Where do you find your branches?

[ava]

I want to use branches in my Degu cage and have looked at the list of safe woods. Unfortunately the only wood we have in the garden is Beech which isn't listed. I was wondering where people get their branches if not in their garden. I don't think I can go onto land owned by people - farm land, national trust, parks etc - and take branches from their trees, and I don't think there's much land that ISN'T owned by someone somewhere, so what does everyone else do?

Thanks for any replies

[Kat]

Hi,
Im not sure when tree pruning time is...but I would recommend asking on your local freecycle/fregle. Also have a look and see if there are any local for sale groups on facebook.

Its always worth asking around I'm sure that something will come up.

My mum cut down her apple tree so I ended up with quite a lot. The person who lives behind me has 2 large apple trees in dire need of trimming. I keep finding myself looking longingly at them. I need to get a grip. Ha

Kat
x

[NightwishRaven999]

Sept 7, 2011 21:40:41 GMT ava said:

I want to use branches in my Degu cage and have looked at the list of safe woods. Unfortunately the only wood we have in the garden is Beech which isn't listed. I was wondering where people get their branches if not in their garden. I don't think I can go onto land owned by people - farm land, national trust, parks etc - and take branches from their trees, and I don't think there's much land that ISN'T owned by someone somewhere, so what does everyone else do?

This is a question that comes up often.
I am afraid it is hard to point someone in the right direction unless you live near this person and know of a good place to collect wood.

I will collect wood whenever I venture into the countryside.
I have family living in a city up north who own a very large piece of land. Birch trees, Raspeberry and Blueberry bushes grow in abundance, so I use this opportunity to collect as much wood logs/branches/twigs as I can.

In the area where I live, there are many large forest parks.
When I hike or take walks through the woods, I look for branches and logs that are on the ground.
Trees are regularly cut to create cycling/hiking paths, so I pick up logs and branches that have been recently cut.



One option you have is to shop for branches in pet shops.
Look in the reptile/arachnid or aquarium section of the shops.
You will usually find large branches of Manzanita and Mopani wood for sale.

[fred]

You can use beech branches. There will be an up to date and extended safe woods list shortly. davx has a list of safe woods on his German degu information site and we want to update this, adding some trees of interest to our North American friends, and translate it into English.

Beech has had a strange history in the German degu community. There was one report which claimed that a group of degus that had been killed overnight by eating A LOT of beech leaves but that was never verified. In contrast I, have seen several reports by people (including davx) who have given their degus beech branches with leaves without any problems.

If you want to to be extremely cautious, you can for now remove the leaves, but you can definitely use the branches in your cage. Why vandalise your neighbour's garden when you can do it to your own

[molly]

There's never any harm in asking landowners, if you feel strange about just taking wood from private land and you can get in touch with the right person! There are probably lots of farmers who sell firewood as well, it would just be a case of checking what sort of wood they are selling!

[ava]

Ok, thanks for all the advice everyone! I think I'll try the Beech branches and just take all the leaves off.

[davx]

ava
Which tree and shrub species are growing in your garden? Perhaps there are more species suitable for your degus.

[ava]

Just a Beech tree which grows over our's from next door, unfortunately.