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By Emily C on Saturday, November 1, 2014 at 1:50pm
Safe & Unsafe Woods List
Safe Woods for Crab Tanks
Here follows a list of woods that can be used safely in a hermit crab environment. These are non-toxic woods that won't hurt them if eaten. This list, as all the others, is not in any way complete, and will be expanded as new information is received.
Safe Woods
Birch
Cholla wood
Cork bark
Cypress (swamp variety, taxodium species)
Grape Vine
Hiawatha Moss
Hevea Wood
Madrona
Mangrove
Manzanita
Maple
Mopani (untreated, natural, no stain)
Oak
Pear
Pecan
Sycamore
Unsafe Woods
Apricot
Bitter Almond
Boxwood
Cherry
Cherry Laurel
China Fir
Eucalyptus
Evergreen of any kind (pine, cedar, redwood, etc.)
Hemlock
Laurel
Iroko
Nectarine
Peach
Plum
Teak
Treated moss (dyed terrarium moss, craft moss)
Yew
Info for Iroko wood-
Iroko is a hardwood from tropical Africa. It is one of the woods sometimes referred to as African Teak. In the UK there are trade restrictions on the machining of this timber as the dust is known to be carcinogenic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroko_%28hardwood%29
And then there's this.
Teak (botanic name Tectona)(Sanskrit : saka साà¤), is a genus of tropical hardwood trees in the mint family
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teak
The carcinogens and the wood being in the mint family(crabs cannot have mint) would automatically make it unsafe. Since it could also be in the mullberry wood family, crabs cannot eat mullberry leaves, so it would also be unsafe.. They are on the unsafe list as well.
Found on a Chinchilla site. This is very good information.
KNOWN UN-SAFE WOODS FOR CHINCHILLAS AND OTHER "CHEWING" PETS
Tallow - the sap in all tallow wood is questionable - the Chinese Tallow sap is poisonous
Any Redwoods avoid - although not know toxic to man - certain redwoods are known to be acidic
Any Mahogany - although mountain may be safe - Cherry mahogany is toxic
Blackwood, Boxwood, Box Elder, Beech, Cashew, Cedar, Chestnut, Chinese snake tree (very toxic to humans)
Cypress, Elderberry, Eucalyptus (although safe for birds and no know toxic ever reported), Ebony, Fir, Greenheart,
Ginko, Hemlock, hydrangea, Iroko, Ironwood (also called musclewood or hornbeam in Europe),
Juniper (although okay in small doses) Katon, Laurel, Maple
Myrtle, Obeche, Oak, Ramin, Satinwood, Sandalwood, Spruce, Sneezewood, Teak, Wenge, Walnut, Yew
(Also refer to the Inedible list for unsafe woods and plants)
Edible Flowers List
Borage blossoms (Borago officinalis)
Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis)-Also known as "pot marigolds"
Camellia (Camellia japonica)
Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)
Clover (flowers, leaves)
Daisies (Bellis perennis)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) (flowers, leaves, roots)
Day lilies (Hemerocallis)
Elderberry flowers (Sambucus canadensis)
Gladiolus (Gladiolus spp.)
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Honeysuckle flowers (Japanese Lonicera japonica)
Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)
Jasmine (Jasmine officinale)
Johnny-Jump-Up flowers--(Viola tricolor)
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Pansy (Viola X Wittrockiana) (flowers and leaves)
Passionflowers (Passifloraceae - passion flower family)
Petunia
Rose (Rosa spp)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Sunflower (Helianthus) (flowers, leaves, seeds)
Tulips (Tulipa spp.)
Violet (Viola odorata)
Other herb flowers-The tiny flowering blooms of the
following spices are edible: anise, basil, bee balm, chives, coriander
(cilantro), dill, fennel, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
MOST POPULAR EDIBLE FLOWERS
(These are the most commonly consumed flowers of the eighty edible
varieties.)
* Borage blossoms (Borago officinalis)-Tiny blue flowers have
slight cucumber flavor.
* Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis)-Also known as "pot
marigolds", multi-colored blooms with a peppery taste. Sometimes
called "poor man's saffron"
* Carnation flowers (Dianthus caryophyllus)-Red, pink, and
white blossoms with clove taste.
* Chamomile flowers (Chamaemilum nobile)-Daisy-like flowers
with a slight hint of apple flavor. Especially good for parrots when
calming influence is needed.
* Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)-the lavander-pink pom pom
flower is actually composed of many small florets. Flowers have a mild
onion flavor.
* Daisies (Bellis perennis)-Yellow and white flowers with
light mint or clover flavor. Flowers
* Dandelion flowers - pictured (Taraxacum officinale)-Small
yellow blossoms have honey flavor when picked young. Older flowers are
bitter but my Eclectus parrots do not seem to notice. Also offer the
dandelion leaves which are an excellent source of nutrition.
* Day lilies (Hemerocallis)-Many colored blossoms with sweet
taste and crunchy lettuce texture. Flower buds and blossoms can be
consumed at all stages of growth. Note: Many lilies (Lillium species)
contain alkaloids and are NOT safe for parrots or people.
* Elderberry flowers (Sambucus canadensis)-Sweet tasting
flowers. For colds and chills, Gypsies mix elderberry flowers, yarrow
and peppermint and steep in boiling water for 13 minutes, and drink
tea frequently.
* Gladiolus (Gladiolus spp.)Flowers of many colors grow on a
spike with flowers above each other, all usually facing the same way.
Has lettuce texture and flavor.
* Hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)-Tropical blossoms
in a variety of colors have slightly acidic taste. One of the favorite
flowers of most parrot species.
* Honeysuckle flowers (Japanese Lonicera japonica)-Small white
to yellow trumpet-shaped blossoms are sweet and delicious. Parrots
relish these flowers and the Loridae family of birds especially loves
the honeysuckle nectar. Only the Japanese honeysuckle is edible and
only the blooms should be used as the berries are extremely poisonous.
Offer only the flowers so that no berries on the vines will
accidentally be eaten.
* Impatiens (Impatiens wallerana)-Multi-color small blooms
with mild taste.
* Johnny-Jump-Up flowers--(Viola tricolor) Yellow, violet, and
lavender flowers with wintergreen flavor. Leaves are also edible and
contain vitamin C.
* Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)--Lavender blossoms have heavy
floral fragrance and lemon flavor.
* Marigolds flowers (Tagetes signata pumila)-Bright yellow and
orange flowers with citrus flavor.
* Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)-Purple flowers are edible as
well as leaves and seeds which are known for benefits to liver.
* Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus)--Red, yellow, and orange
flowers have a tangy, peppery flavor and are the most popular of all
edible flowers. Leaves can be eaten too.
* Pansies (Viola X Wittrockiana)-Purple, white, yellow
bi-color blooms have a sweet, tart flavor. Flowers
* Passionflowers - pictured (Passifloraceae - passion flower
family)--Passiflora caerulea and Passiflora edulis are two of the
hundreds of varieties. Some vines produce large greenish white and
purple blossoms and then orange or purple edible fruit, depending upon
the variety of the plant. *See website below with information and
photos of 200 Passionflower varieties.
* Roses (Rosa spp)-Some of the tastiest rose varieties are
Rosa xdamascena, Rosa gallica, and Rosa rugosa, Flower carpet rose,
Double Delight, Mirandy, and Tiffany variety. Roses have a slight
fruity flavor.
* Sage (Salvia officinalis)-Lavender-blue flower spikes grow
only on the culinary variety. The variegated species of sage do not
flower. Flowers have distinctive sage flavor.
* Other herb flowers-The tiny flowering blooms of the
following spices are edible: anise, basil, bee balm, chives, coriander
(cilantro), dill, fennel, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
* Sunflowers (Helianthus)--Many varieties but most have yellow
leaves around a "black eye" center. Mature flowers contain the seed
that all parrots find so irresistible!
* Tree flowers-Parrots can be offered the flowering blooms of
the following trees: Apple, bottlebrush, citrus (orange, lemon, lime,
grapefruit, kumquat), eucalyptus, melaleuca, and plum.
* Tulips (Tulipa spp.)-Multi-color flowers with crisp, cucumber taste.
* Vegetable flowers-Butterblossom squash flowers have slight
squash taste. Zucchini flowers, podded pea flowers (ornamental peas
are poisonous), okra, pumpkin, and runner bean flowers are edible.
* Violets (Viola odorata)-Deep violet and white color with
sweet wintergreen taste.
*HCO Admin Note: This list was posted from epicurean-hermit.com with explicit permission to do so. We do not claim to own this information or take credit for compiling it. We highly recommend browsing this forum and the articles, lists, etc for further information on hermit crab nutrition.