using branches from outdoors

[momsmenagerie]

What do I need to do to clean/sanitize branches from outside before I put them in my veiled's cage? what will happen if I just put them in the cage without pre-treating?

 

[dcooley08]

i did this recently. I scrapped all the bark off then washed them down with soapy hot water. once dry i then baked them in the oven for 20 minutes on 400 F

hope this helps

 

[lisagr07]

i just cut and left mine outside to the elements for a month, then added them to my cages with no ill affects, as far as i can tell.

 

[Alexl]

Depends on where you come from and which parasite status the lizards outside have. Example: I live in Germany. We don't have that many lizards running around freely and those who do don't have any problems with oxyurids, coccidia - just some thicks may be worth a thought- or they can't transmit their parasite species to chameleons. Due to this circumstances I can take every branch from outside with negligible risk of parasites. No boiling, no washing, nothing. It works. But if you live e.g. in Florida, doing the same could be a much bigger problem. You would have free living chameleons and other lizards outside, who can definitely carry infectious parasites eggs or oocysts around trees and bushes. So it would be a much higher risk of getting chameleon pathogenic parasites into your cage with untreated branches from outside there.

Second it depends on the parasites you want to get rid off. Example: Cryptosporidia oocysts survive cold til 5°F and heat up to 150°F. Just washing with warm water and soap doesn't have any effect, but a steam blaster with water > 160°F would be great to destroy the infectious stages. Eimeria oocysts in contrast don't survive 95°F, but they're resistent to most chemical disinfectants. And just to add: Only leaving branches outside does not destroy e.g. coccidia, ascarids and lots of other parasites. Would be nice if it was that easy, but it isn't.


As you see...there's no single solution for everyone out there.

 

[Olimpia]

I live in Florida and use branches from outside without doing anything to them except cutting them to size. I've been doing this for years and haven't had any parasite issues, at least none that have come up on periodical fecals. I don't consider it a big risk, especially if I use live branches that aren't infested with grubs, spiders, or anything else that lives in dead wood. But you can always bake branches at a minimum of 350*F for 15+ minutes if you are worried and that should get rid of pretty much anything.

 

[Cainschams]

I live in Florida and use branches from outside without doing anything to them except cutting them to size. I've been doing this for years and haven't had any parasite issues, at least none that have come up on periodical fecals. I don't consider it a big risk, especially if I use live branches that aren't infested with grubs, spiders, or anything else that lives in dead wood. But you can always bake branches at a minimum of 350*F for 15+ minutes if you are worried and that should get rid of pretty much anything.

I have never done anything myself and have been doing it for years. I really like using dry hops vines. Works well for the smaller chams. Will have to see how they work when the matschiei get bigger.