# Pine bark mulch -fir bark mulch, same thing isnt it??



## Rangerswild (Oct 27, 2008)

I have been spending hours day after day checking all the posts . Have seen a number of posts about the subject of Pine , pine bark multch and fir bark mulch ............ still not satisfied with the answers for sure . Some say no way to pine bark mulch, where some say fir bark mulch is OK .........where I'm from we consider pine a fir tree , that should make the two the same bark mulch wise) , right ????
. I understand that fresh pine is not the way to go (sap, pine smell and such) . But many say pine bark mulch itself is OK . Bought a big bag full the other day at Lowe's , looks good , smells like fresh dirt, not pine smell ...... seems OK in my book ........So what's the final verdict???????

Have a bag of peat, spagnum, coco fiber , and some bentonite( gray , clean , dry clay- almost like flour in consistancy) but with the size of the viv I want to use a good amount of the pine bark mulch let's hear it ......

Skip (rangerswild)


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## kawickstrom (Oct 3, 2008)

As for as I know it's the aromatics in the pine that causes problems with reptiles and amphibians. I had a kingsnake die from being on pine. I figured since he was from the forests of California that it would be fine but I was wrong. Fir bark on the otherhand doesn't contain any aromatics. And even though you can't smell it doesn't mean that once you soak it down from misting that some of those chemicals from the pine won't leech out where they can be absorbed through the frogs skim. If I were you I wouldn't even risk it.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I use fir mulch as part of substrate in my viv mix to increase drainage ability. I also have kept blue tongued skinks on a substrate of cocofiber, fir mulch, and sand.


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## pl259 (Feb 27, 2006)

I've not used pine bark mulch, for the reasons stated. I've used cypress mulch which has worked very well. It's a little harder to find but just as cheap. Stay away from the "milled" stuff as it has smaller particles that can stick to a frog's skin. The larger stuff drains better, and cypress also resists rotting.


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## andrew__ (Sep 23, 2007)

Rangerswild said:


> where I'm from we consider pine a fir tree , that should make the two the same bark mulch wise) , right ????


Well, not really  They're in the same family as pines (Pinaceae), along with cedars, larch, hemlock & spruce but pines are in the genus Pinus whereas Firs are in the genus Abies.

Working with all of the above species, pines _by far_ have the most sap which to me strongly supports the above comments.


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