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Cedar




I've been surprised to read that at least one respected member has used
cedar without any apparent ill effects. The effects of cedar shavings and
dust on humans and rodents is quite clear and well-documented:  Cedar (and
Western Red Cedar is the worst culprit) emits phenols which are
potentially fatal to rodents, and potentially cause a variety of
respiratory problems for humans too.  BTW, for all rodent-keepers out
there, please do not use cedar shavings as pet bedding!  Plicatic acid has
been targeted as the culprit, and yes, Thuja occidentalis emits it too,
though apparently less than the Western Red Cedar.  In general, coniferous
evergreens are best avoided for rodents. So, what does this mean for
animals living in aqueous solution, in a (semi)closed system w/ a lot
 of other chemical interactions taking place?  I don't know, but I thought
perhaps knowing exactly which chemicals we may be dealing with might prove
useful to the discussion.  Interesting stuff,

			Andrew




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