Sphagnum moss blocks: any good?

I'm wondering, is the sphagnum moss that is sold in those compressed blocks any good for in a terrarium? I'd like to make a nice green terrarium, so I wonder if those blocks become green eventually or if they remain that brownish color. Anyone know?
The 'normal' moss that is sold here is filled with dead Pine 'needles', and that looks horrible. It's way too much to manually remove, so those blocks look like the best solution for me.

I've heard that sphagnum moss can be acidic and so doesn't typically make for a very good substrate for Caudates. Despite this, I believe some people do use it in terrariums. (Sorry, I guess this isn't a very straight answer!)

there are several types of sphagnum sold... There is the kind that is greenish and you can typically buy at craft stores and pet stores. I see this being used in terrariums but I don't like to use it because it tends to mildew and break down quickly when left in soggy conditions...

I use the new zealand sphagnum that comes in a condensed brick about 6 by 10 inches. It is blondish, yellowish-tan or brownish, not green, and does not break down or rot in water like the other stuff....

Neither one is going to give you the "nice green terrarium" you mentioned wanting... to do that you need to plant live moss in your terrarium and have adequate lighting for it to grow.

in the photo i attached you can see that there is a layer of the "blond" sphagnum between the gravel and green moss. This layer allows me to build up the form of the land area and also wicks up moisture for the living moss, keeping it damp but not waterlogged.

As mentioned, it can be too acidic. You can put some in a bit of water, let it sit for a couple of days and then meassure the water for pH..it should give you an idea of how acidic that specific brand is.
Rinsing it several times should help make it more neutral.
The moss itself is dead and won´t become green, but sometimes, if conditions are right, the spores it contains may "germinate" and new strands of live moss may appear.
I agree though, that if you want the live moss look, Sphagnum is not the right choice.

Thanks for the answers! I'll try to look for some live moss somewhere, then. Funny how they show a frog on the package, while it's unsuited for them... but I guess it's just for the looks.

I've read somewhere that if you get some moss from the garden or something and put it in the blender that, when put in some soil it will grow to be a nice moss bed.. anyone heard of this?

Yes, it´s apparently a method commonly used in gardening. I´ve heard a mixture of yogurt, beer and moss, all blended together, works great. However this doesn´t mean moss will grow for sure..conditions must be ideal.....and for most mosses, indoor requirements are not particularly compatible with caudates.

damien said:

I've read somewhere that if you get some moss from the garden or something and put it in the blender that, when put in some soil it will grow to be a nice moss bed.. anyone heard of this?

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It needs to be blended together with buttermilk and then spread onto objects. This method works wonders although it smells horrible at first.

Sphagnum as is sold in compressed blocks (usually from New Zealand or Chile) or the other stuff in bales from Wisconsin works great as a damp organic substrate for many many species of salamanders. It does not foul nearly as readily as many other substrates and I've had it in enclosures for well over a year without changing it with no adverse effects. It rarely revives and grows into a nice carpet of living moss in a vivarium however. I do not believe it is "too acidic" as it has worked fine for me for years with neonates to adults of several different families of terrestrial salamanders.

taherman said:

Sphagnum as is sold in compressed blocks (usually from New Zealand or Chile) or the other stuff in bales from Wisconsin works great as a damp organic substrate for many many species of salamanders. It does not foul nearly as readily as many other substrates and I've had it in enclosures for well over a year without changing it with no adverse effects. It rarely revives and grows into a nice carpet of living moss in a vivarium however. I do not believe it is "too acidic" as it has worked fine for me for years with neonates to adults of several different families of terrestrial salamanders.

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Basically what I said, but good to hear a confirmation from taherman...