Wood from outside

[ericthornhill]

This may be a stupid question, but im simply just being cautious....How safe is it to simply take wood from outdoors, let it air dry and use it in your chameleons cage? After being to the pets stores, and noticing that a simple piece of drift wood was $24, I started to wonder why I couldn't just go get a piece of wood from the woods behind my house. Any advise?

 

[shadowcon39]

you can do it, all you need to do is wash it in a bleach and water mix, then rinse it then you let it dry, after all that is said and done you need to bake the branches at I think 250F, I'm not exactly sure but I think its 250.

 

[mc9423]

you can do it, all you need to do is wash it in a bleach and water mix, then rinse it then you let it dry, after all that is said and done you need to bake the branches at I think 250F, I'm not exactly sure but I think its 250.

Actually, you can do either of those - you don't *have* to do both. I prefer baking at 450, though.

 

[iLik3LIzards]

Actually, you can do either of those - you don't *have* to do both. I prefer baking at 450, though.

for 30 minutes

 

[toddmkeller]

Go find a large lake, ocean, or river near you and find some driftwood! Its free... I just use soapy water in a spray bottle and a scrubber and then I put it in my cages.

See ya,

Todd

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I don't bake wash or bleach.
Just bring it home and stick it in the cage.
No problems.
I would love to hear if someone has ever had an issue with this practice that actually endangered their chameleon. I doubt it very much.

-Brad

 

[mc9423]

I don't bake wash or bleach.
Just bring it home and stick it in the cage.
No problems.
I would love to hear if someone has ever had an issue with this practice that actually endangered their chameleon. I doubt it very much.

-Brad

I'm more worried about the bugs that may or may not be living inside the wood than the animal getting sick from a tree branch

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I'm more worried about the bugs that may or may not be living inside the wood than the animal getting sick from a tree branch

Bugs and other micro fauna are great things to introduce to the chameleon enclosure ... unless, of course, you keep one of those sterile, cleaned with bleach once a week, plant in a pot, paper towel substrate enclosures.

-Brad

 

[mc9423]

Bugs and other micro fauna are great things to introduce to the chameleon enclosure ... unless, of course, you keep one of those sterile, cleaned with bleach once a week, plant in a pot, paper towel substrate enclosures.

-Brad

Yeah, but I have enough trouble with the two dubia that have escaped in my room the past couple of weeks x.X

(How about one that's cleaned with a paper towel wipe down and spot cleaned once a day, no substrate and plant in a nice $10 pot bought to fit the decor? )

 

[Elizadolots]

I'd probably rinse it off, just because there is probably stuff I'm allergic to on it...but yeah, don't they live in trees? Why is "tree limb" dangerous to them?

 

[VeiledOwner87]

leaves and small twigs soak it for 30 minutes and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, for bigger things, you could soak it in a tub of water and a little bit of bleach, scrub and air dry. but with bleach you must re-rinse it a good 2-3 times. the simplest way is to look at the wood. check for dark dead spots in the core, either cut it off or roast it over a fire lol. or you can just simply let it soak in a hot hot hot bath of water for an hour or so and then let it air dry or wipe it off and stick it in your tank. drift wood, to me, would be the best bet, as well as the safest and nicest looking way to decor. micro organisms could still be alive on it, but there are a lot of "good" micro organsims, still dont take a chance and simply just let it soak in hot hot water.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

leaves and small twigs soak it for 30 minutes and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, for bigger things, you could soak it in a tub of water and a little bit of bleach, scrub and air dry. but with bleach you must re-rinse it a good 2-3 times. the simplest way is to look at the wood. check for dark dead spots in the core, either cut it off or roast it over a fire lol. or you can just simply let it soak in a hot hot hot bath of water for an hour or so and then let it air dry or wipe it off and stick it in your tank. drift wood, to me, would be the best bet, as well as the safest and nicest looking way to decor. micro organisms could still be alive on it, but there are a lot of "good" micro organsims, still dont take a chance and simply just let it soak in hot hot water.

Sounds like a lot of trouble.

-Brad

 

[VeiledOwner87]

its stupid silly the process some of these things take. but again, its all about a good look over to see for rott first of all. you can go to any extreme you want. bleach would be the overall biggest pain lol.

 

[Elizadolots]

I will say that while I don't think these processes are required, I don't think they are harmful so, if it makes someone feel better to bake their sticks....then have at it! We all like to feel better about ourselves.

 

[draetish]

I'm like Brad and when I see a branch I want, I put it in the cage. However, if it is an old rotten branch, then yeah, it could have parasites in it so why use it. I use fresh cut branches so I don't worry about loose bark, infestation or any other issue.

 

[VeiledOwner87]

I'm like Brad and when I see a branch I want, I put it in the cage. However, if it is an old rotten branch, then yeah, it could have parasites in it so why use it. I use fresh cut branches so I don't worry about loose bark, infestation or any other issue.

you still want to at least soak it first though and kill any micros foreign to them, as well as erase any traces of say old bird fecal matter and waste from insects. we are all so eager when we see something sweet, but we still have to take AT LEAST 15 minutes before we throw it in there lol

 

[ericthornhill]

Alright, thanks everyone, a lot of really good advise

 

[Brad Ramsey]

you still want to at least soak it first though and kill any micros foreign to them, as well as erase any traces of say old bird fecal matter and waste from insects. we are all so eager when we see something sweet, but we still have to take AT LEAST 15 minutes before we throw it in there lol

I disagree.

-Brad

 

[zwhitman]

I would love to hear from a single person who has ever had a branch from outdoors harm their pet in ANY way. Now lets see how many people have ever poisoned their pet with bleach... hmm... seen that happen more than once!

I have done this my whole life and the most I ever do is a quick rinse if something is obviously dirty. I also wouldn't use rotten wood. Never had a problem. Believe it or not a chameleons immune system is evolved to handle things like bird crap and bugs!!!

If you will sleep better at night after baking something than by all means go ahead. But your chams don't need it. And bleach absolutely can be harmful, so use your head.

 

[zwhitman]

Oh and before someone comes back at me with the "foreign microbe" stuff...

Lets get something straight. A healthy chameleons immune system is amazing. It has to be. Why? Because you have taken them around the world, put them in a house with about a million foreign chemicals, introduced all of your human germs, add in the cooties that your dog/cat/chupacabra/smelly cousin brings into the picture, and just to top things off, lets make sure we bring in a few other reptile pets, preferably ones from different continents into the same room as well! hahaha. But don't put that stick in there till you clean it.