Sanitizing/Cleaning driftwood.

Loaf

Arachnosquire
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Aug 3, 2006
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I have a couple pieces of driftwood I collected and want to put it in my Avic's terrarium. What is the best way to clean/sanitize it? I dont want to use Chemicals, such as bleach. I've heard boiling it and then baking it in the oven? Any sugestions?:confused: :) :confused:
 

Hedorah99

Arachnoprince
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May 2, 2005
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I have a couple pieces of driftwood I collected and want to put it in my Avic's terrarium. What is the best way to clean/sanitize it? I dont want to use Chemicals, such as bleach. I've heard boiling it and then baking it in the oven? Any sugestions?:confused: :) :confused:
Well, a 10% bleach solution would do a good job killing anything on the surface. Just apply and let it air dry. That or place it in the oven at 200 degrees for 3 hours. That will definitly kill anything living on or in it.
 

Natemass

Arachnolord
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Sep 16, 2006
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ive always used the microwave for about 30 secs. anything in there for more than 10 secs is dead anyways so the extra 20 makes sure they are dead.
 

demicheru

Arachnosquire
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May 26, 2005
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microwave is fine - just make sure there is not too much water in the wood or you run the risk of starting a fire in your microwave.

30 seconds should not be long enough to actually catch the wood on fire, but depending on the type of wood, and what may be living inside it, it could get very stinky.
 

Loaf

Arachnosquire
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Aug 3, 2006
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Seriously, microwave for 30 seconds?:? Wow, that just seems too easy. How stinky will it get?
 

138

Arachnoknight
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Oct 2, 2004
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boiling and baking will definitely kill everything. even if you choose to do only one of those methods for 30min. it should kill anything on the driftwood.
 

eman

Arachnobaron
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May 30, 2005
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Why bother? What are you trying to kill? The only two things that I have seen kill a t are nematodes and scuttle/phorid flies... both of those do not live on drift wood. I've used all sorts of wood/bark/leaves and organic materials without sterilizing any of it, simply because there's not point. Many years later and no ill effects, further confirms this.

Samuel D. Marshall (one of the highlight guest speakers of this coming Arachnocon) provides a very clear explanation of this in his book "Tarantulas and other Arachnids" (both revisions) - see the section on "substrates".

Cheers,

Emmanuel
 

CedrikG

Arachnoking
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Nov 26, 2004
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I agree with Emmanuel, i'm using natural substrate, different kind of natural hides, and never had any problems.
 

syndicate

Arachnoemperor
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Aug 26, 2005
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i use some bark,logs ive found outside in my tanks.i usually just let them dry out good before use.one thing u should watch out for that can be harmful to your spiders is ants!u dont wanna introduce a colony of ants in with your tarantula hehe
 

mischaaussems

Arachnosquire
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Nov 9, 2006
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I never sterelise materials I use. I collect all sorts of things in the woods. Pieces of wood, stones, leaves etc. I started thinking about it when I read this post. If you heat materials to sterelise them can you also freeze them? It's easy to put something in the freezer for say a day or so........
 

Jonathan Rice

Arachnosquire
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Apr 4, 2006
Messages
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Why bother? What are you trying to kill? The only two things that I have seen kill a t are nematodes and scuttle/phorid flies... both of those do not live on drift wood. I've used all sorts of wood/bark/leaves and organic materials without sterilizing any of it, simply because there's not point. Many years later and no ill effects, further confirms this.

Samuel D. Marshall (one of the highlight guest speakers of this coming Arachnocon) provides a very clear explanation of this in his book "Tarantulas and other Arachnids" (both revisions) - see the section on "substrates".

Cheers,

Emmanuel
Good point Emmanuel! Question answered, Thanks!
 
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