Can I place any kind of wood in my viv, except for coniferous?
And what are the differences between driftwood and a normal piece of wood from my backyard ?
Thanks
Cork, ghostwood, manzanita and driftwood are all good to use as they seem to hold up to our vivarium and humidity requirements quite well.
I would avoid all woods with strong smells and/or sap. Some are dangerous or even toxic to frogs.
I would recommend NOT using woods that you find in a 'forest' or earth/dirt setting as those are most likely to harbour pests like centipedes and even bacteria like Chytrid. Some unwanted bugs ect can be deep in the wood and even resist boiling and high temps. Pesticides and chemicals are another reason to probably avoid 'backyard' woods.
It's not worth collecting such wood IMO
Drift wood is much safer as it's been in the water a long long time and is stripped of bark ect.
How long is a long time in the water?
I guess it should look totally smooth ect. worn...I...really can't guess. I don't know if anyone could possibly qualify that question with an answer, heh.