Use it, with a few precautions. It must be collected from an unpolluted area, free from pesticides and sewage. If from an ocean beach, it must be washed free from salts before introducing it to a vivarium. Test it out with a knife. If you can cut into it with a sharp knife, and meet a solid barrier of resistance less than 1/4 inch in, it may be worth using. If it is more or less crumbly all the way through, toss it. If it's hard as a rock, and sinks in water even after you've dried it out, rejoice. You have a prime piece of drift wood, whatever the species of tree it came from. Clean it up by scraping off the things you don't want, and then rinse it in some water. With the exceptions of getting rid of salt from ocean drift wood, don't boil, bake, soak it in Clorox, or otherwise sanitize it.

Then wait for the surprises. The surprises won't be pathogenic to your frogs, and some won't adapt to a tropical rain forest environment and may not last long. Some will adapt, such as tiny ferns, mosses, and mushrooms. It will contain little soil organisms, fungi, mites and isopods that will help feed your frogs and recycle wastes. Do not do this if you want to keep your environment always pristine and totally dedicated to an original design-- only do it if you like adventure and don't subscribe to "Good Housekeeping," or the "Perfect Garden."



A piece of wood that rots doesn't necessarily destroy the entire vivarium. It just disappears gradually and something else grows in its place. There are few mistakes that can't be amended with just a little bit of interference if it's needed.
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Patty

Pahsimeroi, Idaho



D. auratus blue, auratus Ancon Hill, galactonotus orange, galactonotus yellow, fantasticus, reticulatus, imitator, castaneoticus, azureus, pumilio Bastimentos. P. lugubris, vittatus, terribilis mint green, terribilis orange.

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