Got Wood?

[lady_bug87]

Well I do.

A whole heaping backyard filled with Oaks and a maple. In my front yard I have an oak that is most likely 300 years old.

My question is: when I have branches that fall can I use them in vivariums? (after freezing of course) No pine, just Oak and Maple

Oh and if anyone is in Ontario and wants Maple tree saplings please call me. I have about a million in my backyard.

[dinosaurdammit]

ive never seen freezing, I usually just cook my stuff in the oven at about 200 degrees for about an hour

[KORBIN5895]

I read the title and was like always then I opened up and saw you say "Well I do." And I knew I took that wrong.

Serious note. Yeah those hardwood would be fine.

[Wildside]

I read the title and was like always then I opened up and saw you say "Well I do." And I knew I took that wrong.

Serious note. Yeah those hardwood would be fine.

Are you trying to say your tree fell down?


*snickers*

[Gungirl]

Yes that is fine to use. I take them out of my yard and place them right into the viv. No washing, freezing or baking. I just look to make sure it is not infested with bugs or has mold. If it looks clear I toss it in.

[lady_bug87]

Ooo good to know Kat! I wonder if I can plant a sapling in one of the vivs for extra cover....

[Wildside]

I always just soaked them in the tub with hot bleach water then let them air dry for a day or so.

[Terranaut]

You could trim and dry your wood then use fake leaves on the real wood. Wouldn't even really need to be the correct leaves just some green.

[DragonsEye]

Ooo good to know Kat! I wonder if I can plant a sapling in one of the vivs for extra cover....

Not a wise choice. Doing so would present you with a multitude of issues.
1) The sapling would quickly send roots throughout the substrate. Resulting in a royal pain in the butt when you have to rip it out (ie you would have the "pleasure" of completely redoing your tank.)

2) Providing sufficient light would be very difficult at best. With insufficent light, the plant would either barely hang in there for a time, or would become so etiolated (stretched out) from the poor lighting that you would get weak sickly growth. This ties in with :

3) In "reaching" for the light, it would quickly out grow your viv space.

4) Most vivs have piss poor air circulation and air exchange. The sapling would likely have major issues with fungal attacks.

5) Trees (and most plants period for that matter) from temperate zones like yours REQUIRE a cold winter dormancy in order to maintain health and vigor. (It is one of the main reasons those little juniper bonsai trees sold in BBSs rarely survive even to their 2nd year in a person's home.)


If you happen to find a cool looking fallen branch, you could either plant it upright in the viv (assuming it has a nice "tree shape") or install it as a horizontal branch in your viv. Fake leaves could be hotglued to the branch as well as various living bromeliads.

[lady_bug87]

Thanks for all the info! I realized after I posted that it probably wouldn't work for a whole host of reasons lol

[BarelyBreathing]

It's okay to use, and if you don't use pesticides or insecticides you don't even have to worry about cleaning them.

[lady_bug87]

No we don't spray