Project: Browse

Materials

Browse:

Willow (salix spp.)
cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
pear (Pyrus communis)
silk-tree (Albizia julbrissin)
sugar berry (Celtis laevigata)
banana (Musa spp.)
sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
mulberry (Morus rubra)

Instructions

These items may be offered seasonally. These items may be considered for species other than bats, for frugivores as well as folivores, for visual and/or olfactory stimulation, for nesting and hiding. Almost any enclosed animal would be interested in browse. Remember, even just tearing up the browse is enrichment! Hippos enjoy branches (poplar or willow) hung 3-4 feet above their pool (6 ft. deep).

Cautions

Be sure to have any proposed items cleared by the curator and the vet, as well as checked for contaminants (hardware, insecticide, toxic vines, fungus). Sometimes bugs can be a plus.

Species this can work for

Old World fruit bats (original materials list)
cats
bears
lemurs
monkeys
mountain lions
psittacines
primates
raccoons
hippos
everyone

-- This information comes from The Lubee Foundation, Inc. Hippo example from Laurie McGivern, Dallas Zoo (ldmcg@aol.com). Other species suggestions from DBS.

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Last update 28-Jul-1999 by DBS.