Snakes do not pick up diseases from wood, but some woods have oils that can be irritating in an enclosed space, or have spores that might do the same. For that reason it is good to soak the wood in a mild bleach solution and then dry it with a hair dryer or in the sun.

The silk fake plants have no plastic odor. The cheaper plastic plants often do. I prefer the silk plants. They also retain moisture better if you mist the cage.