Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I wouldn't have posted this question because there is a lot of info on this subject in different forums. But I just can't seem to find out the answer I am looking for despite hours of searching. Is there a risk of getting parasites from bags of cypress mulch that are sitting outside in the weather at wal-mart(or anywhere)? Do I need to bake the mulch in the oven to kill any potentially hazardous stuff? Or is there some other method I am unaware of? I am thinking of trying cypress mulch(well..I already bought it) but I do not want to use it until I know it is completely safe. Thanks!! Thanks again!! Andy from the department of redundancy department.

I've bought bags of cypress mulch - both from nurseries and pet stores that have had bugs in them (wood mites amoung other things). I only use cypress mulch for my GTP cage so I don't have a lot of it - but you need to bake it on low for like 2 hours -watch carefully it can catch on fire. Once I tried washing it, spraying it with Provent a mite - letting it dry out for a couple of days then putting it in the cage - but the PAM didn't seem to kill everything and I had bugs again a couple of days later. I've also gotten a lot of bags that were fine.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi - yeah I know but my kids love the book)
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)
0.0.2 frogs rescued from pool skimmer

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Under a dead ohio sky,
Eleven has been and will be waiting,
Defending his light,
And wondering...
Where the hell have I been?
Sleeping, lost, and numb.
So glad that I have found you.
I am wide awake and heading home.
TOOL

hydroponic.... lol sorry bout that
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Under a dead ohio sky,
Eleven has been and will be waiting,
Defending his light,
And wondering...
Where the hell have I been?
Sleeping, lost, and numb.
So glad that I have found you.
I am wide awake and heading home.
TOOL

LOL, that's OK most of us read Typonese

Quig

I use it and like it better than any other substrate. I used to heat treat it, but now I use it right out of the bag and have had no serious problems with bugs.
If you feel you need to treat it I will tell you a little tip that I came up with. I put damp cypress mulch in a large plastic bag and tie the top. I then put it in a microwave for a couple minutes. Then take it out (careful it will be hot) and let it set until cool. When it is microwaved, the the moisture in the cypress steams the mulch and kills everything. I use the largest plastic bag that I can fit in my large microwave. You can adjust the time depending on your microwave and size of the plastic bag. Much faster and simpler than baking and actually the steam heat is a much better at "disinfecting" than dry heat.
Hope this helps
Grant
Morphdepot

I use it right out of the bag both at work and at home.

Ed

Same here, i use it right out of the bag, BUT, since it is cheap and i use a good portion anyway, i never let a bag sit, whatever i dont use goes right in the flower beds. Also i look through it as much as possible to make sure there is nothing in there, of course you cant see everything, but, knock on wood, i have never had a problem.
ALSO make sure you buy mulch with NO FERTILIZER or any additives, sometimes it says it REALLY small on the bag, so be careful.