oven, nuker, what?

[groovyspider]

hey how ya doing well i had a Q i have some coco fiber i expanded and well its not drying up and i have some Ts coming the 10th and i want it dryed in the container ready to go! and well if i put it on cookie sheet in the oven would this work? or maybe in the nuker(microwave) ? also how long its not a whole lot probably bout 4-5 cups worth o also i cant use a blow dryer i dont have one, and plus i would imagine as it started to dry it would fly all over the place (similar to leaf blower on sand effect) thanks for you help


P.s be fore anyone put use search function ive already checked, maybe i didnt find the right link please by all mean post it ok thanks for all you guys help long live AB

 

[AbraCadaver]

About the searchengine - i hear ya! I'm rubbish at searching!

I've put cocofiber in the oven, on a tray, and it worked very well.. Some say it really gives any potential pests a breeding ground, but despite that, I haven't had any pests in the "cooked" fiber.

I basically just put it in on medium heat, and went to have a look every now and then, and stired. When its dry, you'll know from the texture.

 

[groovyspider]

alright thanks for helping and being understanding i mean search engine is my best friend or worst enemy sometime haha thanks again bud

 

[Terry D]

I'd keep an eye on it if baking. That stuff smells funky once it begins to burn. TRUST ME!....... :barf:

 

[groovyspider]

I'd keep an eye on it if baking. That stuff smells funky once it begins to burn. TRUST ME!....... :barf:

checking every couple mins... opps time! * runs in to kitchen*

 

[Ictinike]

Put mine on a microwave safe place and nuke it for about 5-10 minutes depending on thickness.

It comes out ~VERY~ hot as well the plate so use a oven mitt or pot holder to grab it. If still not to your desired dryness, nuke again for another 2-5 mins and check each time.

I try to spread it around also with a large kitchen spoon to get the thicker areas that are still moist a bit more time and it's always worked well for me.

Of course this is only for doing an enclosure at a time as it would take way too long to do it all and honestly if you need that much you should be in the business of making and allowing it to dry for a week ahead of schedule. I keep a bin with some ventilation holes setup all the time and it's ready to be used.

 

[AmbushArachnids]

I do not bake or nuke. I SQUEEZE OUT THE WATER!!! Much faster and builds up those forearms If you need your sub bone dry squeeze then bake. This reduces baking time by hours.

 

[Ictinike]

I do not bake or nuke. I SQUEEZE OUT THE WATER!!! Much faster and builds up those forearms If you need your sub bone dry squeeze then bake. This reduces baking time by hours.

Oh I squeeze it out too but your not going to get all of it out and there may be a need for a quick swap of substrate as such in my case of a few mites on my female H. lividium.

I'm trying to keep her on dry substrate for a few days so mites fall and desiccate and even squeezed substrate can hold quite a bit of moisture for awhile.

That forearm work though get's brutal after the 2nd of 3 bricks of compressed EcoEarth! I just made up a batch the other day since I was out and arms were hurtin!

 

[AmbushArachnids]

Oh I squeeze it out too but your not going to get all of it out and there may be a need for a quick swap of substrate as such in my case of a few mites on my female H. lividium.

I'm trying to keep her on dry substrate for a few days so mites fall and desiccate and even squeezed substrate can hold quite a bit of moisture for awhile.

That forearm work though get's brutal after the 2nd of 3 bricks of compressed EcoEarth! I just made up a batch the other day since I was out and arms were hurtin!

You dont add water to your dry sub then squeeze it out again just for practice? Thats how you get used to it! Yeah i know what you mean. I only do 2 bricks at a time. I wish there was a machine to buy to press the water out. Like an old clothing ringer!

 

[Ictinike]

You dont add water to your dry sub then squeeze it out again just for practice? Thats how you get used to it! Yeah i know what you mean. I only do 2 bricks at a time. I wish there was a machine to buy to press the water out. Like an old clothing ringer!

While being a limited market (well maybe T's, some reptiles, etc) I'm sure if you built something people like us who do it fairly often would buy it I'm sure

It's not too bad until you realize how much you have left then those forearms start to burn something fierce, lol.

 

[AmbushArachnids]

While being a limited market (well maybe T's, some reptiles, etc) I'm sure if you built something people like us who do it fairly often would buy it I'm sure

It's not too bad until you realize how much you have left then those forearms start to burn something fierce, lol.

Thats funny i was thinking of someway to invent something to do that. Would be a great DIY project for the boards if i could come up with a fairly convenient simple design. :? Ill have to stew on it.

Edit: Ok my idea goes something like this.. Have other people help hand press it! I think i gave up on the idea after 20 minutes.. LOL

 

[groovyspider]

maybe like a dehydrater or something o yea i got it mostly dry it was very hot i though about having chuck norris to ocme blow on it because it was so hot but i dont want hurricane katrinia happening here so i let it cool down by itself

 

[Dangergirl]

I set cork bark alight in the oven, and set my microwave on fire this weekend it's now officially dead :wall:

 

[Terry D]

Uh oh! Better luck next time. Hopefully you were at least able to salvage some of the cork bark?

 

[Dangergirl]

No it kinda melted ... anyways will just go pick some more

 

[malevolentrobot]

Of course this is only for doing an enclosure at a time as it would take way too long to do it all and honestly if you need that much you should be in the business of making and allowing it to dry for a week ahead of schedule. I keep a bin with some ventilation holes setup all the time and it's ready to be used.

this. i premake mine and skimp on the water compared to the directions. then just let it sit out in an open bin and stir it every couple days, you should have bone dry sub somewhere around two weeks and just store it in bins until needed. i don't even try and mess with insta-dry techniques, too much hassle, better to be prepared instead.

 

[Terry D]

^ The only thing about this which makes me a little nervous is coco-fibers reported propensity toward molding. Sure, no problem if one is going to wait a good while before using as the dessication will kill any mold spores. However, I remain a bit hesitant..... especially for use in enclosures of sp that require it a tad bit more on the moist side.

 

[Ictinike]

^ The only thing about this which makes me a little nervous is coco-fibers reported propensity toward molding. Sure, no problem if one is going to wait a good while before using as the dessication will kill any mold spores. However, I remain a bit hesitant..... especially for use in enclosures of sp that require it a tad bit more on the moist side.

Terry,

Spot on! I also agree and should have mentioned that you need to keep it in a container that has good ventilation but also isn't in a place that could get foreign matter or a good bit of spores to lay dormant on it.

We all know there are mold/fungus spores in most air we breath but if you let it sit damp and in a place where lots of outside air can blow against it like outside you may find it doing exactly what your speaking of. It's a give and take and as long as your careful but not perfect I've not had this problem since maybe the first time I've done it (ie: left it outside in the sun for a few days)

Since I use it 100% in all my enclosures I've not had this problem since taking better storage precautions and since I use it in some moist environments say for my H. lividum I've not had mold/fungus as of yet but recently have had mites.