We had a big storm yesterday so today I went out to harvest fallen oak branches for climbing and eating. Our crabs love hanging out on these branches and strip them clean of bark to boot! Usually I put these in a 200F oven for two hours to sterilize. But today I'm noticing more moss/growth/mold (I'm not sure which!) on the branches than usual and am wondering if it's safe for the crabs? Should I scrub it off before baking it, or will baking take care of anything harmful?
Here's what I would consider typical and "normal" for our oak branches (click any photo for larger images):
Here are examples of what I'm seeing today. First branch is nearly all WHITE, which seems odd so it bothers me more than the green stuff.
![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1531/25956722772_695ca054c7_n.jpg)
![Image](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1682/25982883841_3ddda4c91b_n.jpg)
What do you think? Thanks!