Branches

i would like to use some branches for toys in my male mouse's cage but i dont know what kind would be ok, is there a list of certain types of trees that are safe? how about maple?

Here is a list I got off epicurean-hermit.com which is a site that lists foods that are safe for hermit crabs. The list was created for birds, so I believe it is a very good list for all types of critters. Maples on there too! I doesn't list apple trees, I know they are good too, as is willow and popular. Pine is safe for our mice only after is has been kiln dried. Kiln drying removes the harmful oils.
Safe woods
Cholla wood
Cork bark
Cypress (swamp variety, taxodium species)
Grape vine
Madrona
Mangrove
Manzanita
Maple
Oak
Pear
Pecan
Sycamore

Unsafe Woods

Apricot
Bitter Almond
Boxwood
Cherry
Cherry Laurel
Eucalyptus
Evergreen of any kind (pine, cedar, redwood, etc.)
Hemlock
Laurel
Nectarine
Peach
Plum
Yew

nice find Pharfly! and thank you a bunch, though i thought cherry was ok for them, or any fruit tree for that matter.

You would think cherry is good, but a quick search and this came up
http://www.vet.purdue.edu/depts/addl/toxic/plant46.htm
It's wild cherry trees.
Another artical states that all types of cherry trees are toxic to horses. If a cherry tree leaves and bark can take down a 1500lb animal I would keep them far away from my 20g meeces.

I know apple and peach are good. I wouldn't give them citrus trees tho, I rember hearing they are as bad as the evergreens.

Edited to add:
Here is a neat way to identify trees, you'll have to wait for leaves first tho
http://www.oplin.org/tree/
After you identify the tree do a search of the trees name and the word Toxic. If it is toxic you'll get a few pages telling you about the toxicity and all that.

thanks for the article, very interesting. and thanks for the tree idendification page. it will defeninately come in handy!

Actions speak louder than words.

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