Safe branches for beardies?

[RachelG]

My sweet Frank has a large enclosure with lots of resin decor like a tree, basking platform, log, rock, cave , etc. He also has hammocks and ceramic tile hides.

He loves to run, climb, hop, and stamp around all cute. Of course he is partial to his basking platform on the warm side, the hammock and his beloved resin tree.

He is VERY active, and I think he would enjoy more enrichment, specially more branches to climb. I bought some reptile-specific mopani wood and driftwood branches, but they're like... Too small, too pokey, too thin for him to lounge on. I even sprung for the zilla xl sandblasted grapevine branch and honestly, it sucks too.

I've tried to find a bigger resin tree or branch, both on Amazon and in the pet stores, but... No luck. I've read that oak, ash and maple are safe, and as I live in Texas, there are oak trees everywhere including in my own yard. IS oak safe? Can I just go cut down a branch I want and dry/sanitize it?

 

[AHBD]

I use branches + driftwood from outside, nothing that would ooze any sap. I just preheat the oven to about 230F and bake them for an hour or so to kill any potential pests. You just have to be sure they don't get close to the heat coils.

 

[xp29]

Pretty much any hardwood is ok, avoid any type of evergreen

 

[NickAVD]

It’s better to find an already dry branch. If you want to use a freshly cut oak branch, you will have to dry it. If you do nothing, the oak will take several months to dry. You can speed up the drying in the oven by setting the temperature to 200F, but this will take about 10 hours.
These are approximate figures for drying oak wood planks, perhaps someone on the forum has already dried a round branch themselves and will correct me, but I think that the figures will be the same.

 

[RachelG]

I use branches + driftwood from outside, nothing that would ooze any sap. I just preheat the oven to about 230F and bake them for an hour or so to kill any potential pests. You just have to be sure they don't get close to the heat coils.

Thank you for the input! I think I'll have better luck with this approach. Frank will be lounging on his new log in no time!

 

[RachelG]

It’s better to find an already dry branch. If you want to use a freshly cut oak branch, you will have to dry it. If you do nothing, the oak will take several months to dry. You can speed up the drying in the oven by setting the temperature to 200F, but this will take about 10 hours.
These are approximate figures for drying oak wood planks, perhaps someone on the forum has already dried a round branch themselves and will correct me, but I think that the figures will be the same.

Thank you very much for the tips! I think I will dry the branch myself in the oven, because I know that my own trees don't have pesticides, and I'd have to cut one off. Good thing they're due for a pruning, haha.

 

[RachelG]

Pretty much any hardwood is ok, avoid any type of evergreen

Thank you for the guidance! I always worry so much about toxicity, that's why my guy has resin... But I know he'd love a real branch and now I'm going to get him one, haha.

 

[xp29]

Thank you for the guidance! I always worry so much about toxicity, that's why my guy has resin... But I know he'd love a real branch and now I'm going to get him one, haha.

Just be careful of weight, hardwood tends on the heavy side, just make sure it can't fall on him or roll and pin him.

 

[RachelG]

I am super curious. In everyone's opinion, what property/ designation/ byproduct is it that makes certain woods unsuitable or suitable for beardies? Is it sap? Deciduous-ness? Hardwood classification? Something more specific, or a combination?

As I was checking out and identifying the trees in my yard, (I'm deciding between using Shumard Oak or Texas Live Oak) I came across some crapemyrtles, which are widely regarded as nontoxic to living things, but are actually categorized as a deciduous shrub. Can shrub trunks be used? Does that "nontoxic" designation apply to the leaves (Frank will never see or have the chance to eat ANY tree leaf) or the whole thing? I also have a sugarberry/hackberry tree that is deciduous, and regarded as nontoxic as well, but I can't find information on whether it's a hardwood. Does it matter if I sanitize and dry it?

I'm likely making too much of this, and I'm not asking anyone to cite sources or anything (unless you have some and want to!) haha. I've already received responses I trust from @AHBD @xp29 and @NickAVD about the oak branches I'll be using, I just wondered if there was more to it.

 

[AHBD]

I think it would all be fine. In my case I collected old dried wood, nothing fresh off the tree. I did get much smaller branches for my chameleons straight from a mock orange shrub though and mulberry tree.

 

[xp29]

The sap in evergreen I think is generally whats toxic. Cedar is the worst (insects won't even eat/live in it) but as far as I know all evergreen is toxic. If it were sealed it might be ok.