Sanitizing a Large Stump

[dlhirst]

I’m constructing a terrarium filled w native New Hampshire plants and possibly a turtle or two. I have a tree fall stump that I would like to include for decorative purposes. It is too big to soak in a tub. Far too big to put in the oven. It has been over-wintering in my basement.

Is there anything I can do to address any potential bugs? If I am transplanting native ferns, mosses. &c., wouldn’t that just negate any effort on the log?

What do y’all think?

[eaglereptiles]

Cut it into sections, bake and bleach it and then bolt it together again when constructing the enclosure. You can gorilla glue over the bolts afterwards and rub some bark on it to hide them.

You could also look for a local kiln. kilnshare.com
You might have a local pottery company that will let you use it for a price/favor.

Orrrr if you are near a mattresses shop, ask them for one of the huge plastic protective bags they are delivered in. You can fill one of them with bleach and water and just let it soak for as long as needed.

[lumpy]

@eaglereptiles

Cut it into sections, bake and bleach it and then bolt it together again when constructing the enclosure. You can gorilla glue over the bolts afterwards and rub some bark on it to hide them.

This is probably going to be the best option. I might be trying something similar in the future.

[erie-herps]

Cutting it into sections would be the best way to sterilize it properly. You could also steam it or create massive ph changes (heavily misting with bleach, cleaning well, then heavily misting with vinegar. Just be sure that they don’t mix, I would buy two new spray bottles at the dollar store just for this.). An organism is extremely unlikely to be able to survive being dried out, then steaming, then a high ph, then a low ph. Any small holes that a bug would be buried in would also likely be sterilized, unless the tree grew around the living bug.
If you’re using native plants you could rinse the roots in bleach and then keep the plant in carbon dioxide for a few days. If you want to use carbon dioxide I outlined one way to do this:

@erie-herps

Below I’ll outline the basic process I used to add CO2 to the moss, it can also be used for adding CO2 to the plant propagation containers (I would have done this except I ran out of vinegar). CO2 can also be used for killing pests in an enclosure (after the animal is removed) and killing pests on new plants. CO2 can be quickly made from a reaction between vinegar and baking soda. To make the generator take a 1 gallon jug (or 2 liter bottle) and a smaller bottle (I used a 32 oz bottle). Run flexible tubing from the 1-gallon jug to the smaller bottle, and then another tube from the 32 oz bottle to the container (it shouldn’t be attached to the container, just the end of the tube). I attached the tubing by cutting it at an angle and then forcing it and gluing it into a hole in the lid of the containers. Use the generator by taking the 1 gallon jug and adding vinegar. Next, baking soda (about 1 tablespoon per charge) is rolled into toilet paper pieces (2 pieces per charge). Each charge is put into the gallon jug and quickly putting the lid back on (there is a small delay until it increases in volume, so you have a few seconds to put the lid on). The baking soda will react with the vinegar and produce carbon dioxide. It will quickly increase in volume and may go through the top, which is what the smaller bottle is for. Holding the end of the tube over the container will result in the heavier carbon dioxide pushing the air out. Make sure that it isn’t airtight since it will increase in pressure. You can quickly find the height of the carbon dioxide by using a tea candle and seeing when it goes out (most reliable and easiest in my opinion), blowing bubbles over the carbon dioxide and seeing at what level they float, or comparing how quickly the water droplets fall when misting it. If you’re adding the CO2 to water put a screen over the end of the tube so it comes out in smaller bubbles, this will result in more being absorbed by the water and it being more effective.
Here is my source for this process and where I learned it from.

Dendroboard

Building and Using a Co2 Generator

The Use Of CO2 In The Frog Hobby There are several avenues or areas that we could use CO2 in our hobby. Killing bugs and slugs in new plants before they are introduced to a tank. Killing bugs and slugs in existing tanks. You might need to gas a…

This project sounds super cool, I would love to see it once it’s done and a progression thread would be great.

[bughunter07]

I agree. I have used all of these sanitizing methods with no problems. I prefer the bleach though, just because it is a tiny bit less work. And just as Riley said, no bugs will be able to survive that unless the tree grew around the living bug.

[jawramik]

It’s a little hard to tell how large it is from the picture. I don’t suppose it would fit in a bathtub? If you know of any individual or business with a large kiln or industrial oven they’d let you use, that’s another possibility. It’s such a beautiful piece, I kind of hate the idea of cutting it up (even if you ultimately put it back together).

Very cool piece, I hope you’re able to use it!