Cleaning Branches?

[ChameleonAlley]

I was wondering if any of you all had any suggestions for cleaning branches? I've got some in the oven right now, but I've got a large one that won't fit in the oven. Any suggestions on how to clean it before I can put it in the cage? Thanks all.

 

[ChameleonAlley]

Anyone have any input?

 

[pssh]

Peal off all bark and soak in a 1:10 Bleach:water solution and rinse really well in really hot water. Let it dry and rinse it again (and dry) to make sure all bleach is out.

 

[ChameleonAlley]

Thank you soo much! When you say take off all the bark, is this because they could gnaw on it? Do I need to make sure it's really stripped? Thanks again Pssh. You rock!

 

[lucky]

i got some branches from a brush that caught fire. the branch structure was awesome. i took them to work and wire wheeled the bark off of them. sandblasted them. and then i soaked in bleach solution, rinsed, and let dry and they are amazing in my cage.

 

[ChameleonAlley]

Hey that's great Lucky! Sounds nice. Why must the bark be taken off though?

 

[pssh]

It can be eaten and choked on. It can also fall of and get eaten on accident. Also, make sure they're dead, sap can be very dangerous.

 

[lucky]

dont quote me on this but i think its because the bark can contain sap and it can be poisionous to your animal....

 

[ChameleonAlley]

Great info guys! Thank you!!

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I use branches from safe trees all the time.
I collect them and put them in the cages ... no soaking, washing, stripping bark, baking etc.
I just use them the way I find them.
If you collect near a busy street, in a highly polluted area or in a park off the ground where a dog may have peed on them, I would wash them off.

-Brad

 

[L30girl]

hhmm be careful with just taking the branches and throwing them in a cage, they could have mites and tics on them. Obviously, a good inspection of the branches should show whether or not there are tics on them, but mites may be a little more difficult to spot.

I'm curious, I have vines that I took down a few weeks ago, they are some kind of wild vine and they look exactly like the imitation vines... i'll find a picture... and it has a thin layer of bark on it, do I still need to remove it?

 

[draetish]

I use branches from safe trees all the time.
I collect them and put them in the cages ... no soaking, washing, stripping bark, baking etc.
I just use them the way I find them.
If you collect near a busy street, in a highly polluted area or in a park off the ground where a dog may have peed on them, I would wash them off.

-Brad

I do the same, you just need to use common sense.