Mixed Wood Bark Flats

Mixed wood bark flats are one of the most versatile and best-value decor pieces you can add to an invertebrate enclosure. These are naturally shed, flat sections of tree bark — ideal as ready-made hides, climbing surfaces, and humidity-holding cover for almost any species you keep. Where cork bark can be pricey, these mixed flats give you the same practical benefits at a fraction of the cost, and they look thoroughly natural in a bioactive setup.

Every batch we sell has been frozen for a minimum of 72 hours before dispatch to sterilise it. This deep-freeze step kills off any unwanted hitchhikers — mites, mould spores, and other pests — so the bark can go straight into your enclosure with confidence, no risk of introducing something you didn't ask for.

For weight reference the 3 bark flats in the 3 litre vraplast weight 274g

What Wood Is in the Mix?

This is a natural mix, so the exact blend varies from batch to batch. It's predominantly horse chestnut and beech, but you may also find oak, willow, apple, ash, sweet chestnut, and birch in among it. All are safe, invert-friendly hardwoods — no pine, cedar, or other resinous conifers, which can be harmful. The variety is part of the appeal: different barks weather and break down at different rates, giving your animals a range of textures to explore and graze.

What Are Bark Flats Used For?

They're a genuine all-rounder. The flat shape makes them perfect hides — lay a piece on the substrate and your animals will gather underneath, where it stays cool and humid. They double as climbing and basking surfaces, and as the bark slowly softens it grows the biofilm and microbes that isopods, springtails, and millipedes graze on. Many keepers also lift a flat to do a quick population check, since so much activity happens right underneath.

They suit just about everything in a bioactive enclosure — isopods, millipedes, cockroaches, and springtails all make good use of bark cover.

How Do You Use Them?

Simply lay the flats on top of your substrate wherever you'd like a hide or a feeding surface. There's no need to bury them — your animals will tuck themselves underneath and around the edges. In a humid enclosure the bark will gradually soften and break down, at which point it can be left to be grazed away or swapped for fresh pieces. Although we've already sterilised them by freezing, some keepers like to give bark a quick rinse or a short soak before use to help it settle and sit flush against the substrate — entirely optional.

Why Choose PostPods Bark Flats?

Our bark is frozen for at least 72 hours to sterilise it, so it arrives clean and ready to use with no pest risk, and it's available in handy 250g and 500g weights to suit anything from a single tub to a roomful of enclosures. It's an inexpensive, hard-working addition to any setup, and pairs perfectly with the rest of your substrate and botanical supplies. For a cost-effective way to stock a fuller range of leaf litter, woods, and feeding extras in one go, take a look at the Drygoods Mystery Box.