Grasshopper
Member
Wondering if it is okay to place moss around the enclosure. (Up the side and some on the bottom.)
Moss?
- Thread starter Grasshopper
- Start date
CamoChameleonsHuman
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yes sirry Bob
Grasshopper
Member
Its dry moss we bought a few bags a while back for decorating the inside of our bearded dragon and anole cages. I just wanted to add a little more items in side her cage so it isnt so bare.
Grasshopper
Member
I have two pothos plants so far want to get another one I want something for her to hang around on and not bend so much. What would be good?
Goose502
Chameleon Enthusiast
I’ve used moss on the bottom of the cage, on top of the substrate, moss covered vines, and lots of tillandsia. Only negative is that they all dried out. I think the combination of dry periods, and all the plants blocking the mist from hitting every spot helped to their demise. I don’t buy the impaction concerns. A healthy well hydrated chameleon should be safe from this. I’ve kept reptiles over 25 years and have never had an impaction concern. If there is a failure in proper supplementation and hydration, then yes, impaction could have a higher probability.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Where'd you buy your moss?
Goose502
Chameleon Enthusiast
Havnt gotten that far yet. Purchased the major components, just drilled out the glass top yesterday. I’m ironing out the filtration (paludariun with fish), and figuring out where I want my bulkhead and inlet drilled. Basically found a good way to burn about a grand.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Nice, would love to see it when you have the tank all set up. Which darts are you getting?
Calummaty Jane
Member
My two cents:
1. Preserved moss that is green has dye in it, which I'm guessing might not be good for an animal that eats it.
2. You can buy dead Spanish Moss, which as someone else said is not real moss, but a kind of tillandsia. You could specifically buy living Spanish Moss, but if you can't keep other tillandsia species alive in your cage, you probably can't keep SM alive, either, so expect live SM to die. Depending on where you live, you may find it easier/cheaper to buy dead SM for craft projects than living SM at a nursery.
3. There is also Reindeer Moss, which is also not a moss but a lichen and which should be white (whether alive or dead), so any other color also means that it has been dyed. This is also good at moisture retention but probably pricier than #1 or #2. It is easy to buy dead RM that hasn't been treated with any chemicals.
IMO #2 is the way to go. I think the preserved real moss is kind of gross. I don't think most preserved moss that you see out there looks anything other than super dead, which I find depressing, but more impoartantly it is prone to rotting developing mildew if it stays damp for too long--or should be, if preservative chemicals haven't been added, which they usually are. I don't know if such chemicals are a concern or not if you don't expect the cham to eat the moss.
In contrast, dead Spanish Moss looks and behaves a lot like living Spanish Moss--it absorbs and releases water very well, which would help with humidity (better than preserved real moss). It is also less prone to mold or mildew. If you buy dead Spanish Moss from a florist, it hasn't been dyed and probably hasn't been treated with chemical preservatives because it is naturally so durable. And dependng on where you are, it may also be cheaper to buy living SM.
You could also try collecting SM if it grows where you live, but they say be sure to microwave or boil it to kill any bugs that might be living in it (not a problem with nursery-grown stuff).
1. Preserved moss that is green has dye in it, which I'm guessing might not be good for an animal that eats it.
2. You can buy dead Spanish Moss, which as someone else said is not real moss, but a kind of tillandsia. You could specifically buy living Spanish Moss, but if you can't keep other tillandsia species alive in your cage, you probably can't keep SM alive, either, so expect live SM to die. Depending on where you live, you may find it easier/cheaper to buy dead SM for craft projects than living SM at a nursery.
3. There is also Reindeer Moss, which is also not a moss but a lichen and which should be white (whether alive or dead), so any other color also means that it has been dyed. This is also good at moisture retention but probably pricier than #1 or #2. It is easy to buy dead RM that hasn't been treated with any chemicals.
IMO #2 is the way to go. I think the preserved real moss is kind of gross. I don't think most preserved moss that you see out there looks anything other than super dead, which I find depressing, but more impoartantly it is prone to rotting developing mildew if it stays damp for too long--or should be, if preservative chemicals haven't been added, which they usually are. I don't know if such chemicals are a concern or not if you don't expect the cham to eat the moss.
In contrast, dead Spanish Moss looks and behaves a lot like living Spanish Moss--it absorbs and releases water very well, which would help with humidity (better than preserved real moss). It is also less prone to mold or mildew. If you buy dead Spanish Moss from a florist, it hasn't been dyed and probably hasn't been treated with chemical preservatives because it is naturally so durable. And dependng on where you are, it may also be cheaper to buy living SM.
You could also try collecting SM if it grows where you live, but they say be sure to microwave or boil it to kill any bugs that might be living in it (not a problem with nursery-grown stuff).
Calummaty Jane
Member
ETA: Avoid Sphagnum Moss (live or dead): it would do wonders for your humidity levels but would be a huge, unsanitary mess after a week or so.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
I agree with the Spanish moss, I have used a decent bit of it because I love the look. It prefers humid, but not wet conditions. My Spanish moss that is under the misters dies fast, but still looks good dead. The living stuff does best with good ventilation and IME warmth and light. Mine thrives right under the basking light.
I also have real moss, the green kind you'd find in a forest. It grows slowww and spreads on some branches I have. But it needs bright light and constant moist/wet conditions. The only places mine has survived is right under the misters.
As for the sphagnum moss, I use a ton of that too. It works great for plants/mosses that need to stay moist. I have some jeweled orchids at the bottom planted in it. I also use it to cover the zipties in the cage. I Haven't had any issues. Curious, what makes you say it's unsanitary?
Calummaty Jane
Member
I use sphagnum for my carnivores and some orchids and have found that if it is dead and sits in stagnant water it sometimes starts to stink and even grow mold--even though it is slightly acidic. It is also just an excellent sponge, which is why it's great for orchids, but I imagine that if animal poop entered the picture, that quality might not be so desireable. Mostly, I'm just imagining that lining the bottom of an animal cage with it would be unhygienic and therefore require frequent changing (which would get expensive), but maybe not. But I think the Spanish Moss would just be less hassle and also probably look nicer, too.
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Oh yeah, I get where you're coming from. My carnivorous plants use it as well. In a fully bio cage, it's not a problem. Springtails love to eat mold, so I never find any. The millipedes, isopods, etc all clean up any of the decaying stuff. At night they even climb up the branches to get to it. I wouldn't line the bottom with it though, just pockets for the plants that need it.
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