[Viridovipera]

Just finished converting a 10 gallon aquarium to a terrarium this past weekend and finally got it set up. Its currently housing my youngest male sikorae.



And here is the thanks I got:

[Sporonicle]

Nice viv and gecko!

[sikorae]

Nice set up I am sure the little sikorae will love it

[mttycaz85]

are those branches from outside? If so do you treat them or anything? Just wondering if its ok to do?

[jadrig]

You dont have to treat the branches...If they are dead...they usually have termites.
The best branches to get are oak limbs from a live tree.

[Viridovipera]

Yes, the branches are from outside and I havent treated them with anything. I just go into the forest with a saw and get what I think looks good. As jadrig said , dead branches should be avioded, but you can also get bugs from live braches. I once had a whole bunch of wasps (the non stinging kind) hatching in a terrarium.

[pakinjak]

I've had some funky little things hatch out in my tanks too, but never anything that could harm an animal. As long as you cut the branch from a standing living tree, I don't think there's too much to worry about.

That being said, I think the ideal approach for large branches that can't be baked (mine are too large to fit in the oven) would be to cut them and then keep them in the attic or hanging in the garage for a season. This would allow whatever is in them to hatch, or if it's hot enough, die. I'm going to start putting branches in the attic through the hot season and I think that will be good.

[lauraleellbp]

I run wood through the dishwasher on the "sanitize" cycle with no chemcials for my aquariums and gecko vivs. I usually have avoided live woods due to saps, but I imagine this would work pretty well for cleaning live oak branches, too.