frozen bugs on sticks?

[Bartman]

I recently saw bicheraddict post pics of her tank and i thought her stick/ramp idea was brilliant...so i decided im gonna try and make something very similar to it. I live in toronto so its ice cold outside, so if i take sticks from outside to cut up and whatever, do i need to still put it in the oven and all those percautions or will the bugs have died in the cold?
thanks!

[Removed_2815]

Put it in the oven. "Bugs" have developed numerous biochemical and physiological strategies to enter a period of dormancy during the winter months and reanimate in the spring. Heat sterilisation is a very effective method for ensuring that you don't introduce any "bugs" into your collection.
Cheers,
R

[Siretsap]

Now you can change the title of the post to baked bugs on sticks ;-)

I boild mione and clean them in a mixture of water and bleach. Then I rince it many times in boiling water and let dry for about 5 to 7 days (although they say 4 days is enough for bleach to evaporate, I still like to double taht time).

[Bartman]

k thanks, im off to find some good sticks :p

[Removed_2815]

Now, this is just my opinion, and I think most will agree, I would be very hesitant to use any corrosive liquids on such porous materials like wood (you'll never get it all out - it's an impossiblity, and why risk the harm to the reptiles). I think bleach should only be used for glass, plastics and the like.
For wood, a simple baking at 200-300F for half an hour or so (dependent on the piece) is the easiest, most convenient and safest way to sterilise wood from the outdoors.
Boiling is certainly an option but you're maxing out at 212F (boiling point of water) and it's messy and inconvenient for anything larger than a twig.
If you have access to an autoclave (like me) throw it in there, nothing's coming out of there alive!
JMHO,
Ryan

[Siretsap]

Well actually, I don't think there is anything more porous than some chorals, and yet many salt water aquarium cleaners will use bleach to clean the chorals. If you leave it in the air for 4 days, it all evaporates.

We do clean the chorals with bleach and never had one fish die of it. So I am pretty sure your piece of wood will be clean of bleach (eau de javel) the thing you put in with your white clothes to clean and will decolor any other colors

what is an autoclave? Cause I can't put some of the big logs I use in the oven so this is why I use the water cleaning method.

[Removed_2815]

I see no problem using bleach on corals. The very nature of a coral's bicarbonate skeleton is a flow-through design, whereas wood is designed for water/liquid retention (and that is my main concern). It is certainly your prerogative, if you've had no problems, then feel free to keep with it. My choice is to not take the risk, and I will advocate this to others. Also, I am sure you use a very diluted mixture and it may very well be perfectly safe, but heat sterilisation is as effective and there is no addition of any chemical (which eases my mind).
An autoclave is a strong, pressurized, steam-heated vessel, used in our laboratories to sterilise instruments, pipette tips, etc.....
Cheers,
R