald heads Hare Khrisna in full 'orange' like not even yankee convicts and we perform chants, burning everything possible of course like not even at a 'Dark Souls' bonfire, just near the Goddess 0.1 enclosure.

Needless to say I have brainwashed those peaceful people and turned those to the cult of Kālī :bookworm:

ॐ Oṃ Ah Hūṃ काली

Oh, yes. Also I love to smoke cigarettes on my room. Always of best: such smoke benefits not only Theraphosidae but every sort of Blu Ray/DVD und whatnot optic lens in the long run, si si :pompous:
 
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D Sherlod

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 30, 2016
Messages
218
No, no... go figure. Harmless. Sometimes I invite a group of bald heads Hare Khrisna in full 'orange' like not even yankee convicts and we perform chants, burning everything possible of course like not even at a 'Dark Souls' bonfire, just near the Goddess 0.1 enclosure.

Needless to say I have brainwashed those peaceful people and turned those to the cult of Kālī :bookworm:

ॐ Oṃ Ah Hūṃ काली

Oh, yes. Also I love to smoke cigarettes on my room. Always of best: such smoke benefits not only Theraphosidae but every sort of Blu Ray/DVD und whatnot optic lens in the long run, si si :pompous:
I wonder if a walk inside your mind would be fun or terrifying o_O
 

Goodlukwitthat

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
178
Personally, I keep my animals (except my rat) in my spare bedroom (called the Animal Room). Their door is kept shut. My gf is a candle fanatic and only lights them in the living room, our bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. The cat's poop box is in the laundry room so she uses those cheap (but they do smell good) gel air fresheners that you get for under $1 Neither of us smoke. If OP needs to use incense..I'd suggest doing it away from your Ts.

My mind goes like this:

Spend tons of money on my collection of inverts/reptiles/amphibans...why take the risks of possibly losing your animals? In the end, do as you wish, they're your animals.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
It depends on what the incense contains. Some types on incense have been used to repel insects, I believe. With that being said, I smoke cigarettes in my living room where all my tarantulas are. I never blow the smoke directly into the enclosures of course, but I have never seen any bad effects from that.

Nicotine is an excellent chemical that binds to neuronal nAChR's found in insects, and it kills them. My friend is a neuroscientist, he adds it in his lawn spray, and has the most bug free lawn I've ever seen.

I'm amazed one of your Ts hasn't keeled over.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Smokers often tend to believe that the smoke won't get where they don't blow it - which is wrong.
In the USA there are restaurants which have smoking sections inside (STUPID). Which is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.
 
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