Mosses

[RobM]

What mosses I can buy do ok in slightly moist cool environments? All the mosses I seem to find require a warm environments (they tend to be for dartfrogs etc)

 

[Tudor]

Hi,
Way you don't try with Java Moss?

 

[freves]

To the best of my knowledge temperate species of moss are generally not available in the trade. Most people collect their own. I tried once however the moss that I collected just slowly withered away. I have heard of success stories however I could not give you any details.
Chip

 

[RobM]

Hi,
Way you don't try with Java Moss?

It is for a terrestrial setup, I don't think Java moss will survive very well, it would probably have to be VERY wet.

To the best of my knowledge temperate species of moss are generally not available in the trade. Most people collect their own. I tried once however the moss that I collected just slowly withered away. I have heard of success stories however I could not give you any details.
Chip

Yeah, I'm a bit cautious on collecting my own anything for non native species, I would feel a lot safer buying something I know is safe >_<.

 

[Yahilles]

Yeah, I'm a bit cautious on collecting my own anything for non native species, I would feel a lot safer buying something I know is safe >_<.

You have no guarantee that store-bought moss is safe. Moss offered for terrariums isn't grown on plantations, it is being collected in forests just as the mosses you could collect by yourself, you just pay for it. All that you need is to make sure that no bigger invertebrates get to your terrarium with moss and to not collect moss from polluted areas. Most keepers and breeders use outside-gathered species of mosses.
And as long as you don't live in some tropical land, native species of mosses are doing good at low temps.

 

[Joost]

Java moss will do fine in a normal moist terrestrial setup. It doesn't have to be wet.

 

[Tudor]

I use Java Moss in terrestrial setup of my fire salamander and is more than Ok. You can also use Sphagnum sp. or Selaginella fern. You can find in your forests a lot of moos an if you look carefully, you may be able to find Selaginella helvetica or Selaginella selaginoides. Don't worry about small invertebrates. You must pay attention to millipedes or centipedes and remove it if you spot them.
God luck and again, don't be worry and collect your moss and ferns (but you must to be sure are not protected species).

 

[evut]

From my limited experience I'd say forest collected mosses are fine. I picked a couple of different species, some on twigs and they all seem to be doing fine (room temperature with no extra lighting). I am also using forest soil/leaf litter so I think it makes sense to use other collected materials. It is often recommended as substrate because it is biologically active. I just check everything properly to make sure no nasty bugs get into my house and the vivarium.

 

[Azhael]

To add to Tudor´s comment, please be careful when collecting mosses, liverworts, ferns, etc. For starters in many countries it´s actually illegal, at least regionally. Also, there are many protected species, and moss identification can be a nightmare, so only collect if you are sure the species is not under any specific protection, and collect small patches rather than large sheets.

 

[eyrops]

To the best of my knowledge temperate species of moss are generally not available in the trade. Most people collect their own. I tried once however the moss that I collected just slowly withered away. I have heard of success stories however I could not give you any details.
Chip

Sludgemunkey has some good experience with moss, as in this post: http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...vivaria-etc/60637-caudate-bar.html#post184814

I have had some experience with moss - primarily northern temperate mosses. I find them difficult on a sustained basis in enclosures with animals. I think the nutrient enrichment that develops in these tips the balance toward fungi that destroy the moss. They can be redone periodically, of course. I have had better luck with moss in simple plant terrariums. If they include porous rocks, mosses often simply appear from spore germination. The rocks in the first picture show some of this. Some transplanted mosses also do well, others are more difficult. There are many species.The second picture shows a rotted birch piece (right rear in the picture) colonized with moss. I just put this in the terrarium as it was, and it has maintained itself well.

In general my experience with northern temperate mosses is that they like light, like moisture, like a little air circulation, dislike heat, and dislike a heavy nutrient load.

-Steve Morse

 

[RobM]

Thank you everyone for your replies, you have given me a lot to think about!

 

[freves]

Beautiful setups!