Disenfecting Bamboo and other related Q's

[MXG]

So I have read that bamboo is safe for birds. I have cut down a few very large bamboo sticks (some even have crazy twists) and I am planning on making perches and building a play set made of it that hangs from the ceiling. My question is, is it ok to use the material right off the bat? Or do I need to disinfect it somehow?

I am guessing the latter is correct, but what is the proper procedure to clean bamboo? Should I soak it in alcohol? Also what is the best/safest material that I can use to tie the bamboo together that will last? Oh, and if you guys have any ideas of what else I can build with the bamboo please let me know. I have a crapton of the stuff sitting in my garage.

 

[weco]

You can generally use a 60% bleach/[FONT=&quot]sodium hypochlorite solution to disinfect branches. Be sure to rinse well & allow to air/sun dry.

You can use vegetable oil tanned leather strips, however screwing the main intersecting pieces together with stainless steel screws & bolts.....
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[haleybird]

You could also use a drill to core out some holes, then fit other branches into/through the holes to form structures and ladders. My neighbor has a forest of them..I wanna make a ladder/bamboo fort out of them! Post pictures of your projects when you make them!

 

[MXG]

woops sorry i forgot to reply, I hate when people do that. Anyways thanks for the info. I am planning on starting this weekend. Oh and thanks for the drilling holes tip, I really needed a ladder and know I don't have to buy one. I will post pics hopefully in the next 2 weeks I should be done.

 

[Kiwibird]

I am really paranoid about using any kind of chemicals (diluted or not) on things Kiwi comes in contact with. We use natural manzanita (it grows everywhere here) for his perches. I have always "sterilized" it by sanding it down (removing the top layer which has all the dirt/contaminants), power hosing it/scrubbing with a hard bristle brush, then pouring boiling water over it. IMO, after all that it is reasonably sterile enough to be safe to go in a birds cage (it's not like parrots are very "sterile" animals to begin with, the messy beasts!). Kiwi has never had a problem with the wood and it doesn't come in any contact with cleaning chemicals that could potentially harm him. I trust a little residual dirt to be safer for him than something like a little residual bleach being left over. I'm sure you could probably apply the same idea to bamboo.

 

[weco]

Kiwibird, while I appreciate your concern about using chemical around your birds, but bleach/[FONT=&quot]sodium hypochlorite becomes inert relatively quickly after contact with organic materials and/or exposure to the atmosphere.....it just basically ends up as some bad tasting water.....

There's at least one professional chemist on the forum who might be able to verify that bleach's efficacy is short lived.....
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[sodakat]

I use branches from my yard that I know have never been sprayed with anything. At most I hose them off. If flowering, I do nothing. Been doing this for years.