How do I make outside Bark safe for my Ts?

[BRussell]

What is the best way I can treat outside bark to make it safe for my Ts? I was thinking of boiling w/bleach and set to dry, but concerned that would destroy the bark??? anyone have experience with this?

 

[Scar]

Bake, boil, or microwave it to kill organisms. Just don't get it hot enough to start a fire.

 

[DamonM]

With bleach? I don't know about that. I just toss sticks and bark pieces into boiling water.

 

[EulersK]

Bleach is overkill, and if you don't clean it well enough, it could harm your T.

Just boil, as has been said. Some users on here bake it, but personally I'd be afraid of burning the wood. Not to mention the smell.

 

[SamuraiSid]

Ive heard of red ants happily surviving an hour in the oven at 350F. That was for a piece of wood, though. Are you talking a bark slab? If so Ive never had an issue with baking for an hour at 250F. And for safeties sake, I was checking on it every 10 minutes or so. The smell has never bothered me, but the misses hates it.

Make sure your not using cedar as its highly toxic to arachnids. If your not sure what type of bark it is, boil it first. Cedar becomes slimey and unsuitable for an encolsure after a boil. Learn from my mistake

Any chance you have access to an autoclave?

 

[BRussell]

Ive heard of red ants happily surviving an hour in the oven at 350F. That was for a piece of wood, though. Are you talking a bark slab? If so Ive never had an issue with baking for an hour at 250F. And for safeties sake, I was checking on it every 10 minutes or so. The smell has never bothered me, but the misses hates it.

Make sure your not using cedar as its highly toxic to arachnids. If your not sure what type of bark it is, boil it first. Cedar becomes slimey and unsuitable for an encolsure after a boil. Learn from my mistake

Any chance you have access to an autoclave?

Thanks I know its pine slab, from a stump of a huge pine we took down a couple years back. I do have access to an autoclave, but I doubt my bosses would be cool w/me using it .

 

[Kazaam]

I don't treat my wood at all.

 

[3skulls]

I bake all kinds of wood and leaves, never had a problem with a fire.

Kinda like baking a turkey in a paper bag. Don't allow the wood to touch the heating element.

 

[Taranto1989]

I pick my bark from sources far away from all evergreens. Usually Ash Maple or Oak. I then run very very hot water over the pieces to wash them and remove the underbark so all I have is the bark slab, then I bake it at 350 still wet until the bark is dry. As for smell avoid pieces that have moss on them (baked moss smells terrible).

 

[pocopelo]

I always put in inside the mocrowave for 10 mins in 5 min lapses. Works fine so far.

 

[poisoned]

I put my outside stuff on my enclosed balcony for about a month. It dries it out very well and anything that might live inside leaves it or dies.

 

[MSpear]

Ive heard of red ants happily surviving an hour in the oven at 350F. That was for a piece of wood, though. Are you talking a bark slab? If so Ive never had an issue with baking for an hour at 250F. And for safeties sake, I was checking on it every 10 minutes or so. The smell has never bothered me, but the misses hates it.

Make sure your not using cedar as its highly toxic to arachnids. If your not sure what type of bark it is, boil it first. Cedar becomes slimey and unsuitable for an encolsure after a boil. Learn from my mistake

Any chance you have access to an autoclave?

AUTOCLAVE!!!! DUH!!!! Sweet Idea!!!! Beth, I've got this!

 

[rob0t]

I don't treat my wood at all.

Same here. Never had a problem with it. They are tarantulas not delicate flowers. Use a little common sense about where you get your wood and you will be alright.

 

[poisoned]

AUTOCLAVE!!!! DUH!!!! Sweet Idea!!!! Beth, I've got this!

You'll be growing fungi as soon as you take it out of autoclave. Possibly even bacteria.

 

[BaddestRuffest]

Bake or boil.

 

[MSpear]

You'll be growing fungi as soon as you take it out of autoclave. Possibly even bacteria.

Well, sure, as with any form of sterilization. I was thinking it would kill any "normal flora" on it that is native to my geographical area but harmful to captive bred T's

 

[tyrantuladub]

All the hides in my enclosures are locally found Ash. All I do is throw it in the microwave for ~10 minutes or so and haven't had any problems. With the bigger stuff I toss it in the oven. But, as stated before, they're arachnids, they live in dirt with all kinds of bacteria/fungi and all other sorts of "undesirable" organisms so it's debatable as to whether it's even necessary at all.

 

[cerialkiller]

Clean it as best you can with a damp rag and bake for 30min at 300deg and your good

 

[Kazaam]

ITT: overkill.

 

[Blut und ehre]

Stay away from Conifers "evergreens" [pine....spruce....cedar especially]
Anything else[Deciduous "leafy trees"].......wet bark under the faucet and toss in the microwave for 5 to 10 minutes or so........never had any problems.
Good luck!