# Cureing Wood for enclosure use



## Shorty (Jul 19, 2011)

so today i was out and about looking around for some arachnids or reptiles when i came across a piece of wood/bark that seemed perfect for a pokie or one of my arboreals. i thought it was time to finally utilize something i found outside rather than go out and buy something and it is especially tough when i am looking for wood/bark to fit in one my gallon enclosures. so any way how can i cure wood and make sure its safe to use for one of Ts. Thank you.


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## wesker12 (Jul 20, 2011)

oven! 450 degrees!


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## flamesbane (Jul 20, 2011)

Rinse it off and let it sit for a while, no need to sterilize if you found it in the woods. 

(Obviously if there is any chance of pesticide contamination you shouldn't use it.)


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## pavel (Jul 20, 2011)

flamesbane said:


> Rinse it off and let it sit for a while, no need to sterilize if you found it in the woods.


Don't know about that.  Personally, I prefer keeping uninvited organisms to a minimum just to be on the safe side.  Toward that ends, I would actually do what both posters have recommended -- first rinse then bake.  (Btw, if you decide to bake, do so for about an hour.)


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## flamesbane (Jul 20, 2011)

pavel said:


> Don't know about that.  Personally, I prefer keeping uninvited organisms to a minimum just to be on the safe side.  Toward that ends, I would actually do what both posters have recommended -- first rinse then bake.  (Btw, if you decide to bake, do so for about an hour.)


Such as? Establishing micro-fauna in a tank is a good thing.


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## pavel (Jul 20, 2011)

flamesbane said:


> Such as? Establishing micro-fauna in a tank is a good thing.



Not always.  You seem to be coming from the standpoint that the flora and fauna thus introduced will be strictly beneficial.  That is unlikely.  You have just as much chance of introducing detrimentals as you do beneficials.


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## wesker12 (Jul 20, 2011)

could be animals (other harmful arachnids - including scorpions) that could potentially kill you T.


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## flamesbane (Jul 20, 2011)

pavel said:


> Not always.  You seem to be coming from the standpoint that the flora and fauna thus introduced will be strictly beneficial.  That is unlikely.  You have just as much chance of introducing detrimentals as you do beneficials.


Such as? If you rinse it off you are getting rid of anything large and obviously hazardous, so what else is there? I am not saying it will all be beneficial, but you are suggesting that some micro-life indigenous to your area would cause harm to your tarantula, which is not. _That_ is unlikely. 




wesker12 said:


> could be animals (other harmful arachnids - including scorpions) that could potentially kill you T.


If you pick it up and rinse it off that isn't going to happen.

---------- Post added at 03:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:04 PM ----------

This might be helpful:




esotericman said:


> What mites?  It is not as if mites which have the feeding capabilities to feed on tarantulas are just hanging around.  You've stated exactly what I'm talking about, general paranoia about "mites" or "insert organism here".  Our animals have thick exoskeletons, and mites are quite specific as to what they'll feed on, furthermore, the suberin in cork or "bark" is hydrophobic.  To get any penetration you're going to have to add some serious surfactants or use a very long term water treatment to get all those scary mites.
> 
> This is a question of just thinking things through.  I have never boiled, microwaved, cooked, autoclaved or steamed substrate or plant material in 15 years, and I have had ectoparasitic mites ZERO times.  This is why I say it's completely foolish to waste the effort and make the mess.  I welcome anyone to cite anything factual regarding the need for "boiling" wood.
> 
> ...


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## moose35 (Jul 20, 2011)

i'm with flamesbane on this:


if i find stuff i like outside i just give it a good rinse in the tub. 
then in the enclosure it goes.
never had a problem.

i think you guys sometimes forget your keeping "BUGS" as pets.


moose


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## wesker12 (Jul 20, 2011)

i concur from now on ill rinse in a tub


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## Shorty (Jul 20, 2011)

ok thanx guys this is what i did, i put in hot water to soak for a while, after that i baked it at 350 for 10 minutes then repeted the process just to be safe. seems pretty good.=)


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## Wadew (Jul 20, 2011)

pavel said:


> Not always.  You seem to be coming from the standpoint that the flora and fauna thus introduced will be strictly beneficial.  That is unlikely.  You have just as much chance of introducing detrimentals as you do beneficials.[/
> 
> Who sterilizes the tree that the spider lives in in the woods ? It amazes me that this topic always entertains such a response. If there was that many detrimental organisms out there I do not think we would have gotten this far as to even have spiders to consider studying. Please do not take my doubt personally, I usually avoid this topic. It seems the "coconut choir"
> (or peat moss) people far outweigh the natural substrate and fauna fans!
> ...


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## pavel (Jul 20, 2011)

flamesbane said:


> Such as? If you rinse it off you are getting rid of anything large and obviously hazardous, so what else is there? I am not saying it will all be beneficial, but you are suggesting that some micro-life indigenous to your area would cause harm to your tarantula, which is not. _That_ is unlikely.


A rinse will not necessarily remove eggs or spores or bacteria or viruses that could harm the T.  Will the T necessarily suffer if the substrate is not sterilized?  Of course not.  But to blithely assume that it can't or won't be is illogical and short sighted.  There are pathogens which do cause diseases and not just in vertebrates.  And though it may be "unlikely" it is still an actual _possiblility_.  And if one is concerned enough to rinse the item off because you want to remove the "obviously hazardous" items/lifeforms (even as you rinse off any "obvious" beneficials), then you may as well take the one extra, easy step and eliminate not so obvious hazardous things.




flamesbane said:


> If you pick it up and rinse it off that isn't going to happen.
> 
> This might be helpful:
> 
> ...




And esotericman is entirely entitled to his opinion. The fact that he has had no issues -- kudos to him.  Nor am I dismissing his point.  I never said that T illness due to foreign organism is a common occurance.  But to assume that nonnative pathogens cannot affect a T is foolish.  Organisms becoming ill or dying from exposure to foreign organisms is hardly make believe.  

The OP's question was with regards to making the items safer for the T.  I addressed that.  And since esotericman mentioned "boiling wood", no that would not be adequate and as such would be a waste of time.  Steam and/or high heat is another matter.   



Wadew said:


> pavel said:
> 
> 
> > Not always.  You seem to be coming from the standpoint that the flora and fauna thus introduced will be strictly beneficial.  That is unlikely.  You have just as much chance of introducing detrimentals as you do beneficials.[/
> ...


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## *Self_DeFenCe* (Jul 21, 2011)

I do agree with flamesbane on this. People don't realize everything you have comes from nature and these 'unwanted' bugs are there as well.
The only thing is, if you have a planted tank with tropical plants, those small bugs could feed on your plants and ruin your hard earned money.
As Pavel said, it all comes down to each their own. Just like the sand substrat debat


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## Heckboy (Jul 26, 2011)

I collect driftwood off a beach at my work for possible enclosure/other cosmetic use. I just give it a good soaking and scrubbing in hot water, followed by a couple of minutes in the microwave. Then another quick hot water rinse/scrub and let it sit and dry for a couple of days. Figure that should pretty much kill mostly anything bad that might be on there.


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## Austin (Jul 28, 2011)

+1 to Pavel,
Took the words out of my mouth.


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