How to Sterilize Branches you collect from "the wild"!

BryanP

BryanP

Avid Member
Hello everybody!

I was looking around the forums and while I see that a lot of people use bamboo that is available at your local garden center or simply purchase the bio-Vines that are commercially available I much prefer the natural look that comes with real tree branches. This led me on a search of the forums and while a lot of people simply mention in passing ways that they use to sterilize their branches I thought that since I was doing it anyways I would make a write up and post if for everyone who might be a more visual learner! (and maybe one day it might be a sticky? Too soon???)

Anyways enough of the back story, lets get to the real nuts and bolts as to why you clicked here in the first place!

This is going to be a pretty simple write up... after all its a pretty simple process all things considered but hopefully this will allow more people to use real branches!

Tools that you will need are as follows:

1. Tape Measure
2. Clippers or tree branch cutters or Saw
3. A kitched oven (sorry honey)
4. "Wild" collected Branches
Thats it! Pretty simple

Step one
  • Go outside (I happen to love being outside anyways!) and collect some branches that you can find. I like to look for straight or large branches that I can cut into smaller pieces or anything that catches my eye.
View media item 43285Step Two
  • Get your cutter of choice and your tape measure and start cutting!
    • I did this by using a tape measure and cutting them just a little bit longer than the length of my cage or a few inches longer if I am going to want them sort of diagonal.
    • In my case this is as short as 25" and as long as 27" for my reptibreeze XL
View media item 43286
Step 3
  • Now comes the fun part. Let me start by saying:
      • !!!DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
      • You are working with HOT COMBUSTIBLE ITEMS
      • I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN
  • Good.... now that thats done... One more note of caution... This will smell slightly like a brush fire so....
    • If you live with your parents... get permission first...
    • If you are married (like me, sorry ladies!) I always find it easier to ask for forgiveness (Sorry Honey!)
  • Preheat (This is CRITICAL; to PREHEAT) to 350 degrees F.
    • Two points here.
      • Preheat because the oven kicks into HIGH Broiler to preheat and can start the branches on fire (Ask me how I know... Don't ask, I think you can guess)
      • 350 degrees was chosen not because its a nice round number but because at 356 degrees F for 30 minutes is what it takes to dry heat sterilize something.
  • Place your sticks inside the oven. Allow for maximum surface area to contact the heat
  • Set a timer for 45 minutes
    • I know I said above that 30 minutes at 356F is what it takes to dry sterilize but I like the 50% Overkill factor
  • Start your timer and KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED!!!
    • Keep the door closed because what does the fire triangle say?
        • Heat (Check - Oven)
        • Fuel (Check - Sticks)
        • Oxygen (Door Open - Check * Door Closed - No Check)
    • If you open the door you may see smoking... this is because now you have introduced oxygen into the oven and you complete the triangle. Wood does not combust until like the high 400s but smoke will be present.
  • Once the timer is off, let the oven cool for a few minutes longer, this will allow the temp to drop slowly and once it does you can open the door, use an oven mit (Again ask your parents or kiss up to your spouce), and take the sticks outside to fully cool.
View media item 43287
Step 4
  • Clean the sticks one last time with a damp rage, there may be some charing or blackening. This will clean some of that off and will also remove any of the bark that was lodge loose from the heat.
  • Once everything has cooled you can place them into the cage knowing that anything bad from the outside on the microscopic level will be killed and anything on the macroscopic (mostly wood boring pests) on the inside of the sticks is now DEAD!
View media item 43288View media item 43289Final Words
Is this the ONLY way to sterilize your branches? No, there are tons of different ways that will work. This is the way that I chose because I like to know that everything is dead on the INSIDE of the branch. This is not to say that the bucket and bleach method does not work to kill bugs, i'm sure it does, but this is a way that I am sure it kills them. I Hope that this is helpful to some people. I hope that after this we will all see more branches in people cages!

Comments and thoughts are welcome of course!
 
Another way to do it if one is nervous about the idea of smoldering sticks in their oven, is to use boiling water and put the branches inside it. You can take a pot, fill it with water, bring the water to a boil, and carefully boil the ends of the sticks for some time, and for longer sticks you can hold them above the pot and scoop water out with a suitable utensil (we used a wooden spoon I think) over the midsections. You wanna do it for a while to give the hot water plenty of time to murder anything living inside the sticks, but if you're patient it works just as well. The sticks retain their color too.

The oven idea is really good though, too! Especially for huge branches, especially ones that aren't that straight or anything and would be difficult to do well using boiling water. We never even really thought of that.

I just wanted to throw this in though as an idea for anyone who might be nervous about combusting their branches in their oven by accident. Because I would but I'm also the type to worry about everything. ^^; So I offer this as a safer alternative (so long as you don't burn yourself on the hot water).
 
BryanP said:
Hello everybody!

I was looking around the forums and while I see that a lot of people use bamboo that is available at your local garden center or simply purchase the bio-Vines that are commercially available I much prefer the natural look that comes with real tree branches. This led me on a search of the forums and while a lot of people simply mention in passing ways that they use to sterilize their branches I thought that since I was doing it anyways I would make a write up and post if for everyone who might be a more visual learner! (and maybe one day it might be a sticky? Too soon???)

Anyways enough of the back story, lets get to the real nuts and bolts as to why you clicked here in the first place!

This is going to be a pretty simple write up... after all its a pretty simple process all things considered but hopefully this will allow more people to use real branches!

Tools that you will need are as follows:

1. Tape Measure
2. Clippers or tree branch cutters or Saw
3. A kitched oven (sorry honey)
4. "Wild" collected Branches
Thats it! Pretty simple

Step one
  • Go outside (I happen to love being outside anyways!) and collect some branches that you can find. I like to look for straight or large branches that I can cut into smaller pieces or anything that catches my eye.
View media item 43285Step Two
  • Get your cutter of choice and your tape measure and start cutting!
    • I did this by using a tape measure and cutting them just a little bit longer than the length of my cage or a few inches longer if I am going to want them sort of diagonal.
    • In my case this is as short as 25" and as long as 27" for my reptibreeze XL
View media item 43286
Step 3
  • Now comes the fun part. Let me start by saying:
      • !!!DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
      • You are working with HOT COMBUSTIBLE ITEMS
      • I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN
  • Good.... now that thats done... One more note of caution... This will smell slightly like a brush fire so....
    • If you live with your parents... get permission first...
    • If you are married (like me, sorry ladies!) I always find it easier to ask for forgiveness (Sorry Honey!)
  • Preheat (This is CRITICAL; to PREHEAT) to 350 degrees F.
    • Two points here.
      • Preheat because the oven kicks into HIGH Broiler to preheat and can start the branches on fire (Ask me how I know... Don't ask, I think you can guess)
      • 350 degrees was chosen not because its a nice round number but because at 356 degrees F for 30 minutes is what it takes to dry heat sterilize something.
  • Place your sticks inside the oven. Allow for maximum surface area to contact the heat
  • Set a timer for 45 minutes
    • I know I said above that 30 minutes at 356F is what it takes to dry sterilize but I like the 50% Overkill factor
  • Start your timer and KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED!!!
    • Keep the door closed because what does the fire triangle say?
        • Heat (Check - Oven)
        • Fuel (Check - Sticks)
        • Oxygen (Door Open - Check * Door Closed - No Check)
    • If you open the door you may see smoking... this is because now you have introduced oxygen into the oven and you complete the triangle. Wood does not combust until like the high 400s but smoke will be present.
  • Once the timer is off, let the oven cool for a few minutes longer, this will allow the temp to drop slowly and once it does you can open the door, use an oven mit (Again ask your parents or kiss up to your spouce), and take the sticks outside to fully cool.
View media item 43287
Step 4
  • Clean the sticks one last time with a damp rage, there may be some charing or blackening. This will clean some of that off and will also remove any of the bark that was lodge loose from the heat.
  • Once everything has cooled you can place them into the cage knowing that anything bad from the outside on the microscopic level will be killed and anything on the macroscopic (mostly wood boring pests) on the inside of the sticks is now DEAD!
View media item 43288View media item 43289Final Words
Is this the ONLY way to sterilize your branches? No, there are tons of different ways that will work. This is the way that I chose because I like to know that everything is dead on the INSIDE of the branch. This is not to say that the bucket and bleach method does not work to kill bugs, i'm sure it does, but this is a way that I am sure it kills them. I Hope that this is helpful to some people. I hope that after this we will all see more branches in people cages!

Comments and thoughts are welcome of course!
Click to expand...
Korouri said:
Another way to do it if one is nervous about the idea of smoldering sticks in their oven, is to use boiling water and put the branches inside it. You can take a pot, fill it with water, bring the water to a boil, and carefully boil the ends of the sticks for some time, and for longer sticks you can hold them above the pot and scoop water out with a suitable utensil (we used a wooden spoon I think) over the midsections. You wanna do it for a while to give the hot water plenty of time to murder anything living inside the sticks, but if you're patient it works just as well. The sticks retain their color too.

The oven idea is really good though, too! Especially for huge branches, especially ones that aren't that straight or anything and would be difficult to do well using boiling water. We never even really thought of that.

BryanP said:
Hello everybody!

I was looking around the forums and while I see that a lot of people use bamboo that is available at your local garden center or simply purchase the bio-Vines that are commercially available I much prefer the natural look that comes with real tree branches. This led me on a search of the forums and while a lot of people simply mention in passing ways that they use to sterilize their branches I thought that since I was doing it anyways I would make a write up and post if for everyone who might be a more visual learner! (and maybe one day it might be a sticky? Too soon???)

Anyways enough of the back story, lets get to the real nuts and bolts as to why you clicked here in the first place!

This is going to be a pretty simple write up... after all its a pretty simple process all things considered but hopefully this will allow more people to use real branches!

Tools that you will need are as follows:

1. Tape Measure
2. Clippers or tree branch cutters or Saw
3. A kitched oven (sorry honey)
4. "Wild" collected Branches
Thats it! Pretty simple

Step one
  • Go outside (I happen to love being outside anyways!) and collect some branches that you can find. I like to look for straight or large branches that I can cut into smaller pieces or anything that catches my eye.
View media item 43285Step Two
  • Get your cutter of choice and your tape measure and start cutting!
    • I did this by using a tape measure and cutting them just a little bit longer than the length of my cage or a few inches longer if I am going to want them sort of diagonal.
    • In my case this is as short as 25" and as long as 27" for my reptibreeze XL
View media item 43286
Step 3
  • Now comes the fun part. Let me start by saying:
      • !!!DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
      • You are working with HOT COMBUSTIBLE ITEMS
      • I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN
  • Good.... now that thats done... One more note of caution... This will smell slightly like a brush fire so....
    • If you live with your parents... get permission first...
    • If you are married (like me, sorry ladies!) I always find it easier to ask for forgiveness (Sorry Honey!)
  • Preheat (This is CRITICAL; to PREHEAT) to 350 degrees F.
    • Two points here.
      • Preheat because the oven kicks into HIGH Broiler to preheat and can start the branches on fire (Ask me how I know... Don't ask, I think you can guess)
      • 350 degrees was chosen not because its a nice round number but because at 356 degrees F for 30 minutes is what it takes to dry heat sterilize something.
  • Place your sticks inside the oven. Allow for maximum surface area to contact the heat
  • Set a timer for 45 minutes
    • I know I said above that 30 minutes at 356F is what it takes to dry sterilize but I like the 50% Overkill factor
  • Start your timer and KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED!!!
    • Keep the door closed because what does the fire triangle say?
        • Heat (Check - Oven)
        • Fuel (Check - Sticks)
        • Oxygen (Door Open - Check * Door Closed - No Check)
    • If you open the door you may see smoking... this is because now you have introduced oxygen into the oven and you complete the triangle. Wood does not combust until like the high 400s but smoke will be present.
  • Once the timer is off, let the oven cool for a few minutes longer, this will allow the temp to drop slowly and once it does you can open the door, use an oven mit (Again ask your parents or kiss up to your spouce), and take the sticks outside to fully cool.
View media item 43287
Step 4
  • Clean the sticks one last time with a damp rage, there may be some charing or blackening. This will clean some of that off and will also remove any of the bark that was lodge loose from the heat.
  • Once everything has cooled you can place them into the cage knowing that anything bad from the outside on the microscopic level will be killed and anything on the macroscopic (mostly wood boring pests) on the inside of the sticks is now DEAD!
View media item 43288View media item 43289Final Words
Is this the ONLY way to sterilize your branches? No, there are tons of different ways that will work. This is the way that I chose because I like to know that everything is dead on the INSIDE of the branch. This is not to say that the bucket and bleach method does not work to kill bugs, i'm sure it does, but this is a way that I am sure it kills them. I Hope that this is helpful to some people. I hope that after this we will all see more branches in people cages!

Comments and thoughts are welcome of course!
Click to expand...

I just wanted to throw this in though as an idea for anyone who might be nervous about combusting their branches in their oven by accident. Because I would but I'm also the type to worry about everything. ^^; So I offer this as a safer alternative (so long as you don't burn yourself on the hot water).
Click to expand...
 
I either scald mine in the hottest water my shower will provide and use a coarse brush or even just spray them off with a strong jet from the hose. People get too caught up in assuming everything is full of parasites and disease. Bacteria are everywhere, as are insects, potential parasites, and so forth. Scalding with steaming hot water is enough to kill any insects or anything but the most resistant eggs of parasites, but parasite eggs aren't likely to be found on branches, above the ground, give any areas with bird poop on them an extra scalding and scrubbing and otherwise relax.
 
Extensionofgreen said:
...otherwise relax.
Click to expand...

Haha I tend to agree but the branches that I find on the ground probably have termites or other wood boring insects. as natural as they are in would prefer to not have them in the house.

I do tend to agree that people over hype the sterilization but I thought I'd make a post to help those that do care!

Plus it's fun baking sticks and potentially play with an oven fire!
 
BryanP said:
Haha I tend to agree but the branches that I find on the ground probably have termites or other wood boring insects. as natural as they are in would prefer to not have them in the house.

I do tend to agree that people over hype the sterilization but I thought I'd make a post to help those that do care!

Plus it's fun baking sticks and potentially play with an oven fire!
Click to expand...


I was intending to insult you or steal the pleasure from your post. I cut live wood, rather than fallen branches, in most instances, because it's more durable, flexible, safer, and has fewer chances of shedding bark that can be ingested and cause issues.
 
Extensionofgreen said:
I either scald mine in the hottest water my shower will provide and use a coarse brush or even just spray them off with a strong jet from the hose. People get too caught up in assuming everything is full of parasites and disease. Bacteria are everywhere, as are insects, potential parasites, and so forth. Scalding with steaming hot water is enough to kill any insects or anything but the most resistant eggs of parasites, but parasite eggs aren't likely to be found on branches, above the ground, give any areas with bird poop on them an extra scalding and scrubbing and otherwise relax.
Click to expand...
This... Shower off any dirt or insects and possible pesticides, remove the lose parts and the branch is good to go.

An healthy chameleon will not get sick of a bit of dirt or w/e on a branch anyways and what's the point of sterilizing a branch when you put that same chameleon outside on a sunny day on a tree or an enclosure that's exposed to that very same stuff all year around?

I don't suppose you bake or boil any life plants you put in that same enclosure. ;)
 
*wasn't intending. Smart phones make my typing look like a 3rd grader's sometimes and the limitations on editing make it impossible to fix. Life on the go!
 
Extensionofgreen said:
I was intending to insult you or steal the pleasure from your post. I cut live wood, rather than fallen branches, in most instances, because it's more durable, flexible, safer, and has fewer chances of shedding bark that can be ingested and cause issues.
Click to expand...

Lol...I was thinking...DAMN!!!!
 
Extensionofgreen said:
I was intending to insult you or steal the pleasure from your post. I cut live wood, rather than fallen branches, in most instances, because it's more durable, flexible, safer, and has fewer chances of shedding bark that can be ingested and cause issues.
Click to expand...
Wow! I was thinking you were really mean...just kidding! But it was funny though! ;)
 
I can't believe how afraid everyone is of nature. As someone so succinctly pointed out, do you sterilize the live plants that go in the cage?

Termites will not invade your house. Termites live in a nest in the ground and make trails into your house.

I would never strip the bark off a natural branch. They really need the cracks and crevices of the bark to get a good grip and the variety of surfaces for foot health. Bamboo is a terrible perching surface--too slippery. I rarely even wash my branches, which are covered in lichen. I don't use fallen branches; I cut them fresh off a tree.
 
I live in the woods. We have a storm, branches fall, I go outside, I pick up fresh branches, place inside of enclosure. Unless if fell from a diseased tree it's not going to be infested with bugs. At most maybe a grub or two and they'll die on their own with a little bit of time. I don't bother baking or washing with a bleach/H2O solution. Chams normally live outside in trees I think they're ok.
 
jajeanpierre said:
I can't believe how afraid everyone is of nature. As someone so succinctly pointed out, do you sterilize the live plants that go in the cage?

Termites will not invade your house. Termites live in a nest in the ground and make trails into your house.

I would never strip the bark off a natural branch. They really need the cracks and crevices of the bark to get a good grip and the variety of surfaces for foot health. Bamboo is a terrible perching surface--too slippery. I rarely even wash my branches, which are covered in lichen. I don't use fallen branches; I cut them fresh off a tree.
Click to expand...
When you remove bark from branches, the surface stays rough with cracks and crevices, and is not slippery. The bamboo rods from HD are no slippery as well, even when wet, are probably thin enough for better gripping as well. My panther grabs these branches and bamboo fine without a problem, and can hang upside down with two legs. However, that being said, I think that using fresh cut branches with the bark intact is fine.
Here's my story. I picked up recently fallen branches and used them. I bleached them overnight, then soaked them in just water [twice] to remove the bleach, and much of the bark turned to gel, and had to be removed. It was easy to remove the liquified bark, but a real pain in the butt to remove the rest. Well the point is that the branches fell because they were already dead, so the bark was falling off too, making the entire process harder. This would not happen with fresh branches. So like some have said above, just cut them and use them. I you fear hygiene issues, then bake them, but good luck getting the bigger ones in the oven.
BDBE5786-684A-491E-831F-0974092C01D6_zpsmzzt6nfu.jpg
 
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