Simple but important question about cypress

[Rebecca Stout]

We finally found pure cypress mulch at a gardening center. Its in bags. The thing is I keep reading about bugs that can sometimes come in with bags of mulch that you buy at stores like Home Depot et al that arent pet grade. Ugh. I thought if I bought pure ... that wouldn't' happen. But it can right? If so how common is that?

We went to the trouble of spending time and money in getting this stuff. But now I'm worried about it. I can't imagine where else to get like 8 giant bags of mulch that is kept inside, pet quality, nearby, and most of all not expensive. It was hard enough finding pure here as it was. Anyway ............. IF bugs can come in with this stuff, is there anything I can do to prevent it or fix it?? I know you can bake or microwave stuff to kill any unwanted pests, but that is not an option with this amount of substrate.

 

[Josh]

Is there any evidence of bugs? Could you possibly soak the stuff?

 

[Rebecca Stout]

I havn't looked yet. Its in white bags. I won't be opening them until my enclosure is built which is at least several weeks away...
So soaking ... I don't know. Would that do anything? How long should I soak it? "Maybe" I could soak some buckets full of it.. oh I dont know, thats a massive amount of cypress to do. In any case, how long of a soak and in just plain water??