# Bark from garden centres



## Jacko24 (Jan 9, 2012)

ive got two 8x3x2 vivs to fill with bark and as you can imagine its expensive to buy from rep shop soooooooo ive been looking at garden centres and find loads of bags like this B&Q Large Chipped Bark 100L, 0000003717530

now none of them tell you what type of bark is in the packet, ive asked in the shops and no one seems to know!

does any one use stuff like this or know if any of them are reptile safe?


----------



## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

it is filthy and also very rough with sharp edges - it may contain bark which is toxic to snakes - the problem is that any old crap goes into it - which is why it is cheap


----------



## Jacko24 (Jan 9, 2012)

sharpstrain said:


> it is filthy and also very rough with sharp edges - *it may contain bark which is toxic to snakes* - the problem is that any old crap goes into it - which is why it is cheap


thats what im asking......

does anyone know if it has anything toxic in it?

as for it being sharp, surely in the wild snakes, dont hide away and not go out in to dangerous areas where they may encounter something pointy:bash:

if its dirty, i can wash it and bake it so that it cleans it and kills any bugs, plus its just gunna get covered in snake s:censor: any way!


----------



## Crotalus atrox (Dec 12, 2008)

I haven't used that one but used a very similar version from home-base. From personal experience I have used it to fill many various iguana vivs and burms. Never had a problem with it being sharp? Never had an issue with impaction or bacteria/infections. Like you say you can always heat it to kill anything nasty.


----------



## Graylord (Jul 17, 2007)

I've used it in the past didn't affect the Burms that i used it with .I would think a lot of it is pine bark .


----------



## Jacko24 (Jan 9, 2012)

Is pine toxic or is it just cedar I need to look out for? Can't imagine we get much cedar in the country!


----------



## Salazare Slytherin (Oct 21, 2009)

I have used it in the past with no ill effects, infact I am using it in my royal python enclosure right now. I think those bark chips are actually much safer to use in naturalistic enclosures, one being they are harder to injest unlike the (finer stuff) because it is rougher it also is better for shedding I think also.

And it holds humidity in very nicely with humidity loving reptiles.
The only issue I had with it was the smell when I opned the bag, so I sat it out in the garden, allowed it to dry out and then baked a nice quantity for the enclosures I was using it for.

Would I use it again! absaloutely.

















































































I have used the same stuff for corn snakes, water dragons and Mountain horned dragons before also 

For the price and the quantity (and in my opinion it being safer) I can't complain for a little effort to dry it out and bake it.






Graylord said:


> I've used it in the past didn't affect the Burms that i used it with .I would think a lot of it is pine bark .


----------



## ch4dg (Jul 24, 2008)

i've used it for various things corns, royals, agamas, frillies, maddy geckos

but i do bake it before hand thou


----------



## tippypilot (Dec 9, 2011)

Jacko24 said:


> ive got two 8x3x2 vivs to fill with bark and as you can imagine its expensive to buy from rep shop soooooooo ive been looking at garden centres and find loads of bags like this B&Q Large Chipped Bark 100L, 0000003717530
> 
> now none of them tell you what type of bark is in the packet, ive asked in the shops and no one seems to know!
> 
> does any one use stuff like this or know if any of them are reptile safe?


 i pulled bark off a tree in woods where it was falling away dilute bleach wash and pva glued and been fine the pics our below yours in habatat


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

Jacko24 said:


> ive got two 8x3x2 vivs to fill with bark and as you can imagine its expensive to buy from rep shop soooooooo ive been looking at garden centres and find loads of bags like this B&Q Large Chipped Bark 100L, 0000003717530
> 
> now none of them tell you what type of bark is in the packet, ive asked in the shops and no one seems to know!
> 
> does any one use stuff like this or know if any of them are reptile safe?


Just be careful that it doesn't include any dyes. I know that some of them do so I would suggest looking for the word "natural" - the red coloured one from B&Q certainly is dyed.
Gill
Just Airplants
Follow us on Facebook Just Airplants | Facebook


----------



## daveIRL (Feb 16, 2010)

have used this before myself and im still using it in my big boa vivs, personally i go for the childrens playground bark, as it says on the packaging that it has no chemicals etc


----------



## keithb (Jan 29, 2009)

Asda have got huge bags of playground bark in for £4 at the minute, might have to get some now I know it should be ok after a wash and bake:2thumb:


----------



## Jacko24 (Jan 9, 2012)

That's the stuff I'm thinking about Keith! Just get it home, bake it and whack it in, jobs a good'un!


----------



## srobbo (Apr 19, 2011)

i buy a 100 litres for for 6 quid from local garden center , never had any problems , your be lucky to get 5 litres from most pet shops at that price , its exactly the same , just make sure theres no slug repelent in it, i dont bake or anything like that , and as ive said no problems what so ever


----------



## NickC85 (Jun 3, 2012)

Sorry to bring up an old post. I was woundering how do you bake stuff like this and what setting would I put my oven on (gas). 

I'm going to go down my local wickes as I went to the local PS today and had no orchid bark in till next thursday.


----------



## OrigamiB (Feb 19, 2008)

I just got this stuff (£6 for 100L? Hell yes.).

I put it straight in the oven on a very flat baking tray and spread out as much as possible, whack the heat up to 200c or something similar and then just bake for 30 mins+. Half way through give it a little stir to help dry it out even more and properly bake all the pieces.

I was a little concerned with the pine but I'm pretty sure once you've baked it any sap/toxin left will be pretty much gone(or inefective), but to make it safer I use it as a layer on top of coir so (in theory) the concentrations of any toxin will be less. I also like using the coir with it too because its more of a burrowable substrate


----------



## NickC85 (Jun 3, 2012)

Thanks for the quick reply. i will be sure to let you know how i get on with it.


----------

