Moss

[larean]

Hi,
I've got a few slabs(?) of moss, and I'm afraid to place them in my terrarium (parasites). How do I desinfect them? I'm familiar with the 'baking' method, but I don't think it will work with moss :). I never really like cleaning with chemicals, so has anyone got any alternatives for me?

Thanks

[adamanteus]

Hi Christiaan, how about the microwave?;)

[larean]

I'm afraid I haven't got one:). And isn't microwaving it the same as baking it in an oven? Either way ,you're overheating it, and I'm afraid that the moss will dry out, never to become green and lush again:).

[larean]

But if I'm mistaken, please correct me. I haven't got much experience with moss.

[adamanteus]

Ah yes, it would most certainly kill it. If you want to keep it alive, I can't see how you can sterilize it.

[larean]

And now that we're at it, I've got another question for you: In holland we have something called 'eeuwig leven' (litterally 'eternal life'), a sort of ground-creeping plant which keeps growing steadily until there is a carpet of green (it's the same plant as on the picture). Do you think it's safe to grow it inside my enclosure?

[larean]

Dilemma dilemma dilemma:)

[larean]

I hope this is the photo:


http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//500/medium/s5030459_1_.jpg

[adamanteus]

I think it's Mentha. Does it smell of menthol?

[tikichick]

This page has a list of plants that are ok for reptiles:
Plants Suitable for Herp Habitats (http://www.anapsid.org/resources/plants2.html)

More listed here:
Edible Plants List (http://www.anapsid.org/resources/edible.html)

Harmful and toxic plants:
Harmful & Toxic Plants (http://www.anapsid.org/resources/toxic.html)

"Harmful Plants
The most extensive list of harmful and poisonous plants that I have found is in Sue Barnard's book Reptile Keeper's Handbook (Barnard, S. M. 1996. Reptile Keeper's Handbook. Krieger Publishing Company, Kreiger Drive, Malabar, FL. pp. 167-184. ISBN 089464-933-7). Permission to reprint the plant appendixes has been graciously provided to me by Sue Barnard and Krieger Publishing. To speed loading, I divided her Poisonous and Mechanical Injury appendixes into the following sections as well as made them available in PDF (http://www.anapsid.org/pdf/plantlists.pdf), plain text (http://www.anapsid.org/pdf/plantlists.txt), and MS Word (http://www.anapsid.org/pdf/plantlists.doc) formats.
Harmful & Poisonous: A-G (http://www.anapsid.org/resources/plants-ag.html), H-N (http://www.anapsid.org/resources/plants-hn.html), O-Z (http://www.anapsid.org/resources/plants-oz.html); Plants Causing Mechanical Injury (http://www.anapsid.org/resources/plantinj.html) "

[larean]

@ James: I don't think it's mentha, because the leaves are only about 3 millimetres wide, and it grows only a few centimetres high(it doesn't smell of menthol either)

@tikichick: Thanks for the lists! Although I'm still not sure what the scientific name is...

[drache]

thanks for those links, Adelle

[jompiej]

The nature is not baked in an oven.
I don't sterilize the wood or moss or plants or whatever I put in my enclosures!

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

bugs and other things like parasites live in those, you want to try to strilize eveything u put in their enclosure

The nature is not baked in an oven.
I don't sterilize the wood or moss or plants or whatever I put in my enclosures!

[jompiej]

I haven't done that for 4 years now, never had trubble with it.
I know a lot of people who don't sterelize it.

[Sputnik]

Could it be Helxine Soleirolii, "Baby Tears"?

Cargo Report (http://www.tropiflora.com/creport/cr16-1/p3.html)

I think it grows wild in my garden. It loves damp areas so often grows at the base of stone walls.

[tikichick]

Lol, this kind of reminds me of a debate on another forum concerning feeding ball pythons on substrate versus paper towels or newspaper... one member commented, "south africa is not covered in paper towels".

Many folks bake cage decor taken from nature, others use a 10 parts water to 1 part bleach spray, others dust it off and put it in the enclosure. I think it's a matter of common sense and experience. If the item you're placing in the tank is clean and healthy, it'll probably be fine. If it's questionable, like you don't know the conditions the plant is in all the time - do the neighborhood cats and dogs use it for a litter box for example, then it'd be best to get a start of it from the garden store and make sure it's chemical free. That's my humble opinion :)

[jules]

Ive been looking for more things such as foliage to add but not sure whether to stick with the fake plants however they are very expensive at our pet store. if anyone has any great tips as i dont want to run the risk either of parasites.

[adamanteus]

Fake plants are expensive, Julie....especially good ones. But they're all I use, personally. I seem to spend half my life looking for cheaper sources! I have just resigned myself to the fact that the foliage is one of the more expensive items whem building a new viv.

[Lori P]

Julie, I buy the cheap fake (silk) plants from the dollar stores here... but not sure if you guys have those. When they get pooped on, I run them thru the dishwasher. They're only $1 so when they wear thin, I just get new ones... gives you a chance to change the look of the tank, too. Just my input. :-)

[Stefan-A]

I'm definitely going to stick with fake plants. You can be much more creative with them and you don't have to worry about keeping them alive as well.

[anji1971]

I use the dollar store variety as well! When they start to look crappy, I just pull them off of whatever I've glued them to, and glue new ones in their place.
Only Toadie has a real plant in his tank, and that's because he needs a pile of dirt anyway.

[jeanette]

just out of curiosity how can you tell if the cheap ones are safe?

[adamanteus]

I think they are all safe, Jeanette... just the cheap ones don't look so good.

[anji1971]

My cheap plants look very good. You just have to shop around at the cheap-o places!!

[Stefan-A]

I have a few really cheap ones that are bloody awful looking, but some of the cheap ones are pretty okay. Some of them are made of plastic like the ones intended for terrarium use.

[anji1971]

I have a few plastic ones too, mixed in with the silk. I must admit, 90% of the plants at the dollar store look like crap, but they usually have some ivy garland that looks good, and some of the fake flowers have pretty nice foliage. I've managed to decorate all the tanks for just a few bucks.

[Snake lover 3-25]

I boil all of my things... ever since i got mites from a log i bought at the pet store... i don't know if that would kill the moss though...:D