Wood inside enclosures

Curious to know where you all get the right kind of wood (as clutter) for your ball python enclosures. I have a piece of driftwood in my yard but I have no idea what kind of tree it came from. For those of you who use driftwood, how to do you ensure it's not pine or cedar or something that can hurt your snake? I'd love to get my BP something to climb but I'm hopeless at identifying trees and I don't want to grab the wrong thing from outside.

Also wondering if wood molds in enclosures with high humidity, and how to prevent this if they do?

I know a lot of people prefer to bake wood in the oven to sanitize it and kill bugs and parasites. If it's in the oven you should be able to smell the aroma of pine or cedar. I heard if it has a strong aroma it's probably best to leave it. I think most hardwoods can be dangerous for reptiles.

Noted, thanks! I definitely plan to bake any wood I use. When you said "hardwood" (oak, birch, cherry, beech, ash...etc.) is harmful did you mean "softwood" (pine, cedar, fir...etc.?).

I buy pieces of driftwood from pet stores. In the past I used a piece of wood from my yard (I live in the woods) that we had sanitized in the oven, but I just feel safer using wood that I know was specifically produced to be used with reptiles. I've never had my wood grow mold or anything like that... If you're worried about something like that, some pet stores also have fake plastic pieces of wood (if you can't find any near the reptile supplies, check by the decorations for fish.)

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Originally Posted by Luvyna

Noted, thanks! I definitely plan to bake any wood I use. When you said "hardwood" (oak, birch, cherry, beech, ash...etc.) is harmful did you mean "softwood" (pine, cedar, fir...etc.?).

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My thought also.

Whoops! Sorry, yes I mean softwood. Thanks for spotting that.

Also be sure it has no pesticides on it.

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Originally Posted by royalreilly

I buy pieces of driftwood from pet stores. In the past I used a piece of wood from my yard (I live in the woods) that we had sanitized in the oven, but I just feel safer using wood that I know was specifically produced to be used with reptiles. I've never had my wood grow mold or anything like that... If you're worried about something like that, some pet stores also have fake plastic pieces of wood (if you can't find any near the reptile supplies, check by the decorations for fish.)

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This sounds like a good alternative, it's probably what I'll go with to be on the safe side.

I might also get some wood from trimmings of the cherry tree in my backyard since I'm sure of what kind of tree that is, and that it has no pesticides.

I grabbed a nice gingko brunch cut from a neighborhood tree. I'm hoping to bake it then use it as a climbing branch for my BP. I haven't seen any climbing branches like this at the pet store, and my guy often tries to climb his thermometer, so I'd love to give him something more substantial.

Anybody have experience or thoughts on gingko in BP enclosures?