Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone i was wondering wat different methods you all use to sterilize wood that u collect outside the pet store. Please respond with the steps that you take.

Thanks a bunch
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Pink is a manly color

www.lizardaction.com

lol

I rarely use 'wild' wood. I normally buy forrest vine (I like the look) but if you are going to use 'wild' wood you should remove any brittle pieces or loose bark and clean with some compressed air (removing deposits of dirt, bugs that may be in/on it, etc) then soak in a tub of bleach water for a couple hours.

The bleach water mixtures I use vary depending on the type of animal. A gecko, frog, etc. I would use 3% bleach solution, An iquana, dragon, tegu, etc. I would use 10% bleach solution. I would never go over 10%! Allow the wood to soak for a couple hours, remove the wood and allow to air dry for 24 hours. There should be absolutely NO bleach fumes/smell on the wood after the 24 hour drying period. If there is, soak in warm water (no bleach) for a few hours and dry for another 24 hours. Agitating the wood a bit now and then during the soaking period my help. If there is no smell of the bleach you are all set.

Make sure the wood you are using is dead and that it's cured. You don't want to use live wood. Also make sure that the type of wood isn't a problem for your specific reptile.

I hope you found this helpful.
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Rick
theTegu.com