return to main index
  mobile - desktop
follow us on facebook follow us on twitter follow us on YouTube link to us on LinkedIn
Click here for LLL Reptile & Supply  
click here for Rodent Pro
Mice, Rats, Rabbits, Chicks, Quail
Available Now at RodentPro.com!
Locate a business by name: click to list your business
search the classifieds. buy an account
events by zip code list an event
Search the forums             Search in:
News & Events: Herp Photo of the Day: Happy Rattlesnake Friday! . . . . . . . . . .  Herp Photo of the Day: Gecko . . . . . . . . . .  Southwestern Herp Society Meeting - Aug 02, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Greater Cincinnati Herp Society Meeting - Aug 06, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  St. Louis Herpetological Society - Aug 10, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Kentucky Reptile Expo - Aug. 16, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Colorado Herp Society Meeting - Aug 16, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Chicago Herpetological Society Meeting - Aug 17, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  San Diego Herp Society Meeting - Aug 19, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Bay Area Herpetological Society Meeting - Aug 22, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Suncoast Herp Society Meeting - Aug 23, 2025 . . . . . . . . . .  Suncoast Herp Society Meeting - Aug 23, 2025 . . . . . . . . . . 
ALL Ball Pythons On Sale This Week @ LLLReptile. Click HERE!
Free Nationwide Ground Shipping on All Frozen Food Orders Totaling $99 Or More at RodentPro.com!

RE: Soil substitutes?

[ Login ] [ User Prefs ] [ Search Forums ] [ Back to Main Page ] [ Back to Kingsnake Forum ]

Posted by: markg at Fri Apr 13 14:47:55 2012   [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by markg ]  
   

Here's the deal with sphagnum. There is a particular type of fungus that can grow on the live moss, and that fungus is bad news for humans.

The sphagnum moss sold by the major reptile companies is not alive and has been cleaned and/or sterilized, so no issue with the possibility of fungus. Plus it is sold bone dry.

The moss sold at garden centers probably has been cleaned as well, and plus it is not alive. I think the bag should say whether it has been cleaned or not. It should be bone dry as well. I have never heard of anyone having a problem with the garden store moss, but I have always been too paranoid to use it with critters. I always buy the reptile stuff.

I have never myself seen fungus grow on sphagnum as used for humidity chambers. Where I live the moss dries out pretty quickly anyway before I mist it again. It is advised that any moss that does have some fungus be thrown away, the container washed, and new moss put in.

I also am pretty sure that the "live" moss sold for frogs and such is not really moss. I think it might be a lichen.

   

[ Hide Replies ]


>> Next topic:  High Yellow Floridana - a153fish, Fri Apr 13 15:24:08 2012
<< Previous topic:  Do you see it? - rosspadilla, Thu Apr 12 20:27:40 2012