Safe wood for BP hide box?

[Greenmanbacchus]

Hey everyone
My 15 month old F BP is getting close to outgrowing her
bark half-round hide. Since she's pushing three feet in length, I'm
thinking that I probably won't find a big enough bark half-round. (> ten by ten)
Has anyone got any info on what kind of wood is safe to use for a hide box?.
I'm using aspen bedding...I know better than to use cedar etc. If my local lumber yard had aspen boards, I guess I'd use that....but they don't.
I'm told pine ( your basic lumber) is no good...I guess that's why I don't use pine bedding I bought some pre-cut oak, thinking that'd be that....but...it's got a very strong odor...really fills up the house. The lumber yard told me that's typical of oak...even told me that the oak in question had been there 'airing out' for quite some little while. I'm....guessing that, being a hardwood, oak doesn't have the phenols, and various other oils and irritants that make Cedar etc a no-no.
Still....this oak stinks . Does anyone know if it's a 'harmless' stink?.
I know that aspen is also called "Shivering Poplar". The lumber yard only has yellow poplar....which as it turns out isn't actualy Poplar ( Populus spp ) at all.
Rather, everywhere but America, what we call yellow poplar is marketed as 'Tulipwood'. ( Liriodendron tulipifera) It is described as 'aromatic and bitter'.....so I guess yellow poplar is out.....
So far, my research hasn't gotten me an answer, and I'm hoping someone here will have a ready answer for me. Regina ( yeah, I know...no imagination) really likes her bark half-round. If I can't find a bigger one, I figure I'll make one...I just need to know the right wood(s) to use.
Thanks in advance for your help

GMB
amergin@comcast.net

[blushingball419]

I'm pretty sure oak is okay, but I would stay away from anything that has a strong aroma. Someone else will have to chime in that knows better than me though. Maple, apple, and aspen are all good, basically it's just the pine and cedar that are the worst ones. Now, are you talking about making another half-log that's open on both ends, or a box with 4 sides? Because really, unless you're dead set on making another half-log hide, I would recommend just going to the dollar store and getting a couple of dark opaque plastic bowls and cutting holes in the sides. They're much more secure for a bp, unless you're putting one end of the half-log up against the back of the enclosure. Just my suggestion though... if the half-log has worked fine for you up to this point, then that's cool and it's up to you

[Inknsteel]

I made some wooden hides out of birch and used them for a while with no problems. Just make sure you put a coat or two of polyurethane on it to seal it from moisture, and let it dry until there's no noticeable smell.

[Greenmanbacchus]

I'm pretty sure oak is okay, but I would stay away from anything that has a strong aroma. Someone else will have to chime in that knows better than me though. Maple, apple, and aspen are all good, basically it's just the pine and cedar that are the worst ones. Now, are you talking about making another half-log that's open on both ends, or a box with 4 sides? Because really, unless you're dead set on making another half-log hide, I would recommend just going to the dollar store and getting a couple of dark opaque plastic bowls and cutting holes in the sides. They're much more secure for a bp, unless you're putting one end of the half-log up against the back of the enclosure. Just my suggestion though... if the half-log has worked fine for you up to this point, then that's cool and it's up to you

Hey Erin Thanks for your response!
As to plastic bowls, they'd be great in a pinch, while I whip up something else.
Full-time, I'm thinking they may not be heavy enough and would get pushed around, turned over etc. Her bark sits on a 12" slate floor tile under which is a UTH.
She routinely shifts her hide at least slightly off the tile. ( It's not terribly heavy either.) My plan so far is to use 1"X4" wood and create a 3.5"H box with a roof and two walls on the side with the front and back being open...nothing fancy...I'm more concerned with proper husbandry than esthetics. Maybe at some point I'll add bark to it for good climbing/basking traction. I'm led to believe that aspen lumber is available...it's just not available in my local lumber yard. I'll check with Home Depot etc and see about that. Once again, thanks for your advice...I'm always glad to hear it.
GMB ( Rick )
amergin@comcast.net

[Greenmanbacchus]

I made some wooden hides out of birch and used them for a while with no problems. Just make sure you put a coat or two of polyurethane on it to seal it from moisture, and let it dry until there's no noticeable smell.

Hey, Inknsteel Thanks for getting back to me, I appreciate it
Polyurethane....hadn't thought o' that...not that I don't use a lot of it for various applications. One quick slightly off-topic example: I made a 8'X4'X4'H plywood whelping box for my Neapolitan Mastiff to have puppies in. I wanted it virtually plasticized for cleaning purposes. So, I got the can out and laid down one good thick coat, figuring I'd add a second coat the next day. Well, next day? that 7/8" plywood had sucked up all the Spar Urethane...you'd have sworn it was brand new untouched plywood. Bottom line: it took six coats to achieve the plasticized finish that I wanted. It worked out very well...I just wasn't expecting six coats LOL. Now...if I'm gonna do that to a hide, couldn't I just as well use pine?So far I've spent about $30.00 on precut pine( got halfway through assembly when the pine scent reminded me" What am I doing? I can't use this") as well as precut poplar ( which isn't actually poplar...*sigh* ) and red oak. After the poplar and pine, I figured I'd stop messing around and buy oak (nearly three times the price, but hey...who cares, right?...give her what she needs) Now it's looking like the red oak might be suspect....arrgh. I suppose if it comes to that, I'll order aspen lumber online and have it shipped...but really...it shouldn't come to that, I wouldn't think.
This is starting to become an adventure LOL.
Thanks Inknsteel I appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

GMB ( Rick )
amergin@comcast.net

[snakesRkewl]

The safest wood....

I find little snakes like popcorn


Bigger snakes enjoy snacking on crackers though


Sorry, had to...

[Greenmanbacchus]

The safest wood....

I find little snakes like popcorn


Bigger snakes enjoy snacking on crackers though


Sorry, had to...

Hehehe...good one Jerry. She's actually using a Timken box atm. I tried to upload pics, but I can't figure it out LOL .
GMB ( Rick )
amergin@comcast.net

[snakesRkewl]

Not very aesthetically appealing but the snakes love their throw away hides
I've even used painted bird houses in tanks, they love those too

[babyknees]

Shoe boxes are awesome too.

[kitedemon]

tulip wood is WAY bad it is actually quite bad for woodworkers. oak is full of tannin that is a natural insecticide It is maybe ok I am not sure maple or birch are good where I am poplar is quite common and cheap but I don't know about other areas. Any wood treated with a polyurethane is basically plastic until the encapsulation coat is breached then is can out gas quite quickly. Just check it for blemishes each time you clean it and all is well.