Treating wood for terrarium

[broderp]

So I have some wood. I have some wood from the yard, wood from the crafts store and wood from the pet store.

I assume that the pet store wood (drift wood or cork wood) is already Cham safe. The craft store wood I'm not sure. It's basically 3 long sticks ranging from about 1/2" to 3/4 in diameter. The wood from the yard is larger, but would definitely need to be made Cham safe.

What is the acceptable way to make sourced wood Cham safe? Is the bark acceptable?

• Bake the wood? (how long, what temp) ~ will I burn my house down?
• Wash the wood? With what? Bleach? ~ will I fade it?
• Something else?

I also have some FC10 veterinary sanitizer.

I'm building this weekend, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[RcManChild]

My suggestion although I have not done it, would be too...

Soak wood in vinegar - killing everything, however since you would then have to soak in water and allow to dry multiple times while it would work I would not use.

Simplistic solution would be to simply boil the wood and allow to dry in a clean environment... This would kill just about all the bacteria and you would not have to worry of any chemicals... ofcourse the wood you boil would have to completely dead with no sap.

 

[Joseph 1233]

So I have some wood. I have some wood from the yard, wood from the crafts store and wood from the pet store.

I assume that the pet store wood (drift wood or cork wood) is already Cham safe. The craft store wood I'm not sure. It's basically 3 long sticks ranging from about 1/2" to 3/4 in diameter. The wood from the yard is larger, but would definitely need to be made Cham safe.

What is the acceptable way to make sourced wood Cham safe? Is the bark acceptable?

• Bake the wood? (how long, what temp) ~ will I burn my house down?
• Wash the wood? With what? Bleach? ~ will I fade it?
• Something else?

I also have some FC10 veterinary sanitizer.

I'm building this weekend, so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bark is bad it will flake off possibly getting in there eyes or causing impaction if eaten i would put the wood in a bath tub or sink and poor boiling water on it.

 

[Virgil1972]

Bark is fine. If the bark is peeling off just rip those pieces off. Wood without bark can be slippery.

 

[JamesB88]

I just rinse my outside branches with soap water and place in cage, I've never had any issues. Imho bleach and baking is overkill but if u feel the need better safe than sorry.

 

[Virgil1972]

I never did anything to my branches at all. I just cut them off the tree and in they went.

 

[broderp]

Bark is bad it will flake off possibly getting in there eyes or causing impaction if eaten i would put the wood in a bath tub or sink and poor boiling water on it.

Bark is fine. If the bark is peeling off just rip those pieces off. Wood without bark can be slippery.

Interesting and conflicting points of view. This is why forums are great and why they can lead to more questions or confusion sometimes.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the placement of wood in the oven yet. Maybe someone can chime in on that. I need something that's safe and quick. This is why I bought three large sticks from a Hobby Store. They appear to have been treated and cleaned, but still have some bark. When I say treated, I don't mean chemicals although I cant be sure. They appear very "sterile".

They are 48" Birch branches with some light bark:


I can't believe I paid $15 for 3 sticks. I'd go outside, but the weather has been crappy and the only trees branches I find are what has fallen from dead trees. Not sure I want to use them in my terrarium.... By the time I get home from work, its late and I really don't feel like bringing out the ladder to try and cut down tree branches in the rain/ snow while it's dark outside.

 

[broderp]

I just rinse my outside branches with soap water and place in cage, I've never had any issues. Imho bleach and baking is overkill but if u feel the need better safe than sorry.

I never did anything to my branches at all. I just cut them off the tree and in they went.

No concern for any bugs, larva or other plant diseases?

 

[Virgil1972]

No concern for any bugs, larva or other plant diseases?

I look it over for holes in the wood but I don't really have and concern.

 

[Joseph 1233]

Interesting and conflicting points of view. This is why forums are great and why they can lead to more questions or confusion sometimes.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the placement of wood in the oven yet. Maybe someone can chime in on that. I need something that's safe and quick. This is why I bought three large sticks from a Hobby Store. They appear to have been treated and cleaned, but still have some bark. When I say treated, I don't mean chemicals although I cant be sure. They appear very "sterile".

They are 48" Birch branches with some light bark:


I can't believe I paid $15 for 3 sticks. I'd go outside, but the weather has been crappy and the only trees branches I find are what has fallen from dead trees. Not sure I want to use them in my terrarium.... By the time I get home from work, its late and I really don't feel like bringing out the ladder to try and cut down tree branches in the rain/ snow while it's dark outside.

I guess if you want you can

Interesting and conflicting points of view. This is why forums are great and why they can lead to more questions or confusion sometimes.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the placement of wood in the oven yet. Maybe someone can chime in on that. I need something that's safe and quick. This is why I bought three large sticks from a Hobby Store. They appear to have been treated and cleaned, but still have some bark. When I say treated, I don't mean chemicals although I cant be sure. They appear very "sterile".

They are 48" Birch branches with some light bark:


I can't believe I paid $15 for 3 sticks. I'd go outside, but the weather has been crappy and the only trees branches I find are what has fallen from dead trees. Not sure I want to use them in my terrarium.... By the time I get home from work, its late and I really don't feel like bringing out the ladder to try and cut down tree branches in the rain/ snow while it's dark outside.

Im just saying this because i constantly hear of chams with eye problems and i noticed both of mine will rub there eyes while shedding on branches and bark can get in there eyes im sure if you sanded the wood or just bought simple peices of wood like this for 1 or 2 $ each they wont slip

 

[JamesB88]

No concern for any bugs, larva or other plant diseases?

I've never had an issue and there's others on the forum that do the same as me so it's all based on how you want to do things, I never said rinsing was the only way to clean branches

 

[JamesB88]

Interesting and conflicting points of view. This is why forums are great and why they can lead to more questions or confusion sometimes.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the placement of wood in the oven yet. Maybe someone can chime in on that. I need something that's safe and quick. This is why I bought three large sticks from a Hobby Store. They appear to have been treated and cleaned, but still have some bark. When I say treated, I don't mean chemicals although I cant be sure. They appear very "sterile".

They are 48" Birch branches with some light bark:


I can't believe I paid $15 for 3 sticks. I'd go outside, but the weather has been crappy and the only trees branches I find are what has fallen from dead trees. Not sure I want to use them in my terrarium.... By the time I get home from work, its late and I really don't feel like bringing out the ladder to try and cut down tree branches in the rain/ snow while it's dark outside.

Flashlight and some motivation! I get it tho I live in Michigan and it's crap weather here right now too...it's discouraging to find branches after a long day at work while dark. Try and find a friend with a wooded backyard then you don't have to worry about looking suspicious at night cutting branches lol.

 

[broderp]

Well, it was still light and so I went out side. I realized as soon as I did that I had pruned the trees late last year, so any viable branches are up over 15 feet......So I walked back in side. So much for motivation.