# Ball Pythons > BP Husbandry >  Is it safe to use driftwood in bp enclosure?

## Purple Pie Man

I have a piece of driftwood from my fish tank that would look great in my bp's enclosure. I baked it in the oven to kill any germs that were on it. would it be safe to use or can my bp get sick from that kind of wood?

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## Royal Morphz

the only problem that I have ever had with porous cage decor is its a easy place for mites to hang out and hard to clean but I have used drift wood in my day.

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## Purple Pie Man

If the snake doesnt have mites can she get it frome the wood even if the wood is cleaned? how do snakes get mites?

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## seeya205

No,there would be no mites in the wood if it was in water with fish or something and then baked later!  If your bp does get mites, it is a good place for them to hide!  I would use it!

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## Foschi Exotic Serpents

You can make it safe for your snake. Dont trust any wood you buy or find outside. You can do either store bought or drift/bog wood found in a river. Its the same principle as preparing it for your aquarium. I have 3 nice pieces of self collected bog wood in my aquarium. Its essential for plecos. I had small pieces in my original BP enclosure for my oldest ball when she was a baby. Get a rough scrub brush or steel wool to scrub the wood very well in water. Rinse it well and scrub again. Scrub it very smooth. Do this until the water is fairly clear. Then boil the wood in a large pot for at least 2 hours. If it is too big for a pot put it in a tub of hot water with plenty of bleach and leave it there for a few hours. Rinse it well at least 4 times and let it dry completely so any trace of bleach fumes dissapates. An hour or so if it was dry collected wood. A few days if it was bog wood found under water. 

If none of your reptiles have mites there is nothing wrong with having wood in the enclosure. Never use wood with bark on it, wood rot, holes, etc etc.. If the wood was already in your fish tank you shouldnt even have to go through all the initial cleaning. It wont have bugs.

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## Purple Pie Man

Cool thanks guys. I did purchase it at the pet store and i had it in my aquarium for a long time until i redecorated it. then i just had it in my closet until now. I actually put it in the oven at 200 for about 3 hours just to kill off any possible germs ect... It should look pretty nice in there, from what i've been reading bp's like it cluttered.

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## Vypyrz

You could always treat it with Provent-A-Mite just to be sure...

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