Lumber, Antisapstain wood treatments and Vertical surfaces for peppered roaches

[birdonfire]

Are untreated hardwood boards safe to use in roach bins? Is antisapstain treated lumber safe to use in invertebrate enclosures or is it not a concern? Looking for an inexpensive alternative to cork bark and egg flats (both are impossible to find here) for a potential Archimandrita tesselata bin. Thanks everyone.

 

[kurgar galatur]

Hi birdonfire. I know this qualifies as an "Old Post". Try to use untreated hardwood if you're going to use wood at all. Antisapstain compounds are considered potentially unsafe for workers in the wood treatment industry.* it is not unreasonable to presume that the same applies to arthropods. Bark and pieces of wood from nearby hardwood tree should work. Bake them first to avoid uninvited guests.

You might also consider using rocks and toys and other things lying around the house so long as they don't contain toxic chemicals. Paper towel tubes? Roaches can survive on a lot of things.

*https://worksafe.govt.nz/dmsdocument/365-safe-use-of-timber-preservatives-and-anti-sapstain-chemicals