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Making LARGE pieces of wood 'vivarium safe'?

Snake Dave

Snake Dave

Schrödinger's cat
Hey everyone

I went down to my local wood today to see if I could find a nice piece of wood to use in Sydney's future tank. I found one, but it was attached to a tree :grin01: It took me a while to saw off the right size and remove some of the smaller branches, it's about 6 feet long, so I'm gonna have to saw off a few inches so it can actually fit in the Flexarium. I also got a natural liana from the shop today, it's 5 feet long and looks really nice, plus it's really strong and sturdy. So coupled with the Exo-Terra Jungle Vines I'm gonna get (which I'll use to bind the wood together whilst acting as another climbing tool), and the new piece of wood, Sydney should have her own little forest to enjoy in no time :D I'm also gonna get some sandblasted grapevine.

Right, now my question is, for a piece of wood of this size, how should I go about making it 'vivarium safe'? I specifically chose this piece of wood because it was thick, strong and looked good, but it was also a living piece so I know that it's not rotten, and there's no paracitical fungi or plants growing on it either. Should I simply skin it, sand it and spray and wash it down with a bleach solution? Because I don't own an industrial-size oven, so would this be safe?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

David
 
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Here a couple of pics to show you the wood, along with my hand in terms of width scale:
 

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I heard that you have to clean it with bleach and hot water then bake it in the oven... I am sure you can find something about it on the web. I am too lazy to do it at the moment, though. So, good luck. :grin01:
 
Snake Dave said:
Hey everyone

I went down to my local wood today to see if I could find a nice piece of wood to use in Sydney's future tank. I found one, but it was attached to a tree :grin01: It took me a while to saw off the right size and remove some of the smaller branches, it's about 6 feet long, so I'm gonna have to saw off a few inches so it can actually fit in the Flexarium. I also got a natural liana from the shop today, it's 5 feet long and looks really nice, plus it's really strong and sturdy. So coupled with the Exo-Terra Jungle Vines I'm gonna get (which I'll use to bind the wood together whilst acting as another climbing tool), and the new piece of wood, Sydney should have her own little forest to enjoy in no time :D I'm also gonna get some sandblasted grapevine.

Right, now my question is, for a piece of wood of this size, how should I go about making it 'vivarium safe'? I specifically chose this piece of wood because it was thick, strong and looked good, but it was also a living piece so I know that it's not rotten, and there's no paracitical fungi or plants growing on it either. Should I simply skin it, sand it and spray and wash it down with a bleach solution? Because I don't own an industrial-size oven, so would this be safe?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

David
Click to expand...

lol you could take it to your local pizza hut or little ceasers and have them put it through the bige ovens that they cook the pizzas in that has the convayor belt thing ;)
 
What about sawing it in half, baking the pieces, and then drilling a hole in the ends, then gluing it back together with a dado or a dowel? You could even use a threaded bolt so you could take it apart and store it/move it later.
 
i'd just use bleach and hot water and give it a good cleaning a few times over or you could do the doweling but it seems unneccesary.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone.

Since Little Caesar's doesn't exist here, I don't think I can use their giant oven. And Pizza Hut wouldn't be too happy either. :grin01:

I think I'll just stick with my original plan. It was already living, so I know it's not rotten. Also, it's still really cold here, and we had a really cold winter, so I doubt there's anything really nasty in the wood. So therefore, skinning, sanding and then washing and rinsing in a bleach solution a few times, then letting dry naturally in the sun after a good rinse.
 
Dave, have you been watching too much Ray Mears?:rofl: I'm sure taking the bark off has a proper name, but I'm too busy giggling thinking about you skinning that wood and stretching the 'hide'!
 
diamondlil said:
Dave, have you been watching too much Ray Mears?:rofl: I'm sure taking the bark off has a proper name, but I'm too busy giggling thinking about you skinning that wood and stretching the 'hide'!
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Janine! :eek:

Fine, to prevent further embarassment, I'll use the correct term :grin01:

I will decorticate the piece of wood
 
:rofl:Sorry Dave! I do watch too much Ray Hines, I had a terrible idea involving my satin mice, which I idly voiced whist watching my hero.......I've been told by my boys that it would be sick and wrong, so I'm going to get some cat-toy mice, skin those and trick 'em into thinking I'm curing mouse skins for a coat for April Fool's day. (Disclaimer, I'm a bad parent and anyone copying my mothering skills should be prepared to be named and shamed in therapy sessions when the kids grow up)
 
Okay everyone, the moment you've all been waiting for (or not)! :grin01:

Here's the finished product, after I removed the bark (I did this slightly unevenly on purpose, to give it a mottled look and a bit of diversity, colour-wise), cleaned with a bleach solution, jet-rinsed, left to dry, then sanded.

Thanks for looking and cheers for your advice, the next time you see this piece it'll be in Sydney's 260 gallon Flexarium. :)
 

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hmm, I like it, it maybe be a possibility for like a green tree python becasue it has room for bracnhes and stuff, I might get one ;) thanks Dave :)
 
No problem Hunter, make sure you do your research for a GTP, they can be a handful!

Yup SR1234, already on the list :) I'm torn between using aspen or a substrate that might hold humidity better. Aspen is of course good for me because I can easily spot poop, it's cheap and I use it for my Corn. The heat shouldn't be a problem, I've got that sorted. I'm having a infrared heat lamp at the top (on a dimming thermostat at 88F), and a heat mat at the bottom at 78F. So essentially, she just moves up and down through the foliage to thermoregulate. Humidity; I'm going to mist once a day and use a humid hide, shouldn't present too much of a problem otherwise. They need between 40 - 60%, and my house averages at around 45%, so coupled with the misting and the hide, all should be fine.
 
The one I already have, my Irian Jaya Carpet python, Sydney. :)

She's not going in there for another month or two yet, she's not big enough and would find the huge space a little overwhelming, even with all of that cover. Besides, I'd lose her in there! :grin01:
 
lol, hmm, I think that I will probaby get one for my next snae, well if it is a big one, becasue I think that it would be TOO big for a corn snake ;)
 
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