What kind of woods are toxic to dart frogs?

[S. Kiser]

I'm building my second Paladarium and would like to use wood and roots from trees in South Florida. I live near a landscaper who dumps a lot of Brazillian Pepper-tree wood because it is a pest species. Is it safe to use?
Ficus and Banyan are also available to me and they have a very tropical look.
Has anyone tried these woods?

[beckdg]

they all sound fine to me but honestly i don't know for sure.

[viva la viv]

I would take a hint from nature..look under the tree and see if there are dead or bare patches on the ground cause some trees put out chemicals to ensure there survival and kill surrounding foliage. see if animals have been eating at it like pocipine or deer thats a good sign, and check for sap. Also if you look up safe wood for a bird pirch there are good sites that give a list of good and bad woods.

[froggsong]

Another way to test those woods you listed is to smell them. If they have a very strong odor, they might not work out. The aromatic oils in pine and cedar are what makes then inappropriate for vives.

[Jason]

"The sap of Brazilian peppertree can cause dermatitis and edema in sensitive people (Morton, 1978). Resin in the bark, leaves, and fruits is sometimes toxic to humans, mammals, and birds."

Brazilian Peppertree - Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States

Hope this will help answer your peppertree question, I would say skip it

I know the Ficus and Baynyan (Ficus benghalensis) are known as "strangler figs", They wreck houses and totally envelop host trees to the point where you cant tell where the old tree stops and the Baynyan begins. Although this will take quite a few decades with a vivarium the size of the earth lol, but in yours, maybe not so long.

[S. Kiser]

Thanks Jason,
I tossed the Peppertree roots. I found an old stump with roots and disinfected them with bleach water soak and fresh water soaks. They are now in my Paludarium, but they are not developing mold and I'm not sure if it will be safe for frogs or not. At this point, I am trying to let everything grow and get established, but I'm a bit frustrated...

Is mold unsafe for frogs or humans? How does one deal with it, or should it just be ignored?

[beckdg]

first step with mold in a viv should be air circulation unless it's getting outta control and it's black for the most part.

soaking that wood in some water treated with at least 5X"s recommended dose of an aquarium dechlorinator would have been a good idea after your rinsing.

any bleach smell at all and i'd say you have yourself a waiting game.

[Jason]

Beckdg is right, good air circulation is your best defense. Most molds suck in one way or another.

Types of Mold, Mold Types, Mold Type, Mold Glossary, Allergenic Mold, Pathogenic Mold, Toxigenic Mold, Kinds of Mold, Mold Terms, Mold List, House Mold, Household Mold Types

[S. Kiser]

So do you think I should just toss my wood and start with a more mold resistant wood? What kinds do you use in your setups? Also, how do you keep the humidity high and at the same time keep good air circulating?

I am building my set up for clown tree frogs. Anyone have any advice on keeping and breading them?

[froggsong]

My humble opinion is that you should have soaked and BAKED the wood, not bleached it. Baking the wood would have lessened the mold problem.

You're going to get mold in a new vive. It's wet, it's somewhat stagnant. It's a recipe for mold. You just have to either install a fan, remove the wood and bake it (after you scrub the mold off), or simply wait for it to go away.