I’m trying to make a paludarium and am using great stuff pond and stone expanding foam for the background. I’d like to attach moss to this foam with a kind of moss tack, but am unsure about the best way to do this. Does anyone have any advice?
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!
-
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!
Best way to make moss stick to enclosure background?
- Thread starter tinyplant
- Start date
Igneous
Member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2020
- Messages
- 40
- Reaction score
- 17
In the aquarium hobby we do this fairly easy by chopping up moss or even sticking it into a blender. Add a little bit of spagnum moss (this is optional,some say the moss will retain more water due to the spagnum) and add some water so you end up with a smearable substance. Note that some add buttermilk instead of water as it's said to give extra nutrients to the moss. However some also noted that this might increase the risk of mold. Personally I'd just stick with the water as I've had good results with that.
Now that you've chopped up/blended your precious moss with the spagnum and water you're ready to smear it onto any hardscape you want. Rocks, wood, background etc. The moss will attach and needs to be kept moist and plenty of light. Not too wet as you might spray off the moss before it had a chance to attach. Give it a few weeks time and you'll have a lush background of moss that has grown in naturally without the use of any silicone or superglue.
Now that you've chopped up/blended your precious moss with the spagnum and water you're ready to smear it onto any hardscape you want. Rocks, wood, background etc. The moss will attach and needs to be kept moist and plenty of light. Not too wet as you might spray off the moss before it had a chance to attach. Give it a few weeks time and you'll have a lush background of moss that has grown in naturally without the use of any silicone or superglue.
Salamanderman21
Member
Cyanoacrylate super glue
Bishop.69
New member
If you're attaching bunches of moss, particularly if it has soil still on the roots, super glue (cyanoacrylate) is the way to go. It's plant safe and critter safe once it dries.
check out some of the more prolific youtube paludarium makers, and you'll see them all using it extensively.
if you have rocks and crevices, you can also just 'stuff' it in there, and if you keep it moist, it will root on it's own.
I generally do a mix of both...
The blender method works as well, but it takes a while to grow in...
check out some of the more prolific youtube paludarium makers, and you'll see them all using it extensively.
if you have rocks and crevices, you can also just 'stuff' it in there, and if you keep it moist, it will root on it's own.
I generally do a mix of both...
The blender method works as well, but it takes a while to grow in...
- No one is chatting at the moment.
-
PvH:I've advertised my CB alpine newts for sale UK but no offers so far. I'm looking for a carer/enthusiast so I put a price to deter people who might not be serious about the responsibilities of the undertaking but how do I find a genuine enthusiast who will take over care? I'm not looking for money, just a good home for the newts.+2
-
FragileCorpse:Hey guys, its way too hot where I live right now. Temperatures 40 degree celcius outside, making it like 30 degrees inside. Ive got ice packs on my yellow spotted salamanders hidey rock, he acts like he hates it though. Am I keeping him too cold? I think my temp gauge might be messed up, or at least in the wrong spot. I put the tank temp gauge in the top left corner of his large tank, where it says its 80 degrees fahrenheit, which I am aware is too hot, which is what makes me put the ice packs on his rock at the bottom of the cage, but the bottom of his cage feels a lot cooler tha 80 degrees. Should I move my temp gauge down to the bottom corner where he hangs out the most? Should I get a soil temperature probe so I can tell what temperature the soil that hes laying on is?+1
-
FragileCorpse:Because his soil is certainly not 80 degrees fahrenheit, and I dont want to freeze the poor bugger with ice packs if he really doesnt need them. Hes been doing fine, but Im just so stressed because I cant get ANy information on how to handle this little guy. Theyre illegal to keep without a permit, but this one would not have survived without my intervention. So I cant call and ask anyone for help. If theres a betetr site than this one, I sure havent found it. But I never get any replies here. We are all just asking questions and getting none answered basically. Its really frustrating as I just want to help this little dude be happy and healthy. All I can get him to eat is potato bugs as well. I cant find anything else that he will eat. Is that even okay? :/ hes been eating strictly those since may first.+1
-
FragileCorpse:Does ANYONE know of a site more active than this where I can get my questions answered? My little bud needs help and Im just not getting it here.+1
-
FragileCorpse:Alright well I bought a bunch of stuff for his tank and hope it helps. Im getting extremelty frustrated that bI cant get an answer. Guess buddies just gonna have to die or some shit. like wtf why cant I get any help.+1
-
Captive Bread:I'm afraid this is the largest and most active community for this kind of information, probably on the entire internet. That said, we are still small overall. We can't help you all of the time. We do offer you support and have answered your questions in the past so I feel it's very impolite to lose patience with us.+1
-
Captive Bread:Second of all, was you who said you wild caught your salamander? And had Authorities threaten to retrieve it from you?+1
-
Captive Bread:Third of all, assuming thats the case, no one seems to want to face the reality that these animals come from climates and microenvironments where they need to be kept cool. If you can't hack, then release it where you pulled it from.+1
-
FragileCorpse:he was dying outside. SO SORRY i was nice enough to save him. can i even release him in wetaher thats 40 degree celcius? will he not just die outside because he cant dig through the hard ground?+1
-
FragileCorpse:The ONLY reason I spent 500 dollars on this thing was to keep him alive. thats IT. He was completely dry with cracked skin and couldnt walk and I nursed him back to health. Now I should just throw him outside on the hard baked ground where I found him? in my driveway? Really dude?+1
-
FragileCorpse:I am losing patienc ebecause I care. Because I cant get any answers in any length of time that will actually benefit him. He'll only eat potato bugs, I just want him to have good rest of his life. Thats IT. So dont act like I went out an dillegally trapped some poor salamander out of the wild for fun cuz I wanted one.+1
-
FragileCorpse:I am very sure he was just trying to pass by, because he certainly cant dig ANYWHERE in the soil ANYWHERE near where I live. So I cannot just release him in 40 degree celcius on the super hard baked ground where theres no shelter and no food and now ater to be seen for miles. I dont see how that wioll help him at all.+1
-
FragileCorpse:Sorry youre going to have to explain to me john becaue Ive reread what I wrote here and Im not seeing it,+1
-
FragileCorpse:Ill certainly apologize for using it, but to not use it I need to know what it is is all.+1