# Fungus thing ID?



## Y0urbestfriend (Jan 31, 2014)

When i looked into my viv i found this thing growing or coming out of the wood. It looked like a bubble of fungas or something.When I poked at it with a stick a piece broke of like it was sand, it seems to be dry. I dont know how long its been there.


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## Aldross (Dec 30, 2013)

What kind of wood is that? Kinda looks like a old ceder, if so you should remove it from the viv. The oils in wood like that tend to be toxic to many herps.


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## Y0urbestfriend (Jan 31, 2014)

Aldross said:


> What kind of wood is that? Kinda looks like a old ceder, if so you should remove it from the viv. The oils in wood like that tend to be toxic to many herps.


I dont know what kind of wood this is (most likely oak), but I dont think ceder grows in the forest I got this wood from. I have had the frogs for 4 months and they are doing fine.


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## Aldross (Dec 30, 2013)

That doesn't look like oak to me. I'm pretty sure its a redwood of sorts. You have to watch these as pinetar is toxic.


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## Y0urbestfriend (Jan 31, 2014)

Aldross said:


> That doesn't look like oak to me. I'm pretty sure its a redwood of sorts. You have to watch these as pinetar is toxic.


http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/165474-vivarium-wood.html This is the wood from another angle, it are several pieces from different trees.


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## Aldross (Dec 30, 2013)

Yep. Thats a type of pine. Its aged so I can't tell you the type for 100% but that wood is not a good viv choice. The pinetar is toxic to most types of herp. The humidity will cause it to seep out more and more as time goes on.
That is why wood like that is never sold by vendors.


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

if it something resinous like pine or redwood, the oils will also inhibit the growth of certain types of plants and microorganisms. That's why redwood bark is such a popular mulch in landscaping


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## Y0urbestfriend (Jan 31, 2014)

Jeremy M said:


> if it something resinous like pine or redwood, the oils will also inhibit the growth of certain types of plants and microorganisms. That's why redwood bark is such a popular mulch in landscaping


I dont really understand what you are saying here, you say it slows growth of certain plants? But its a popular mulch because of that?


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## Encyclia (Aug 23, 2013)

I think he means that it slows the growth of weeds. Having mulch up above where most of your plants are actually planted in the soil doesn't hinder the plants you want to grow there.


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## Jeremy M (Oct 19, 2012)

Encyclia said:


> I think he means that it slows the growth of weeds. Having mulch up above where most of your plants are actually planted in the soil doesn't hinder the plants you want to grow there.


Yes, this is what I meant. It's difficult for smaller annual weeds to take root in it since their immediate environment has a higher concentration of the oils, but larger shrubby plants with established root systems aren't effected as much. In a vivarium setting where it will be humid, the plants will have their pores more open and be more susceptible to these chemicals.


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