cleaning "wild" hides etc. .

[la testerosa]

hey everyone, just a quick question after my last visit to the local pet store.

i'm not into paying for rocks to put into my viv when i can find them quite easily in my backyard. i can make my own hide by leaning a piece of bark against a rock i find myself. i can't believe the cost of these things in the pet store. pretty redicilous really. so, my question is this: how do i clean things, from outside, that i want to put into my viv?
i've done it before, and i have my own ways of cleaning. but i thought i'd ask for some second opinions.

caio,

marc

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

If I were to ever bring something from the outside to use for my corns I would boil it for 30 minutes and then soak it for a week in a diluted bleach solution, then let it soak another week in regular water (replacing the water twice a day). This is what I would do if I found a piece of driftwood from a creek or something that I wanted to use for my fish tank (no problems using this method). I guess if it's good enough for fish, it's good enough for corns.

Another good way to make good looking hides is to mold them out of clay, then cook them, and then finish in a glaze that is 100% non-toxic.

 

[la testerosa]

uumm, boil it for 30 minutes, then soak it in bleach for a week! when i purify water outside (mtn'eering) for consumption, boiling for 5 minutes kills everything (it's standard practice among guides). so, to boil what i have for that long, and then soak it seems a bit over the top. i was thinking you were exaggerating. but maybe not. more thoughts anyone???

marc

 

[Preita]

I use the dish washer for everything. Everything comes out ok too.

 

[shrimply]

I give them 1/2 an hour in bleach rinse well then bake in the oven for about an hour.

I don't think anything could really survive that. I would say a week is OTT but I live in the UK so we don't have quite as many nasties.

 

[Dminor9]

All the climbing limbs and rock hides in my viv came from outside. I merely scrubbed them with a brush and a 3% bleach solution, rinsed thoroughly, and then dryed them in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes. I have had absolutely no problems at all. If it makes you feel better and gives you more peace of mind to boil for 30 minutes and soak for a week in bleach, then by all means do it. I however also think this is a bit extreme.

 

[Joejr14]

Soaking for a week in a bleach solution is way over the top. Definitely not necessary.

Too many people seem to forget that corns are wild animals, you know.

 

[wild neonate]

Yah basically if youre gonna introduce stuff from outside to your viv, soak in bleach for at _least_ 12-24 hours..2 days is overkill...then let it soak in regular water for a few hours more to get all that chlorine out..can be bad for the snakes, or any life form for that matter..humans included! Chlorine gas kills! A week in bleach or boiling for 30 minutes will certainly be effective in getting rid of possible parasites or bacteria, but so will sitting in bleach for a day, so go about it the way that makes you feel the most secure. I'd like to point out that while commercially produced hides and 'driftwood' is pricey, these are your pro's and con's.
1) Organic materials found outside aren't going to last forever and are goin to be subject to some degree of decomposition.
2) Store bought tank accessories are often made of non-biodegradable plastics *and* treated with some sort of microbicide.
3) Aesthetics are usually a personal preference..but some manufactured hides are definitely going to be more attractive than a piece of bark on a rock
4) $10-20 for a pre-fab. hide is ok n all..but what do you do when your snake outgrows them all? Circumstances like these may make it more practical to 'harvest' your own pieces of wood for hides, or if you have too many snakes to buy a hide for each cage. In cases like these, I would give you a magazine of martha stewart living, a hot glue gun, and some scissors LOL.
Its super easy and more rewarding to make your own hides..as far as aesthetics goes if youre gonna use a lil jewelry box or whatever you can simply cover it up with substrate if you're using it or some artificial plants. My corns seem to appreciate the fake foliage more than driftwood..i guess all the leaves gives 'em more sense of security and a more natural environ.
*phew* rant mode: disabled

 

[shrimply]

I don't really agree with a lot you said.

I think that 12-24 hours is way over the top you drop a bug into a bleach solution and see how long it takes to die. I just rinse the rocks after they have been in bleach then put them in the oven. All the bleach just evaporates.

If properly dried sticks and logs can last for years in a cornsnakes cage where there is little humidity and rocks will last forever.

I like stuff from outside for the reason that it looks much better most manufactured goods look fake to me. Give me a £5 piece of cork bark anyday or even better buy a tube of silicon for a huge amount of rock hides in any shape you want. Also outside you can always find something the right shape and there is endless variety.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

If I were to ever bring something from the outside to use for my corns I would boil it for 30 minutes and then soak it for a week in a diluted bleach solution, then let it soak another week in regular water (replacing the water twice a day). This is what I would do if I found a piece of driftwood from a creek or something that I wanted to use for my fish tank (no problems using this method). I guess if it's good enough for fish, it's good enough for corns.

Again, I said that this is what I did for my fish, which are more sensitive than cornsnakes would be to that sort of stuff, it probably is overkill for a cornsnake, but I would rather be safe than sorry if I were to use something from outside. Just my 2¢