Cleaning REALLY large pieces of wood

There was another thread I recall covering this, where I mentioned I bleached my pieces in my bathtub, and I would do that this time, but it dyes the wood and it takes 3+ days of soaking, so I'm wondering if there is something else I can put in the bathtub water that would be more safe, so I don't need to soak it out with clean water.

Any advice? Thank you!

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...om/mbasfq5.jpg

I'd never use bleach (even diluted) on wood, as the fumes linger on & are irritating, even toxic to living things. When I use large natural branches I just set them out
on my cement driveway in the sun, & spray them down good (all sides) with the same diluted chlorhexidine I use to clean their tanks etc. Let them air dry, chlorhex-
idine (or diluted F10) won't irritate once dry, it just kills some germs on the outside, & the hot sun helps too...this is best in summer. The only thing I've ever had
from a branch is a wood-boring beetle that leaves tiny tell-tale piles of fine sawdust on the tops of hides...doesn't bother the snake (or me). I use quite a few natural
branches...I have many big trees that donate frequently. ;)

I even dragged home a beautifully-curving branch that I fished out of the river I was kayaking; it's still in use, & it has a very snake-like form. Jahlil really blends in
when he lays on it, & with all the bark gone, it's nice and smooth. That's something you might want to do with your branches prior to spraying them...sand off some
or all the bark...that takes care of most issues right there. What I usually do is just use a stiff wire brush to at least brush off all the loose bark. Then spray...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I'd never use bleach (even diluted) on wood, as the fumes linger on & are irritating, even toxic to living things. When I use large natural branches I just set them out
on my cement driveway in the sun, & spray them down good (all sides) with the same diluted chlorhexidine I use to clean their tanks etc. Let them air dry, chlorhex-
idine (or diluted F10) won't irritate once dry, it just kills some germs on the outside, & the hot sun helps too...this is best in summer. The only thing I've ever had
from a branch is a wood-boring beetle that leaves tiny tell-tale piles of fine sawdust on the tops of hides...doesn't bother the snake (or me). I use quite a few natural
branches...I have many big trees that donate frequently. ;)

I even dragged home a beautifully-curving branch that I fished out of the river I was kayaking; it's still in use, & it has a very snake-like form. Jahlil really blends in
when he lays on it, & with all the bark gone, it's nice and smooth. That's something you might want to do with your branches prior to spraying them...sand off some
or all the bark...that takes care of most issues right there. What I usually do is just use a stiff wire brush to at least brush off all the loose bark. Then spray...

---

I should've clarified that, yes I will totally debark them. I had just pulled them out of the woods.

I just feel like spraying them down isn't enough. Would soaking in the F10 be an option? It's not toxic? So I wouldn't need to soak it out, if I did do that, I guess.

Although just spraying it down would be a lot easier.

Soaking in F10 is way over-kill, IMO. The world is full of germs...nothing is sterile or needs to be (except maybe surgery in hospital, as much as possible). Just a
reasonable reduction of risk is all you need...I don't have sick snakes, & they've had real branches for many years. Sure, birds poo on branches, & so on, but just
a scraping off of the bark bark & an external spray is enough, IMO. And I can't promise that wood literally soaked in F10 would be safe, as it would take a long time
to dry, & dry is what this stuff needs to be for snake-safety. Not only that, but just disposing of the large amount of F10 you'd need to literally soak large branches
is also an environmental hazard when you dump (or drain) it...it's just a bad idea, IMO.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wnateg

Although just spraying it down would be a lot easier.

---

Ya think? ;) Spray it twice, if it makes you feel better. (& please do it on your driveway or someplace where the spray doesn't impact your local wildlife...it IS toxic to them.)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Soaking in F10 is way over-kill, IMO. The world is full of germs...nothing is sterile or needs to be (except maybe surgery in hospital, as much as possible). Just a
reasonable reduction of risk is all you need...I don't have sick snakes, & they've had real branches for many years. Sure, birds poo on branches, & so on, but just
a scraping off of the bark bark & an external spray is enough, IMO. And I can't promise that wood literally soaked in F10 would be safe, as it would take a long time
to dry, & dry is what this stuff needs to be for snake-safety. Not only that, but just disposing of the large amount of F10 you'd need to literally soak large branches
is also an environmental hazard when you dump (or drain) it...it's just a bad idea, IMO.

---

hahaha, this is the approach I take as well. My boy sleeps in his own poop, so I can’t imagine anything living on a branch is grosser than him some days! I’d just let them bake in the sun.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Team Slytherin

hahaha, this is the approach I take as well. My boy sleeps in his own poop, so I can’t imagine anything living on a branch is grosser than him some days! I’d just let them bake in the sun.

---

Yeah, when I lived in the desert, I did a lot of sun-baking, except in winter. That plus an external spray w/ chlorhexidine & re-dry in the sun.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Ya think? ;) Spray it twice, if it makes you feel better. (& please do it on your driveway or someplace where the spray doesn't impact your local wildlife...it IS toxic to them.)

---

Sounds good enough for me. Thank you!

What wood do you guys use? I'm worried that whatever I put in my cage would dangerous for my snake. Most wood around me is cottonwood, dogwood, oak, and locust wood. Let's keep in mind this is bark included. Everywhere I look I see one is dangerous or toxic or something. Some of the wood is so cool and perfectly shaped, but I'd hate to put something in my new bioactive cage with my new boa that can hurt or make him sick!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wnateg

I just feel like spraying them down isn't enough. Would soaking in the F10 be an option? It's not toxic? So I wouldn't need to soak it out, if I did do that, I guess.

---

I've used f10 to clean wood before just like when I clean out my tubs/tanks. Dilute it spray everything really good and wash with a hose after. Then I just let it air dry.

Sean

Well, a cheap heat gun from Harbor Freight will kill any nasty eggs an such. For big pieces I’ve used an old horse trough to salt soak for a few days. Then rinse an clean soak. Let dry then break the heat gun out. A heat gun is great for sterilization for cages an tanks also.

Good luck !

I use a diluted vinegar + water along with sun-baking for my larger ones. Kills anything that could be icky but isn't dangerous to the scalies.