Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Visitor to the front yard

E

edward

Guest
I found this wood frog in the yard over the weekend.

24659.jpg
 
E

edward

Guest
Hi Paris,
I am forbidden on pain of selling my salamanders to collect moss from that location. My wife is nurturing it and slowly planting cultured native plants in it. However this is not a real hardship as I have 5 more acres in the back of the house where I can collect all the moss I need.
I usually don't need to collect any as I have a small farm of it in the basement and around my carnivorous plants. There is a nice moss (although it can be invasive in a terrarium) that grows naturally from peat moss that is easy to culture. Take some peat moss, soak it, place in pot, place under bright flourescent lights and wait. That is the moss that I used to colonize this tank. I placed plugs of it on the trunk and waited, after awhile it covered the trunk and I was able to wedge cuttings into it which then rooted and began to grow.
24733.jpg
 
P

paris

Guest
im thinking you have a stronger light source than the one i use? im using plain old commercial soft white fluroescents-and occasionally some plant ones -my difficulty is most wont grow from a transplant -i only have one set up that has good live moss that isnt a java, now that i think of it-it is growing on wood though-is that the ticket? when trying to get this stuff growing-this soggy peat mixture-is it kept covered with saran wrap or open to the air and topped off/misted daily? i have access to sheets of what appear to be the same moss you pictured with the frog -it never does well in a terrarium for me either, is it me again or is that moss delicate?
 
K

kaysie

Guest
Hey, I rescued about 10 of these guys while raking leaves the last couple of days (its a monthlong, continuous process). D'oh! I didnt think about taking pics! Also rescued include: about a hundred wooly-bear caterpillers, a ton of wood toads, but sadly, no caudates. I was hoping to at least find an N.v. eft, but no such luck.
 
E

edward

Guest
Hi Paris,
I've grown the moss that grows in the peat under 4 regular flourescent bulbs. I just keep the pots sitting in a couple of inches of water and the peat wicks it up under the saran and the moss starts to grow.
The picture of the exhibit is now under compact flourescents but that moss originally grew under two flourescent bulbs and two 100 watt incandescent bulbs.
Most of the mosses from outside should be chosen from a very shady spot as some mosses require different amounts of light intensity to grow. If you are patient, take a sample of the moss and smash it up in water, and then spray it over the area where you want to moss to grow as this will help seed the area with spores. (This is a variation as the method to introduce moss to a new area usually involves blending it in buttermilk and then spraying where you want it to grow).
Actually, I plan on planting terrestrial bladderworts (see http://www.californiacarnivores.com/bladderworts.shtml) as ground covers as many species are small enough leafed to create the same effect as a moss and they have flowers to boot. I just need my pots of the various ones to fill in before I begin taking plugs to plant in the tanks.

Ed
 
J

joseph

Guest
I took some moss today that has an interesting form reminescent of that of a Christmas tree. It dried a bit on the way home, but I put it on a rock with a tad of soil and hopefully it will grow. I think this kind might need good light as it grew in large clumps on the rocky ledges.
 
P

paris

Guest
joseph-it may not be a moss you have, but what are called 'club mosses' (i am told these are not true mosses) -if its anything like mine (which i'd describe as evergreen-ish) it will revive in water even after dried..i have some in one tank that does ok.

ed-i wish i could get liverwort to survive for me -i could never get it to take off and my big sheets of it would atrophy away to nothing-i am wondering if 60F was too high for it or if my light source was not good enough.
 
E

edward

Guest
Hi Paris,
Apparently one of the problems with liverworts is that if the root structure is damaged the liverwort won't "take".

Ed
 
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top