# safe moss?



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

Hi there, 
This is more of a question regarding my snakes but I figured amphibian keepers would maybe be more in the know...
So I was looking at moss today and it was £7- for a teeny bag in the petshop or £4- for a large bag in the garden centre......
Is there any likelihood that the garden centre stuff could have been treated with any chemical nasties or would it be safe to use with snakes?
Thanks for your help


----------



## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

sizedoesn'tmatter said:


> Hi there,
> This is more of a question regarding my snakes but I figured amphibian keepers would maybe be more in the know...
> So I was looking at moss today and it was £7- for a teeny bag in the petshop or £4- for a large bag in the garden centre......
> Is there any likelihood that the garden centre stuff could have been treated with any chemical nasties or would it be safe to use with snakes?
> Thanks for your help


Completly depends on the brand/product.


----------



## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

I have used the garden centre stuff loads of times and never had a problem - I always nuke it in the micro first


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

fardilis said:


> Completly depends on the brand/product.


This is what I was concerned about, I was looking at the Gardman brand stuff today, does anyone know if it is safe to use?


----------



## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

fardilis said:


> Completly depends on the brand/product.


do you have a list of which brands are or arent safe?


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

sharpstrain said:


> do you have a list of which brands are or arent safe?


that would be an excellent resource :2thumb:


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

sharpstrain said:


> I have used the garden centre stuff loads of times and never had a problem - I always nuke it in the micro first


But then surely you are wasting money and should just buy dead moss in the first place rather than paying silly garden centre prices....
Gill
Just Airplants


----------



## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

I got some Gardman stuff a few yrs ago.., Used it for toads, frogs and in my woodlouse culture to no ill effect, however I'm pretty sure the bag I got was dyed as its un-naturally green and turned some small millipedes and snails green when they ate it :lol2:
See what I mean ?









It should state on the back of the pack if it's been treated with anything.
But go for a naturally looking bag, not a bag like mine :lol2:


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

sharpstrain said:


> do you have a list of which brands are or arent safe?


Any "dead" moss sold branded for use in vivariums would be safe. Our European Flat Moss that we sell is also kept free of chemicals before we sell it for vivarium use.
Gill
Just Airplants


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

REDDEV1L said:


> I got some Gardman stuff a few yrs ago.., Used it for toads, frogs and in my woodlouse culture to no ill effect, however I'm pretty sure the bag I got was dyed as its un-naturally green and turned some small millipedes and snails green when they ate it :lol2:
> See what I mean ?
> image
> 
> ...


A lot of decorative moss is dyed....it should state on the pack if it is treated but often isn't - I guess they think if you buy purple/pink/bright green reindeer moss and that sort of thing you would just know it was dyed....


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

justairplants said:


> Any "dead" moss sold branded for use in vivariums would be safe. Our European Flat Moss that we sell is also kept free of chemicals before we sell it for vivarium use.
> Gill
> Just Airplants


can't see moss there?


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

justairplants said:


> But then surely you are wasting money and should just buy dead moss in the first place rather than paying silly garden centre prices....
> Gill
> Just Airplants


how much is dead moss then?


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

sizedoesn'tmatter said:


> can't see moss there?


That's because we still only sell it on special request rather than on the website (partly down to the weight of posting it). Works out at £2 per 25cm square plus sheet.
Gill


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

sizedoesn'tmatter said:


> how much is dead moss then?


Depends on the type of moss, whether it is being sold for decorative purposes, is sold for vivariums as "reptile safe" or for lining hanging baskets....
Gill


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

and what does dead moss look like, as opposed to live moss???


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

sizedoesn'tmatter said:


> and what does dead moss look like, as opposed to live moss???


Well I guess the fundamental difference is that it is dead....
Gill


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

justairplants said:


> Well I guess the fundamental difference is that it is dead....
> Gill


so hard, brown and horrible? doesn't sound like an attractive alternative to me...


----------



## justairplants (Mar 2, 2010)

sizedoesn'tmatter said:


> so hard, brown and horrible? doesn't sound like an attractive alternative to me...


Or dyed so it looks living.....


----------



## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

sizedoesn'tmatter said:


> Hi there,
> This is more of a question regarding my snakes but I figured amphibian keepers would maybe be more in the know...
> So I was looking at moss today and it was £7- for a teeny bag in the petshop or £4- for a large bag in the garden centre......
> Is there any likelihood that the garden centre stuff could have been treated with any chemical nasties or would it be safe to use with snakes?
> Thanks for your help


Usually the dried stuff you get in pet shops and from garden centres is dried spagnium moss and is a light brown colour or variants there off. I've used both in moist hides and in other places to boost humidity and its fine. Some garden moss is dyed so you do have to be careful but the bags of dried spagnium moss is usually fine, just avoid anything with bright colours. 

If you want live sheet moss i get mine off gill, though other places sell it. 

You can also get some aqutic moss that grow in high humidity vivs, alternativly some tropical moss's work really well but these get very expensive for small bits but take really well. 

Jay

Jay


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

Thanks everyone, the dried stuff sounds pretty unattractive so think I'll go with garden centre moss and try to contact the company just to check no chemical additives are used. :2thumb:


----------



## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

justairplants said:


> But then surely you are wasting money and should just buy dead moss in the first place rather than paying silly garden centre prices....
> Gill
> Just Airplants


I can buy a kilo bag at a garden centre for 1,99


----------



## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

Has anyone considered buying live moss as it will last a lot longer.


----------



## sizedoesn'tmatter (Jan 24, 2009)

sharpstrain said:


> I can buy a kilo bag at a garden centre for 1,99


This ^^^^^ is exactly what I'm talking about, as soon as you print "for vivarium use" on the side it seems to escalate to ten times the price!!!!!


----------

