Stick Processing- Baking vs. Soaking in Bleach Solution

[Joleen]

I am ready to finally process a variety of maple branches into enclosure ready sticks. I have read that some people just scrub off any gunk leaving the bark intact without using any bleach solution or baking at 200 degrees for an hour or so...Others seem to soak overnight in a 7-10 % bleach solution. I plan to leave the bark intact but wondering what others have done with success?

 

[distortionz]

I just put them in the cage. Only time I've ever baked was if I saw termite trails on the wood.

 

[Chameleomom]

I am lucky. I have apple orchards near my house and when they trim the apple trees they give me all the branches I want

 

[medgecko]

I wish I had an apple orchard nearby ... great for smoking (grilling) after securing the best for Chamille.

 

[nick barta]

Never baked or bleached...

 

[Navymancdf]

I am lucky. I have apple orchards near my house and when they trim the apple trees they give me all the branches I want

So if you get branches from a apple tree you don't have to prep them? Starting to get stuff together to build a habitat so I'm completely new to this.

 

[Chameleomom]

Yes as I stated above I live near a big orchard and they give me branches any size pretty much I want when they trim the trees...I just wash them off with water and dry them

 

[Joleen]

Thanks for the input, I think since these are fresh branches that fell during wind storms and such I shall just measure, saw to appropriate lengths, scrub off any detritus and attach washers and bolts to ends to use with earth magnets in my enclosure project!

 

[Chameleomom]

Sounds like a plan to me

 

[jajeanpierre]

I am ready to finally process a variety of maple branches into enclosure ready sticks. I have read that some people just scrub off any gunk leaving the bark intact without using any bleach solution or baking at 200 degrees for an hour or so...Others seem to soak overnight in a 7-10 % bleach solution. I plan to leave the bark intact but wondering what others have done with success?

I just cut them and put them in. I don't even rinse them. I just put some lichen covered oak branches into a cage of one or two day-old gracilior babies. Didn't even rinse them. I don't use branches that have fallen on the ground and I don't use branches where birds roost or there is likely animal contamination.

 

[Joleen]

Thanks JaJean, I always appreciate advice from those with extensive experience!

 

[Carlton]

The prep I use depends mostly on the branches I find...if they are covered with lichens a cham might eat, I scrub them off. If they have bird poop, dirt, or sap on the bark I scrub them with hot water with a little bleach added, rinse well, and dry. I have never baked branches mostly because none would even remotely fit in an oven. Don't know why that suggestion ever came up. Scrubbing with bleach is probably more useful as a periodic cleaning (you know where chams wipe their butts don't you? )

 

[Carlton]

Yes as I stated above I live near a big orchard and they give me branches any size pretty much I want when they trim the trees...I just wash them off with water and dry them

Just curious....is this a commercial orchard? There's the possibility that they spray the trees with fungicides or other ag-related pest control chemicals. I would ask them what they use on the trees.

 

[Chameleomom]

No it's not a commercial orchard

 

[villanueva11]

I've done both the bake & the soak. I found if they are green branches- recently cut- they sometimes get sticky and almost to smooth for his sharp little nails to grip on to well when wet from misting. However, if they are already a bit dried out this is my preferred method. When I used the bleach water to soak they seemed to kind of hold on the the moisture and even after tons of fresh clean water I still felt like it was questionable. I do like to clean them with a little bleach/water when I clean his cage. Only wipe & rinse, no soak. I also have had problems with the bleached soaked branches getting small mildew spots on the ends. Not sure why that is but not a problem with baked. Its all a lot of work though & if other more experienced keepers have not done either & not had any problems, I'd follow their lead.

 

[Nursemaia]

I don't do any prep either. I use fresh branches that appear as clean as they can be for being outside and put them in. Chams live in trees and have immune systems, I think they're OK with the branches.

 

[CharlieCharmingo]

The only prep I do is rinsing them/soaking in hot water. If there appear to be any sap that seems hard to get off I just duck tape where I have cut them off at to keep him from licking any of it up.