Pear wood...

[DanitheTulip]

I have a large pear tree at work and want to bring home a large branch for my little guy to climb on. I hear that its best to boil and bake the wood before you give it to them to chew. Is this necessary? I mean how am i supposed to boil a three foot long branch? LOL! Any input would be awesome!!! :thanks4:

 

[SamiJami]

Boiling is considered an optional step. For my long perches I boil water and fill my sink with it. I then let the perch soak for a while, using tongs to rotate and keep it under. I add more boiling water whenever steam stops raising. After about an hour of this, I scrub it. I scrub hard!! Then I put it in the oven at 200 for 3-4 hours, rotating every hour. I check it by knocking it against the counter. If it makes a thud then it's still wet (if you want a good noise to go by, do this before you put it in the oven) and if it makes more of a thwack, then I know it's dry. I put it back in the oven, turn it off, and leave it over night. I always let my wood sit at least another day on a pan just to triple check myself. All that's left, in my process, is drilling and putting the hanger bolts in. Good luck!

You need to make sure that the pear tree doesn't get sprayed with any chemicals. If it does, you need to scrap the idea entirely for that tree.

 

[mercynursie]

The very first step has to be to make sure that the tree/area surrounding the tree has not been sprayed or had any chemicals applied to it for a minimum of (help me out wood experts) I think at least 8-10yrs. :thumbsup:

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I fill my sink with scalding hot water, letting the branch sit for half an hour or so, and then scrub the heck out of it. I then bake it. If the branch won't fit into your oven, then I'd boil water like SamiJami, and then let it air dry for a good week. I have to do this for my bird perches. You basically want to make sure it's clean, no critters(bugs), and dry!
Defiantly make sure it's not been sprayed!

 

[DanitheTulip]

Thanks everyone! I dont think that the tree has ever been sprayed but i will double check and ask my boss or coworkers first. We eat the pears every year and they are awesome!

I also wanted to know if it mattered what type of willow is safe for a chinchilla. My parents have two in their back yard and i know they have not been sprayed.

 

[mercynursie]

From what I have been told by felllow wood preppers is that not only the tree but the ground around it out to the farest tree limb(drip line) cannot have been treated.Alot of pesticides/fungicides and chemicals can be used at certain times and the fruit be edible for humans,but they are not safe in the wood because the wood pulp and bark concentrate and hold the chemical for a long time.We have two old pecan trees on our property.A huge limb fell of of the one in middle of our property so I prepped it and used for chin wood.The other tree though is on edge of our property line and close to roadway.I won't use that tree because I know the state sprays stuff along roadsides and the field next to it is farmed so I know they put chemicals/fertilizer etc on the crops.I only thought about that after some one hear on site brought that up to me.