Tree Bark in Enclosures

greeneyedelle

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Jan 26, 2021
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Is there such a thing as the wrong kind of bark to use in enclosures? I’m used to buying cork bark or drift pieces from the pet store without issues, but we cut down a 110 ft bull pine tree last year, and I still have a ton of wood, more specifically, the bark scraps from cutting the wood up. Sanitized appropriately, is there any reason I couldn’t use it?
 
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KaroKoenig

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Dec 7, 2019
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I wouldn't use pine because of the resin fumes. It's not a big deal for tarantulas that live in conifer forests in the wild, but in a tiny box with little to no air exchange, the concentration rises rapidly.
 

greeneyedelle

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I wouldn't use pine because of the resin fumes. It's not a big deal for tarantulas that live in conifer forests in the wild, but in a tiny box with little to no air exchange, the concentration rises rapidly.
Ohhhhh got it. Makes sense! Thank you!
 

cold blood

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New wood is a no go.....if you collect wood, you will find that most of what you see in nature is not usable....drift wood is consistently the most reliable to collect.
 

viper69

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Seasoned wood, ie not green, only and never pine or other bark that may contain sap.
 

greeneyedelle

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New wood is a no go.....if you collect wood, you will find that most of what you see in nature is not usable....drift wood is consistently the most reliable to collect.
So theoretically I could walk along the river and collect just bare stripped wood, and I could bake that to dry/sanitize it?

Seasoned wood, ie not green, only and never pine or other bark that may contain sap.
Lol it sucks to live it a place where I’m surrounded by wood and none of it is usable 😂
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
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Pine , cedar, and other woods have natural pesticides.

Honestly I would be hesitant to use any wood from the wild.

Driftwood can work though.
 

cold blood

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So theoretically I could walk along the river and collect just bare stripped wood, and I could bake that to dry/sanitize it?
I dont do anything to it other than wiping it clean with a dry towel or something...sanitizing is not a good idea. I used to bake it, but havent done that in years as it was just extra work with no benefit.
 

greeneyedelle

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not true- next winter it will be ready if you harvest now
Define harvest. This tree has been down for a year, cut during the winter so it was already less sappy, in massive rounds, so it seasoned all winter, spring, summer, and fall

I dont do anything to it other than wiping it clean with a dry towel or something...sanitizing is not a good idea. I used to bake it, but havent done that in years as it was just extra work with no benefit.
Gotcha! Thanks! I would never chemically treat or anything lol
 

viper69

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Define harvest. This tree has been down for a year, cut during the winter so it was already less sappy, in massive rounds, so it seasoned all winter, spring, summer, and fall
My only experience with wood is cutting it down, splitting it myself and seasoning it for heat. Had to do all those things a year in advance.
 
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