H2O2-Cleaned Skull in T Enclosure

[EricSeamans]

I have recently purchased everything I (think I) need for my first tarantula, a B. Albopilosum. Finally, I'm beginning to think about purely-decorative additions to my enclosure. I use a site to buy different animal skulls, and found a wild boar skull that would look great. I called the company, and they've told me the skulls are boiled to remove flesh, and whitened with hydrogen peroxide. Will this be safe for my future T? I've read a few threads that mention the safety of preventing and/or cleaning mold with H2O2 in T enclosures. I'm wondering if anybody has some first-hand experience that could help guide me. Thanks in advance!

 

[Theneil]

I have recently purchased everything I (think I) need for my first tarantula, a B. Albopilosum. Finally, I'm beginning to think about purely-decorative additions to my enclosure. I use a site to buy different animal skulls, and found a wild boar skull that would look great. I called the company, and they've told me the skulls are boiled to remove flesh, and whitened with hydrogen peroxide. Will this be safe for my future T? I've read a few threads that mention the safety of preventing and/or cleaning mold with H2O2 in T enclosures. I'm wondering if anybody has some first-hand experience that could help guide me. Thanks in advance!

i am no chemist, but i believe H2O2 rapidly breaks down into H20 and 02 so i probably wouldn’t worry about it. I assume they are all pretty well dried by the time you get them so i think anything harmful should be long gone.

 

[EricSeamans]

i am no chemist, but i believe H2O2 rapidly breaks down into H20 and 02 so i probably wouldn’t worry about it. I assume they are all pretty well dried by the time you get them so i think anything harmful should be long gone.

Hmm O.K.
I'll contact a chemistry professor at my college just to be 100% safe. I really appreciate your help!

 

[bulbophyllum]

I would not worry about the peroxide at all. You can rinse your mouth with it. Its just an oxidizer.

 

[boina]

I would not worry about the peroxide at all. You can rinse your mouth with it. Its just an oxidizer.

Huh? Yes, H2O2 is an oxidizer, meaning it's chemically highly reactive. You know what else are oxidizers, for example: acids... Mouth wash is very diluted, using it for bleach means using a more concentrated form - that's actually a huge difference.

Still, I agree with the conclusion, it's harmless (because it breaks down quickly), just not with the argumentation.

 

[Rhino1]

Hi, I've been a hunter my whole life and have used hydrogen peroxide treated skulls and bones in both scorpion and tarantula enclosures and agree that it becomes inert very quickly, my dogs have chewed up recently treated antlers and skulls before with no ill effects. I think it's 100% safe. Also I might add that a full grown pig or wild boar skull is quite big (at least 30cm 12 inches maybe more long), you would need a large enclosure or possibly you could trim the back or bottom of the skull to fit.
If your worried soak the skull in a bucket of water for like a day then sun dry for a few days

 

[viper69]

I would not worry about the peroxide at all. You can rinse your mouth with it. Its just an oxidizer.

Now, let's use some critical thinking skills. You think because substance A, a known oxidizing chemical, that sits in the human mouth for a few seconds is the same as potentially chronic exposure to another animal that is not even closely related to humans.

There may be nothing harmful w/the OPs idea. But for a person to make such a leap of faith with the above human mouth example is not smart at all, not at all. Good for one animal isn't good for another

 

[viper69]

Huh? Yes, H2O2 is an oxidizer, meaning it's chemically highly reactive. You know what else are oxidizers, for example: acids... Mouth wash is very diluted, using it for bleach means using a more concentrated form - that's actually a huge difference.

Still, I agree with the conclusion, it's harmless (because it breaks down quickly), just not with the argumentation.

Oh Boina, critical thinking is a waste of time

 

[The Snark]

Huh? Yes, H2O2 is an oxidizer, meaning it's chemically highly reactive. You know what else are oxidizers, for example: acids... Mouth wash is very diluted, using it for bleach means using a more concentrated form - that's actually a huge difference.

Still, I agree with the conclusion, it's harmless (because it breaks down quickly), just not with the argumentation.

Since I use Hyd Per every day and have for years, from 50% concentration on down, I might as well chime in here. Boina is correct. Or more simply put, there is no such thing as H2O2 in nature. Out of a container within a few hours or days depending on concentration it becomes H2O and O.

Also, H2O2 cannot be combined with any other chemical except H2O. The presence of ANY other chemical, agitation (applied energy) and light (energy) causes the molecular bond of the extra oxygen atom to break down and you have very expensive water.

The problem with using H2O2 as a sterilizing agent is it isn't wet. It's a big clunky molecule that does not bond well with anything. So take an animal skull and leave it soak in H2O2 for a few years. It never really gets fully wet. This equates to bacteria, micro-organisms and dirt and debris avoids the oxidation effect. Also as such, big clunky cannot touch ultra small organic objects like spores. Chlorine has the same problem.
This is why H2O2 isn't prescribed or recommended as a sterilizing agent in most clinical applications. Compare to chlorine as a sterilizing agent. The greatest concentration of a liquid containing chlorine is 10%. Any greater concentration the extra molecules get in each other's way and get nothing done.

If you want to use H2O2 as a sterilizing agent, first soak the object in regular water with some dish washing detergent. This gets the object completely wet - what detergents are for - surfactants. Then rinse thoroughly and immediately soak in H2O2. It will bond with the H2O and whatever the H2O has bonded to.

@boina Note how I did my best to avoid specific gravity and all the technical jargon. I'll leave that to you, @schmiggle and the other micro-B folks.