preparing rotted oak for millis...

[arachna-nono]

I finally got some rotting oak for all my millis, but I'm not quite sure how to prepare it for them. I heat treat (bake in the oven) anything for my reptiles, and I know LEAVES you can boil, but is there a preferred way to prepare the wood itself when so soft? It has a little mold and insect holes on it, and breaks apart in the hand with very little effort. Thanks, guys!

 

[jimmy dale]

Millipede Oak

There's less need to worry about introducing mold via rotten wood into a millipede enclosure since they will eat it before it becomes a problem. The only thing you might want to consider is accidentally introducing any potential pests via the leaf litter / rotten wood.
I recommend microwaving them for as long as you think they will take it. I've used this method with no problems. Good luck.

 

[RoachGirlRen]

From what I've heard, boiling leaves starts to break down the chitin that the millipedes need to build their exo. I'd be inclined to believe that with the way leaves get soft and limp when boiled. So I generally just freeze them for a while then give them a thorough rinsing.

Wood you can bake at a low temp or I would assume microwave as the poster before my indicated.

 

[Lucas339]

ive baked wook at 350 before.

i just freeze everything.

 

[spydrhunter1]

I freeze everything including decaying wood and leaves, it helps that I have a lab freezer that is minus 81 Celsius.

 

[OntarioNative]

I usually use the oven at 350 for around 20 minutes or so. This kills everything. Sometimes to be sure I put them in my deep freezer, if I dont feel 100% about the heat treatment. I usually leave the wood in the freezer for a couple of days, same with leaves. As for boiling, RoachGirl is right, it starts to break down the nutrients required by the millies. Its the same with humans when we boil veggies, they lose most of thier nutrients by the end of it. Freeze the leaves, bake the wood. Thats my opinion.

Cheers,
Alex

 

[Lucas339]

I freeze everything including decaying wood and leaves, it helps that I have a lab freezer that is minus 81 Celsius.

man great idea! i think we have a couple of those around here.

 

[ArachnidSentinl]

I recommend microwaving them for as long as you think they will take it.

This may work with leaves, but in my experience microwaving wood can be disastrous. Dried woods like driftwood may be able to take it, but wetter woods may cause a huge mess. I destroyed a microwave when attempting this; sap began to boil out of the pores of the wood, bubbling over everything until both the wood and the microwave were a searing hot blob of sap-encrusted horror.

I'm sure this all depends on the kind of tree and state of decomposition, but I think I'd stick with freezing the wood, myself.

 

[OntarioNative]

This may work with leaves, but in my experience microwaving wood can be disastrous. Dried woods like driftwood may be able to take it, but wetter woods may cause a huge mess. I destroyed a microwave when attempting this; sap began to boil out of the pores of the wood, bubbling over everything until both the wood and the microwave were a searing hot blob of sap-encrusted horror.

I'm sure this all depends on the kind of tree and state of decomposition, but I think I'd stick with freezing the wood, myself.

YEAH! I had the same idea with the wet wood. I was being impatient and lazy, and well.... by the end of the day I was at Canadian Tire buying a new microwave....

 

[T_DORKUS]

I use the method described in this article...

Making Oak wood mulch

 

[OntarioNative]

Good Article

 

[TheBugBarn]

I use the freezer on anything I put in an enclosure. Using an oven sounds smelly, and slightly dangerous. Although apparently, it gets results. One method I've heard, but never tried is dry ice. You basically build a mini-gas chamber, and drop a little dry ice into a bowl of water. The smoke that comes up kills everything.