do herbs harm snakes?

[Gaius Iulius Tabernarius]

So I set up a terrarium a while back, which hosts two ribbon snakes, and 4 brown snakes, (its rather large) and they've all been eating and exhibiting what I assume is normal snake behavior. spending the majority of their time either in their wooden hides or under the sphagnum moss I use for substrait, only leaving to eat (my ribbons eat cut up tilapia, and my browns eat dew worms.) and drink.

the smell was starting to get pretty bad and as the flowers I had in there died on me. I replaced them with aromatic herbs, rosemary and lavender. that was Saturday and they haven't taken food or left their hides since. It could just be stress due to having been handled and put aside in a smaller tank while I was doing the work on their home, and its subsequent visual change, but I'm worried they might not like the smell of the plants I added as much as I do. I looked it up and both are listed as safe for reptiles, but I doubt those articles were intended for garter snakes and closely related species like my ribbons, or my dekays. Kind of annoying how biased herp articles are toward bearded dragons and dart frogs... personally I don't get the appeal of either.

[guidofatherof5]

Pull the herbs and see if things improve.

[MNGuy]

I don't know for sure, but as an avid gardener, I'd say there's a possibility the herbs are the cause. Yank them and use the old standbys: ferns, ivy, pothos, etc.

Herbs have strong smells and oils. I don't even like being surrounded by them for too long.

Good luck.

[Gaius Iulius Tabernarius]

Ok I transplanted the herbs to a new pot and replaced them with an ivy and a generic flower this morning and my snakes are already poking out of their hides and sniffing around. So I think that did it. Kind of wish it was easier to find this kind of information, I guess that's the curse of owning unpopular pets. Going to try feeding them again tomorrow. should be hungry given that its been about a week. Though I feed them pretty often so I don't think they are too bad off, I've only had them for a few months and I have an entire box of sheds.

This is fine anyway, since the herbs are still next to the tank and covering up the smell, (for me) but being outside the snakes can't smell them as easily.

[Jeff B]

I would think outside wouldn't matter much but in an enclosed tank inside it could be very irritating to the garters. Make some pasta and everyones happy

[Zdravko092368]

If the tank was smelling I suggest getting some cleanup crew(since with plants sounds like you have dirt substrate). Morio beetles, springtails, mealworms and powder blue isopods will keep that tank from smelling at all.

[Gaius Iulius Tabernarius]

If the tank was smelling I suggest getting some cleanup crew(since with plants sounds like you have dirt substrate). Morio beetles, springtails, mealworms and powder blue isopods will keep that tank from smelling at all.

I have tried, first 3 times they died in the mail, the one I got last week at least had living springtails, but since adding it to the tank I haven't noticed them, or the isopods that came with them. I think they died on me again.