The dried leaf market is thriving

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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I'm attempting to keep HORSESHOE CRAB ROACHES to feed to my growing Chameleon collection.
They require OAK and MAPLE leaf litter.
Florida does have Live Oak. But gathering up a clean bunch of them seemed unfeasible since those areas also contain many other types of vegetation.
So I ordered some Oak leaves on Amazon. It showed a nice, professional package. I was expecting something a little better than what I could provide for myself. But instead I got this for $20.
An actual ZIPLOCK bag filled with Oak leaves, twigs and insects with many of the leaves appearing to have some type of fungus spots on them.
Someone actually just went out into their yard and grabbed a few fistfuls of leaves off of their lawn. And then sold them to me.
I'm not sure what I was expecting. But not this.
I feel like a moron.20210210_182506.jpg
 

Jan A

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I'm attempting to keep HORSESHOE CRAB ROACHES to feed to my growing Chameleon collection.
They require OAK and MAPLE leaf litter.
Florida does have Live Oak. But gathering up a clean bunch of them seemed unfeasible since those areas also contain many other types of vegetation.
So I ordered some Oak leaves on Amazon. It showed a nice, professional package. I was expecting something a little better than what I could provide for myself. But instead I got this for $20.
An actual ZIPLOCK bag filled with Oak leaves, twigs and insects with many of the leaves appearing to have some type of fungus spots on them.
Someone actually just went out into their yard and grabbed a few fistfuls of leaves off of their lawn. And then sold them to me.
I'm not sure what I was expecting. But not this.
I feel like a moron.View attachment 318381
When I think about all the leaves I played in during the fall as a kid, I could have been a rich one if I had just applied myself all those years ago. My husband rakes about 9 or 10 60 gallon size sacks up in the spring & another 9 or 10 in the fall. This could become the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Zeropilot. We love road trips!!
 

turtlesteve

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I have seen these online and in reptile shows. I assume everyone is picking them out of their yards. What else would you possibly do?

At first I was flabbergasted they sell at all, and assumed it must be people in places like AZ buying them, where the nearest source was hundreds of miles away. But no joke, I’ve seen someone selling bags of magnolia leaves in South Carolina. On the plus side, I did tell my 6 year olds, so maybe they will start selling organic, locally sourced leaves next year.

So what is it that you actually needed them to be? Perhaps cooked or sterilized? Free of broken leaves and twigs? Asking for a friend ;)
 

KarenSoCal

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I never knew you could order leaves! It would never have occurred to me!

I don't see a reason for you to feel like a moron. You ordered leaves, and you got leaves. If I had ever thought to order them, I'd expect about what you got. The packaging isn't pretty, and you got some protein thrown in, but how else would they be?

Is that a gallon sized bag? Is it stuffed full? I do think you should have gotten more leaves for $20.
 

Maro2Bear

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ZenHerper

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People buy (and sell) leaves for a variety of purposes...hermit crab, isopod, & millipede owners, for example, would be fine (or even happy) with twigs, sand, and fungus. lol Some sellers make a distinction between "leaves" and "leaf litter". Added bugs? Not so much. [Shipping insects across state lines is legally problematic, to say the least.]

Washed-and-dried usually costs more. I'm guessing most keepers process (re-process) to their own specifications anyway. Some sellers advertise that their packed leaf bags have been frozen for some period of time.

Across any of the online mall platforms, you can contact sellers to discuss what their "standard" offering is like, and if they are willing to accommodate any modifications or conditions (no sand, no twigs, NO BUGS, etc.) before purchasing.

If what you received is significantly different from the photos and description, you do of course have the ability to start a not-as-represented claim with Amazon (they do favor contacting the seller first) or leave a detailed review of what other buyers can expect.

$20 seems on the upper end...was the shipping included?
 

Tom

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I'm attempting to keep HORSESHOE CRAB ROACHES to feed to my growing Chameleon collection.
They require OAK and MAPLE leaf litter.
Florida does have Live Oak. But gathering up a clean bunch of them seemed unfeasible since those areas also contain many other types of vegetation.
So I ordered some Oak leaves on Amazon. It showed a nice, professional package. I was expecting something a little better than what I could provide for myself. But instead I got this for $20.
An actual ZIPLOCK bag filled with Oak leaves, twigs and insects with many of the leaves appearing to have some type of fungus spots on them.
Someone actually just went out into their yard and grabbed a few fistfuls of leaves off of their lawn. And then sold them to me.
I'm not sure what I was expecting. But not this.
I feel like a moron.View attachment 318381
Those don't look like oak leaves to me.

We have tons of oaks around me. Mostly scrub oak, but the ground is littered with their dried up leaves. I collected my own and froze them for a couple few weeks. I used to also put in mulberry leaves and loads of other stuff too. I don't know if it really makes any difference. Didn't seem to.
 

Yossarian

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I thought this was gonna be about something else. . .

but seriously did you actually get any oak leaves in that bag?
 

Tom

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I thought this was gonna be about something else. . .

but seriously did you actually get any oak leaves in that bag?
Me too! I though it was going to be about Will's tortoise food offerings and what an amazing way they to enrich our tortoise's diets they are!
 

ZenHerper

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The Live Oak, despite being called an evergreen (it ain't - new leaves just grow back right away after the old ones fall) is a true oak. There are several varieties...the leaf appearance can change from juvenile to mature trees.

Southern variety:

California:
 

ZEROPILOT

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I have seen these online and in reptile shows. I assume everyone is picking them out of their yards. What else would you possibly do?

At first I was flabbergasted they sell at all, and assumed it must be people in places like AZ buying them, where the nearest source was hundreds of miles away. But no joke, I’ve seen someone selling bags of magnolia leaves in South Carolina. On the plus side, I did tell my 6 year olds, so maybe they will start selling organic, locally sourced leaves next year.

So what is it that you actually needed them to be? Perhaps cooked or sterilized? Free of broken leaves and twigs? Asking for a friend ;)
Sorted to contain just leaves. Leaves without mold growing on them. Something a bit more professional.
The Amazon posting showed a nice looking photo of a clear, vacuum sealed bag with a screen printed logo.....
I left a 4 out of 5 star review.
Because I WAS sent a bag of Oak leaves. And that's what I paid for.
I just find this to be pretty funny.
Because I could've literally gotten the same thing for free at any local park.
 
Last edited:

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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People buy (and sell) leaves for a variety of purposes...hermit crab, isopod, & millipede owners, for example, would be fine (or even happy) with twigs, sand, and fungus. lol Some sellers make a distinction between "leaves" and "leaf litter". Added bugs? Not so much. [Shipping insects across state lines is legally problematic, to say the least.]

Washed-and-dried usually costs more. I'm guessing most keepers process (re-process) to their own specifications anyway. Some sellers advertise that their packed leaf bags have been frozen for some period of time.

Across any of the online mall platforms, you can contact sellers to discuss what their "standard" offering is like, and if they are willing to accommodate any modifications or conditions (no sand, no twigs, NO BUGS, etc.) before purchasing.

If what you received is significantly different from the photos and description, you do of course have the ability to start a not-as-represented claim with Amazon (they do favor contacting the seller first) or leave a detailed review of what other buyers can expect.

$20 seems on the upper end...was the shipping included?
No
Shipping was extra.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Those don't look like oak leaves to me.

We have tons of oaks around me. Mostly scrub oak, but the ground is littered with their dried up leaves. I collected my own and froze them for a couple few weeks. I used to also put in mulberry leaves and loads of other stuff too. I don't know if it really makes any difference. Didn't seem to.
I'm going to load up on Oak and Maple leaves the next time I'm up in Georgia
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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When I think about all the leaves I played in during the fall as a kid, I could have been a rich one if I had just applied myself all those years ago. My husband rakes about 9 or 10 60 gallon size sacks up in the spring & another 9 or 10 in the fall. This could become the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Zeropilot. We love road trips!!
Me too.
That's why I thought that this was so amusing.
Who knew that a nuisance item could turn a profit.
I'm not at all angry.
Just amused
 
Last edited:

ZenHerper

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No
Shipping was extra.

*gives USPS side eye for raising prices three times in 12 months*

Boil them off a few minutes, let stand until cool. Remove leaves to dry. Then you have a lovely pan of cedar water for any acid-loving plants around the ZP property!
 

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