help with branches

[Buggs47]

Hi I have just got 2 tree branches and would like to know the best way to treat them before putting them in my beardies viv please.

[becky_johnny]

The advice I've had for branches is to boil them in water for an hour or so to get rid of any parasites/germs, then they're good to go.

I was going to do the same, grab some branches from outside, but then a reptile pet shop owner said to watch out for sap that be found inside some branches, because this can harm or kill a beardie (the reptile I have). In the end I brought java wood, which is thick wood with no hollow bits or sap inside. It's quite expensive (£13 for a small branch is what I paid) but I wanted to be on the safe side.

All this info was new to me from different pet shop owners, so do what you think is best.

[Buggs47]

The branches are far too big to boil

[C4VEMAN-5AM]

How can it be to big to boil?

You can use the kettle as long as you get every part drenched and scolded. If it can fit in your oven, then thats an option.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...8220829AAEBcE6

http://www.anapsid.org/wildwood.html

[snickers]

Avoid conifers (anything with needles instead of leaves).

Freshly cut/green branches are best. Remove the bark to get rid of most of he critters and pollution and then give them a good scrub. Then leave then for a while to dry out in the garage.

The petshop owner was trying to make a sale IMO.

[jamies]

why cant you use conifers?

[Adam_R]

i juts cut em off the trees in local field remove bark with stanley blade and put them in oven for half hour to kill anything off then good to go

[joeyboy]

Originally Posted by jamies

why cant you use conifers?

pine trees contain chemicals which are toxic to quite a few animals, especially smaller ones.

[Buggs47]

The ones I have are over 3ft long so defo won't fit in my oven

[becky_johnny]

Originally Posted by snickers

The petshop owner was trying to make a sale IMO.

That thought crossed my mind, but at the end of the day I'm a new reptile owner and I didn't want to risk it.