putting foriegn branches into tank?? any help appreciated!

[kade355]

well i just got tanks that are taller rather than longer for mym jungle and coastal carpet, i want to put branches in there, but wanted to know what is the easiest way to treat the wood etc
so they dont get mites and other crazy ****! =)
i heard freezing for 2 days but, i definatley dont have a freezer big enough to do that!
any help appreciated!!

 

[slim6y]

Mites don't free live, so you won't get mites - and as for other crazy stuff, just what exactly are you expecting?

Don't treat the wood, it is fine untreated - search treating branches - you'll get the same answer over and over again - don't treat them - you can do more damage treating than putting them in as they are.

 

[liney]

so long as there are no signs of termites/white ants you should be sweet. just run your eye over the whole branch/es. Ive done this for ages without any issues.

 

[kade355]

awesome! thanks guys!
i wasnt sure thats all!

 

[Bez84]

I just eye ball them and shove them straight in, if these ants or anything i soak them in the pool or bath for a week...
But i never treat them with chemicals or any of the other crazy stuff people do...
Its obvious alot of people have no idea what reptile mites are and where they actually come from..

 

[elogov]

I generally just fully submerge it for less then an hour and move it about, but thats purely to get rid of dirt/ants ect.
Works well imo.

 

[sookie]

Just dust em off and shove em to look nice.beardies love em with a few tasty bugs tho.

 

[Jewyy95]

I heard placing the branches in an oven kills away all mites ants and ticks.
Just wondering if its true.
????

 

[slim6y]

I heard placing the branches in an oven kills away all mites ants and ticks.
Just wondering if its true.
????

I heard that reptile mites don't free live - and I believe it - therefore reptile mites won't be killed on a branch that is put in an oven.

 

[Chris1]

i submerged some branches in the bathtub fro a whole week last year, stained the crap out of the tub, 6 months later i had borer beetles emerging in my herp room!! (i actually spent NYE dismantling all the cages and finding more living borer in holes, happy new year, lol,...!!)

so if you cant freeze or bake, put them outside for a few months till the bark starts coming off, remove as much as u can, check fro holes and give em a scrub,...thats my new method,....

 

[ilovemycoastal]

i just give them a quick look over, a few bangs on the concrete to see if anything falls out, if not, ill sand back any rough edges and cut to size and put them in. most ants/bugs will die in the enclosure environment anyway, and if not remove them as you see them. a little soak never hurts but not entirely neccessary

 

[Coastal_Girl]

we wash ours with a mild vinegar water solution. It kills the germs. We have never had any problems with ours. Just make sure you air them out before using them.

 

[Fantazmic]

Fidos dog wash.....
make up a big bath of it and dunk the sticks.....and soak till really saturated...a few days

it kills everything...

 

[redlittlejim]

just eyeball it and if not sure, one hour fully submerged in the morning and then out in the sun to dry for the ret of the day. have had over 50 pieces and no problems.