How to sterilize tree branches

I was wonder how to sterilize tree branch i found for my tank. The problem is the piece of branch is too big to put inside kitchen owen. Is there any other way to properly sterilize something that came out of woods?

The branch itself was cut from a live tree but still probably lots of germs and possibly pests on it.

Do you have a freezer big enough to fit it?

Not really, but easier to find than such big owen which probably are only used in professional environment like restaurants. Why would freezing it sterilize enough? Don't some germs and bacteria just go dormant when frozen and alive again when unthawned? If it works I'll just visit grandmother who has two freezers big enough.

Would using a 100-200C blower (200-400F) to heat wires work?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jxl

Not really, but easier to find than such big owen which probably are only used in professional environment like restaurants. Why would freezing it sterilize enough? Don't some germs and bacteria just go dormant when frozen and alive again when unthawned? If it works I'll just visit grandmother who has two freezers big enough.

Would using a 100-200C blower (200-400F) to heat wires work?

---

I really have no idea if freezing would kill everything...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sho220

I really have no idea if freezing would kill everything...

---

Yeah I'm afraid that it doesn't. As I understand some germs/bacteria just go dormant when frozen and are alive again when unfrozen :confusd:

Bleach. Soak it in a container of equal parts bleach and water for 24 hours, then rinse it well, and soak it in regular water for another 24 hours to leech out the bleach, changing the water two or three times, and then rinse it again and allow it to dry thoroughly. The branch should no longer smell like bleach; if it does, it will need more leeching. Also, check for particularly sharp points or splinters on the wood and file them back with sandpaper (only works when dry, and if you do this, you'll need to rinse it and let it dry again so the dust doesn't irritate your snakey's nose). It's a long process, but not much survives a bleach bath.

Freezing doesn't kill everything.

Soak branch in bleach water, then bake at 300 degrees in the oven for 30min-1 hr.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Soap, a good scrub, allow to dry overnight, a good vinegar bath, let dry for an hour, cover in mite spray, introduce later in the day.

Well how big is this branch,how big is your enclosure,how big is your oven????

is it possible to cut the branch,well it is very possible,lol,but would it then Mae the branch worthless to you?

baking it seems to be the best and easiest way to do things.

Simple branch is just to big to fit in conventional home oven. If I cut it down it will not fit the tank as planned. Branch is like 98% length of the tank which is roughly 30" and standard ovens here are more or less 20x20x20 :)

I guess I'll just need to find someone with industrial oven or cut it in half for baking then reattach the two pieces ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Physician&Snakes

Soap, a good scrub, allow to dry overnight, a good vinegar bath, let dry for an hour, cover in mite spray, introduce later in the day.

---

Are you positive about that? I doubt that this procedure eliminates any bugs, parasites that may be inside the branch that can crawl out of holes, cracks etc?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jxl

Are you positive about that? I doubt that this procedure eliminates any bugs, parasites that may be inside the branch that can crawl out of holes, cracks etc?

---

The water is scolding (should have added that) and of course vinegar has a high pH that kills many microorganisms. Obviously water near boiling temperatures is going to permeate through the wood's crack and crevices incinerating any exoskeletons. As far as how sure I am, I have had a few of these branches in cages for almost 3 years without any incidence. Now that I think about, I think Greg Maxwell would just use soap and water on his wild collected branches with a touch of bleach maybe...of course he is out of the Chondro business now from what I hear now.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by satomi325

Freezing doesn't kill everything.

Soak branch in bleach water, then bake at 300 degrees in the oven for 30min-1 hr.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

---

I would go with this. Someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe bacteria are more resistant to acid than they to bases. I'd rather clean with bleach (high ph level) for this reason. I know there are some resistance to higher heat too. I feel like using this combination would be best to kill MOST types of bacteria that could be found there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Physician&Snakes

The water is scolding (should have added that) and of course vinegar has a high pH that kills many microorganisms. Obviously water near boiling temperatures is going to permeate through the wood's crack and crevices incinerating any exoskeletons. As far as how sure I am, I have had a few of these branches in cages for almost 3 years without any incidence. Now that I think about, I think Greg Maxwell would just use soap and water on his wild collected branches with a touch of bleach maybe...of course he is out of the Chondro business now from what I hear now.

---

Vinegar has low, not high ph. But this^ would probably be another effective method at disinfecting. Another option, with an even lower ph, would be good old lemon juice. It would leave your branch smelling better than vinegar too haha.

What I did to bake the branch I found was sawed it into pieces that fit into the oven, then screwed all the pieces back together when it was done. Yeah it's a little extra work but it worked like a charm.

OP,cut the branch in half bake it in your conventional oven.. Then when done go to Home Depot or lowes and buy some stainless steel brackets and stainless steel screws and put your branch right back together. Make sure it's stainless steel,don't want it rusting in your enclosure from the humidity of course..why didn't I think of this,9 hours ago when I replied,lol,makes all to much sense..if you wanna get fancy,get a chisel and chisel down the branch a bit so the brackets fit into the branch and then cover with some sort of non toxic wood puddy...

If I don't find someone with a bigger oven, I'll just have to cut it in pieces small enough and stitch it together after baking.

Thank you all for suggestions, ideas :)