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psillymathhead
Untitled

Registered: 04/16/11
Posts: 140
Loc: InnerSpace
Last seen: 2 years, 7 months
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Who removes their cactus's needles?
#14307862 - 04/17/11 05:43 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I have a few cacti.. in particular some peruvian. Since I have moved my cats now have to live amongst my plants and the wife and I are mildly concerned about the threat of cactus needles. (one of my cats is particularly clumsy and has been stuck once or twice already).
Anyway... how many people remove their cactus needles and how have you done it? I was thinking just to nip them off with diagonal-wire-cutters or something.
Do I have to worry about this hurting the cactus at all?... or is there another reason I should not remove the needles?
Thanks! ~Gerald
-------------------- "Geometry is knowledge of the eternally existent." ~ Pythagoras
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cc2
Mush

Registered: 05/15/10
Posts: 2,611
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: psillymathhead]
#14307937 - 04/17/11 05:57 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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any cacti enthusiast will strongly discourage to mutilate your plant as such.
thorns aren't there to jump at your pets and stick them for pleasure, they exist for the sole purpose of protecting the plant. if you'll cut 'em be sure animals won't think twice to have a bite on your peruvianus.
if you REALLY have to remove them, you can cut them with a wire cutter, NOT twisting them at all so that you don't expose any inner tissue which may rot or open gates to plant diseases.
I want to point out that I added those last lines just to be sure that even if you endure in your deturpation quest, at least the cactus will survive.
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GoOnThen
Stranger


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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: cc2]
#14308306 - 04/17/11 07:12 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Animals will learn to keep away from cacti after the have been spiked a few times. I have plants that had their spines clipped when they where posted to me and and on some of them the spines have grown back.
Cheers Got
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ferrel_human
stone eater



Registered: 06/26/09
Posts: 16,361
Loc: Texas
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: GoOnThen]
#14308445 - 04/17/11 07:41 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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they are spines, not needles.
try a nail clipper to cut them off.
hope that helps.
-------------------- Nature is my church and walking through it is gospel. It tells no lies and reveals all to those who look, and listen, closely. -Karode
 Looking for Mimosa tenuiflora seeds. Buttons for trade
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EskimoRide
Illuminator



Registered: 03/12/11
Posts: 57
Loc: Texas
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: ferrel_human]
#14310692 - 04/18/11 07:25 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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keep the spines. your clumsy kitty will learn not to mess with plant.
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Spiderbaby
?



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Loc: Ireland
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: psillymathhead]
#14311560 - 04/18/11 11:49 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Just get rid of the kat, problem solved.
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psillymathhead
Untitled

Registered: 04/16/11
Posts: 140
Loc: InnerSpace
Last seen: 2 years, 7 months
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: Spiderbaby]
#14313125 - 04/18/11 04:18 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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lol, nah, love the cat. I have gotten spiked before too... it is a bitch to move a 3 foot cactus with serious spines!
OK OK, I think you have talked me out of it... thanks for the advice.
~Thanks! ~G
-------------------- "Geometry is knowledge of the eternally existent." ~ Pythagoras
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Brainiac
Rogue Scientist



Registered: 04/29/06
Posts: 13,259
Loc: 與您的女朋
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: psillymathhead]
#14313686 - 04/18/11 08:19 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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All that cat see's is an big letter box...I say keep it as is.No cat is going to take an shit in them...Now to find an way to keep toads out of them...
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Fair is Fair
Edited by Brainiac (04/21/11 01:46 PM)
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kadakuda
The Great"Green".......East



Registered: 05/21/04
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Loc: Asia
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: psillymathhead]
#14327442 - 04/21/11 12:08 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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lol. shroomery has lto of cat haters it seems.
if you need to, use good scissors or gardening sheers. i pull off spiens on graft stocks. if i am not lazy i use a knife to cut out hte areole, but that scars and stops any new possible growth from that point, not your goal. if i am lazy, i just rip them out with my fingers. they come out fairly easy and tend not to rip the skin like one might think. if i were you i would just get scissors and cut the central spines that stick out. those can be real hazards for eyes of pets and kids.
I agree, pets will learn. But i prefer them not to loose theier eyesight learning that lesson!
-------------------- The seeds you won't sow are the plants you dont grow.
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World Seed Supply
Seed Man


Registered: 11/12/09
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Loc: New York, USA
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: kadakuda]
#14327866 - 04/21/11 01:59 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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I personally think it ruins the aesthetics of the cactus, although we do do it for shipping purposes. But it will not harm the plant. In my experience, they usually will not grow back other than with the new growth.
What about putting the cactus outside for the warmer months (assuming the cat stays indoors)? Otherwise, you could even fence it off with chicken wire or something similar for when the cat is outside too. In the winter you can let the plant go dormant and keep it anywhere in your house the cat won't be. Cacti do not need to be near a window if they are dormant. A basement is fine.
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LC89
Shamn Intern


Registered: 08/21/10
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Cat lover here.
Just move your cactus away from where your cats need to use or hang out for fun. Your cat will stay away from it after being poke several time like human does. OR use a nail clipper
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GoOnThen
Stranger


Registered: 02/06/09
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Loc: Australia
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: LC89]
#14329441 - 04/21/11 07:11 PM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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My dog came racing into the house yesterday yelping and howling she had spines stuck in her mouth, feet and face.I was at work so my wife and a mate had to hold her down and pull them out.My dog is only 10 months old and this is the second time she has had a run in with my cacti.The mistake she made was taking on the nastiest cacti in my collection it is a small very spiny cacti that is made up of alot of small pups if the spines get caught on something it pulls the pup of and then you try and get the pup of the spines pull out of the pup. To top it of the spines seem to have tiny barb's on their tips. Hopefully the dog has learned it lesson this time.

Cheers Got
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turtle_hermit
Psychedelic Ranger



Registered: 06/03/10
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: GoOnThen]
#14331312 - 04/22/11 01:19 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Looks to be a chain fruit cholla (Opuntia fulgida). Nasty spines there but gotta teach those animals somehow.
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GoOnThen
Stranger


Registered: 02/06/09
Posts: 1,046
Loc: Australia
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: turtle_hermit]
#14331391 - 04/22/11 01:42 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks for the id turtle_hermit it one of those cacti that you save from someone killing or throwing it in the rubbish. When I dug it up I ended up with spines and pups stuck all over my gloves.
Cheers Got
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kadakuda
The Great"Green".......East



Registered: 05/21/04
Posts: 7,048
Loc: Asia
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Re: Who removes their cactus's needles? [Re: GoOnThen]
#14332039 - 04/22/11 07:22 AM (12 years, 10 months ago) |
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ya, many spines ar barbed somwhat. when yo poke yourslef and they break in side you you can pull them out without cutting away your skin, which hurts. i find the best way is to leave them and let teh area around the spine get a little infected (this is not huge or grose, its normal body response). by that time spine softens a bit and the flesh directly around the spine is also softer so the barbed parts slide right out. If i cant pull out spines right away or they break under the skin, i jsut say fuck it for 2-3 days and try again then. but it still hurts in teh meantime, somethign a pet probably wont understand and overcome like we can.
and the sad truth is, cats are smarter/more careful with dogs in these matters. I am a huge dog person, but they just let excitement rule them and go ape shit at times with little thought of what they may run into. Which is why i would not keep spiny cactus wher ei keep my pets...
go on then, i feel for your wife and dog. that must have been a struggle!!
-------------------- The seeds you won't sow are the plants you dont grow.
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