baking wood causing fungus?

hassman789

Arachnobaron
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Dec 2, 2009
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I have been using a peice of wood from outside since winter with no problems with it at all. I had booklice in my enclosure though so I took everything out and baked that piece of wood. Since then I have noticed some sort of mold/fungus on it. There is little green specs that form into loose clusters on some areas of the wood and alittle onto the substrate. I baked the wood at 350 for 10 minutes, and at the 5 minute mark put it up to 400 (oven takes a long tme so it never got to it completley). Could this have made these little things start? I keep the evnclosure bone dry except for a water dish. And how can I get ride of it? (obviously I'll take it out, but how do I clean it?)
 

Stan Schultz

Arachnoprince
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I have been using a peice of wood from outside since winter with no problems with it at all. ...
I can't imagine anything about baking that would cause "little green specs" or mold/fungus unless you washed the wood or otherwise got it soaking wet since the baking. Or, the mold/fungus that you report really is something else. Perhaps a photo would be helpful.

If this persists or eventually becomes too much trouble to deal with you should probably escort the wood back outside where you got it and replace it with a ceramic or plastic decoration instead.

Not much help, I know, but it's the best that I can come up with at the moment.

Best of luck.
 

kenzie

Arachnosquire
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Apr 9, 2009
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Like just mentioned above, if that wood continues to be a problem just chuck it. A really good alternative is cork. Go get a sheet or roll of cork and and just make your own log-like getaway.
 

Fran

Arachnoprince
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If this persists or eventually becomes too much trouble to deal with you should probably escort the wood back outside where you got it ...
{D {D {D

In my opinion, the more "fake" the interior of the tanks, the less problems...
 

Ictinike

Arachnobaron
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Aug 30, 2009
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Was the wood "seasoned" as in mostly dry of water before using it?

It sounds maybe it wasn't and heating it most likely only got some of the remaining water out but maybe it still has some moisture and is causing mold growth?

Those types of pieces I use seasoned hardwoods. Seasoned being the key word where they've been in the elements, non living, for a few years to where it's completely dry inside and out.
 

joshuai

Arachnoangel
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Oct 10, 2008
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IMO when you bake something it kills everything onit and opens it up for the first thing that comes into contact with it(mold spores) to take over and the mold/fungus has nothing to keep it in check!
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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Jan 5, 2005
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IMO when you bake something it kills everything onit and opens it up for the first thing that comes into contact with it(mold spores) to take over and the mold/fungus has nothing to keep it in check!
+1


though, i pretty much have abandoned trying to keep anything but plastic, glass, cork, or terra cotta in my containers
 
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