Question about using natural wood and leaves in a cage...

I see alot of broken branches and logs in my yard that would look really nice in the cage I just finished. I just want to know if it is ok to use these and what would would be the best way of cleaning them.

Most people "bake" their wood before useing it in a cage to kill any bugs that may be present. Others soak and clean it with a 5% bleach solution first. ANd some do both.
What I always used was matt finish spray polyurathane ( I use the hard as nails brand). I take the wood and clean it thuroughly to remove any loose dirt particles and then let it dry completly. After that I spray light coats, 3 or 4 and let dry for 2 hours or so between coats. With the clear mat finish it will still look great and have traction for climbing herps, but there will never be any bugs or other creepy crawlies coming out of it. And the best part is the ease of cleaning after that. You will get no bacteria build up in the wood from being pee'd and pooped on all the time. And one other thing, the wood lasts longer so you can use that same piece for many years.The Hard as nails polyurathane that I use is quick drying, but I still let it sit out in the sun for 3-4 days before I use it in the cage. That way all the solvents can evaporate and it is dried nice and hard. Like I said, I have done this for years and it works great. I have mostly used to for climbing limbs in my cages and can pick out what ever strikes my fancy for shape or wood variety and never have to worry about bugs.


David

your biggest concern would be with ticks and mites, a bleach soak will kill them off, on the other side of things make sure the area you are collecting from has not been treated with pesticides