Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi i saw in one of your post about "cooking" cypress mulch, i know it is to sterilize and kill any pest in the mulch....
how do you do it in the oven? and at what temp?

I put the cypress in a big roasting pan - dump a couple of cups of water in too(the steam helps it cook faster without drying it out) - cover it with foil and cook it at 300 for about 30-45 minutes.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

sorry i misspelled your name
thanx for the info.......maybe we need a recipe forum for such as this and for setting eggs up....LOL

LOL - no problem - just on a side note - I only use the cypress for my GTP and maternal incubation - both of which require a higher humidity level than general ball requirements - when you steam the cypress like I do - it stays pretty wet - usually pretty wet for a couple of weeks - and by wet I mean there is condensation dripping down the tub wet. If you want a dryer cypress - leave out the water and bake it a little longer I think someone told me they bake theirs like 1-2 hours.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

thanx, im glad you gave me that info

put it in the freezer for a couple days and it kills any of the little bugs

hey thats a neat idea to...
i could put them in the freezer under my rats and mice for bedding is what i can tell any one who were to ask....LOL

Not saying that there is anything wrong with freezing it - but it is my understanding that some bugs and their eggs can survive freezing temperatures for a time. If you want to try the freezer method - you may want to leave it in there for a couple of weeks. I know they say that bacteria can live in a standard freezer for a month or more not sure about the average bug. Just some FYI if ya hadn't heard it before - LOL.
-----
Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.42.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.1 Lizard of unknown origin

well i have done baked, broiled and roasted it.....LOL.... if there is anything living in it now i want no part of it...LOL