curing wood

[little_dragon_]

I was in my backyard and I found some pretty nice verticle logs I want to put in my crested tanks. To cure them properly what should I do?

I am going to soak them in boiling water with antibacterial soap and a splash of peroxide. Is this good enough or should I use a bit of bleach?

[timminsreptiles]

i wouldnt use bleach for it could lodge itself in the wood............i put then in an oven at 200 dregrees for an hour or so.....lucas

[timminsreptiles]

sorry for the second post............you can also usually sterilize stuff like mosses and other delicates in the oven without causing damage.

[DragnDrop]

If the log/branch is in good shape, you might not have to do much more than clean it with hot water. If there is bark, make sure it's attached firmly, no gaps for unwanted insects to overwinter. Check for insect holes, which might suggest rotten wood inside. If there are no tunnels into the wood, it's about as clean as you can get it inside, no need to worry about unseen cooties harboring there, so all you do is clean off the outside to remove dirt, grime and pollution fallout. :)
A good scrubbing with hot water will do it without leaving toxic residue. If you feel you must do more, then squirt some hydrogen peroxide into the cracks and crevices, maybe pour some over the wood in general too, but don't resort to soap since it can soak into the wood and leave traces your geckos will lick. Baking it isn't necessary either. For the heat to get down to the centre of the wood would mean exposing the outside to very hot temperatures, possibly charring the top or starting a bonfire in your oven. Baking at 200 degrees doesn't do much, it's not hot enough to kill any cooties that might be deep inside the wood, and would take many hours for the heat to penetrate that far.

Just pick a nice sound piece of wood and wash the outside.

[timminsreptiles]

I used to own a Tattoo parlour and still do it on the side but herps are more my passion now a days. 400 dregrees is usually what is needed to do a high level sterilization but since your not dealing with HIV or HEP/a-c a low level strelization CAN be achieved at 200 dregrees. Put your wood in there for an hour at 200 dregrees then take it out and check the temp inside and you see that its just as hot as the outside, provided its been in there for at least an hour and that it isnt the size of a log youd throw in a camp fire or furnace, im talking about small peices of driftwood and such.. But keep in mind that sterilizing does not clean whatsoever and anything to be strilized must be thoroughly cleaned prior to sterilization.

[little_dragon_]

I'm at my parents house for the holidays. My mom says the only thing going in her oven is food.

I was out today and left them soaking in hot water with a bit of peroxide. I might try and sneak them in the oven tonight to dry them out at a low temp. I stripped off the bark there was no sign of insect holes. Thanks for the tips.