Quote Originally Posted by Virus View Post
Though I do know that it is generally considered best to treat 'wild' wood by baking them in the oven. I think 300 for 20 minutes would work.
Yes - do this with ANY wood you collect from outside. Grape vine wood is wonderful since its nice and twisty and somewhat flexible. Peal off the outer bark down to the cleaner core and you'll have a nice piece. Then bake it. I lay my wood directly on the middle oven rack with a sheet of tin foil on the lower rack underneath - this lets the buggers fall out of the wood onto the foil.

Generally, snakes will end up crushing live plants unless you have a small truly arboreal species. A red tail will crush any live plants flat in no time. There is no reason you can't create a beautiful natural looking habitat with fake plants though. And they are easier to disinfect.