Natural Wood Accents & Pods

Balancing Form & Function

Wood accent decor is a popular add-on for bioactive terrariums of just about every size. These little bits can add an extra layer of realism in an enclosure, and can help to complete a desired "jungle floor" look. If the conditions are right, moss and other small epiphytic plants are able to actually grow on the surfaces of certain accents. Placing accents in humid bioactive environments can also provide a functional benefit to the microfauna populations within. We often see Springtails & Isopods crowding over the tops of certain wood decor items as they begin to break down, and it's also not uncommon to see microfauna using the pieces as a refuge during the day.

When To Add Accent Decor

Like all natural wood decor, accents will go through an initial acclimation period when added to a humid environment. When it comes to humid environments, we recommend adding these when an enclosure is first built to ensure it can go through the natural acclimation period along with all the other wood decor in the enclosure. Please check out Vivarium Construction 101's section on acclimation for more info.

Basic Terrarium Wood Cleaning Info

As noted in our "About Our Decor" info panel, our wood decor is absolutely top-notch in terms of quality & cleanliness. We endeavor to go above and beyond, and offer the absolute best quality wood decor in the USA. That being said, we do recommend cleaning and/or disinfecting wood decor before adding them to your terrarium as an added precaution. Scrubbing and washing wood decor with a brush and water is a good bet for natural decor which can often arrive a bit dusty from storage. For disinfection of small and medium sized decor, boiling them can be a good and simple bet, and is typically the option we use most often in house. When necessary, we'll boil the top half of a piece first, then flip the wood to boil the bottom half later in a very large pot. For larger/thicker pieces, freezing/heating has worked well for peace of mind, too. We'd recommend googling "how to disinfect terrarium wood^{ext. link}" for more advice on that end, as baking wood decor can be a dangerous procedure if not done carefully. If your wood decor will be adhered in place using silicone and your method of cleaning moistened the wood decor considerably, we'd recommend leaving it out to dry completely before proceeding.

The boiling/cleaning/sanitizing procedures outlined above should be attempted by adults only, or under close adult supervision.