question about treating driftwood for snake cage

[jay08037]

I am building a larger cage for my Python and i found this perfect old piece of what looks like drift wood out in the woods by a lake. its long and splits into a Y at the top and would go great with the cage. My question is i know this piece of wood has to have mites or other parasites living in it and i was wondering if there is a way of treating it so it would be safe to put in with my python? I have heard of puting it in a smoker, kinda like a bbq grill but does anyone know of any other ways to treat wood brought in from the outdoors, i really dont want to subject Monty to any parasites or disease and this would be a great addition to the cage. i have priced drift wood and the size i need is way to expensive to buy from a pet store, can anyone help me with this?? Its a piece of old oak but isnt rotten and no moss or growth on it but i know it has to be treated in someway b4 i even think about letting monty near it. if anyone could help i would apreciate it!!

	Mites Mites, close relatives of fleas and ticks

[JMReptiles]

ive used my oven for the heat...ive soaked mine in the bathtube for a awhile with something else on it to keep it submerged then i put it in the oven for a little while to kill the rest of what might me on it and dry it at the same time...ive never had a problem with that. just my two cents.

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

I just bake it at 400 after I soak it for a few hours in hot water. I just do it in hot because it gets all the dirt off of it better than cold water. Make sure you don't leave the wood in the oven too long. They do start to burn after a while