Picking my own decor

[VeedubDan]

Hey guys, I’ve been looking for some grapevine and logs to use in my vivs, but the stuff you buy in the pet shops are a fortune! Is it safe to use stuff I find in the woods? Does it have to be disinfected first? Or should I stay away from putting wild wood in with my snakes? Thanks!

[TeamSlitherin]

You can bake branches in the oven to kill bugs. I also found some that were too large for my oven, so I sprayed them down with neem oil and let them dry out for a few days. Worked great.

[Andy_G]

It doesn't have to be sprayed down or cleaned, nor does it have to be treated for bugs. Put them outside in the sun in a garbage bag for a day or two and that will draw out the bugs you wouldn't want around, and of course make sure you're collecting from a pesticide free area. Also ensure that the wood is not pine or cedar. You can bake/disinfect if it makes you more comfortable, but 100% unnecessary.

[Bandit]

Yes, collecting your own pieces is way cheaper and in my opinion, looks better than pet store décor. Smaller things I will throw in the freezer for a day or so. For larger things, I've always soaked them in a water/bleach solution (extremely mild) and then let it sit in the sun for a couple days. Never had any issues with it.

[VeedubDan]

Great! Thanks for the replies. I'll be sure to stay away from Pine/Cedar wood. My local River Barrage collects all the driftwood from the dam and piles it up near the road for people to collect, i usually use it for firewood but i'll be on the lookout for decent pieces for my snakes now!