Live moss?

[theelectraco]

Has anyone ever used live moss in their tortoises cage and if so, have any of them every had an interest in eating it. I was thinking of adding it to my Redfoot cage but wanted to get some feedback on it first. Does it do well in the heat?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I have seen TerryO posts pictures of her redfoot vivs and talk about her moss. I just can't recall what kind it was. Search through her old threads and you will see what I mean

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[theelectraco]

I found a short post about it that she put on someone else's thread. I don't use UVB in my enclosures since they have outdoor enclosures they send a lot of time in, so I'm wondering how moss or any plant for that matter would do without it.

 

[pfara]

I tried the whole irish moss thing in my enclosure but it was just too picky to grow from seed. It can't dry out whatsoever but needs drainage. I couldn't keep it moist ALL the time for it to really grow in; didn't want damp substrate. Pitiful attempt on my part.. and it definitely wasn't near ready by the time my torts got here. I'd say, if it didn't die to drying out, it woulda definitely died to being trampled on before it was well established :'( Everything else in the enclosure did really well, though!

 

[theelectraco]

My work just started carrying 'live moss'. A sorta dried out 'just add water' type of thing. My enclosure is usually pretty moist, sinceI have a Redfoot, so I am thinking it will do okay if it's not in extreme heat (near the Che or basking bulb) but idk if it will stay alive without UVB.

 

[pfara]

I'm thinking it'll be fine without uvb. Think about plants growing in greenhouses.. most of the glass/plastic/cloth pretty much blocks all uv. I've seen the moss you're talking about.. stuff like frog moss? Keep it moist, cool and lit and I think all will be well. Can't hurt to try. Lemme know how it goes.

 

[theelectraco]

I'm thinking it'll be fine without uvb. Think about plants growing in greenhouses.. most of the glass/plastic/cloth pretty much blocks all uv. I've seen the moss you're talking about.. stuff like frog moss? Keep it moist, cool and lit and I think all will be well. Can't hurt to try. Lemme know how it goes.

Yeah it's basically frog moss...I'll let you know, going to purchase it next weekend and see how it goes.

 

[tortadise]

I have live moss that took off in my greenhouse. The mountains, yellow foots and hinge backs love it. Havent seen the reds eat it. But I say its a hit with the forest wet dwellers.

 

[theelectraco]

Love it...as in love to eat it?

 

[tortadise]

Yep. Also the hingebacks I will catch eating moss, off hardwood logs and branches I put in their enclosure. Like strip the branch clean. The moss started growing on the concrete foundation too. I have caught the yellows gnawing on it. Trims their beak and there obviously going for the moss. Now this frog moss though. Its just super wet condition moss of some sort.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

I don't use uv indoors either and couldn't get live places to last..

If you try it let us know!

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[Madkins007]

I've used a lot of the live mosses in my smaller red-footed habitats. I never saw them eat it, but it would not really bother me a lot if they did. More often, they just trampled it an shoved it around in their wanderings.

I really like the addition of living stuff, the boost in humidity, and so on you get from it. It looks good, too!

 

[theelectraco]

I've used a lot of the live mosses in my smaller red-footed habitats. I never saw them eat it, but it would not really bother me a lot if they did. More often, they just trampled it an shoved it around in their wanderings.

I really like the addition of living stuff, the boost in humidity, and so on you get from it. It looks good, too!

Did you use artificial UVB for the moss?


0.1.0 Dachshund
0.0.1 Redfoot
1.0.0 Greek
0.0.1 Crested Gecko

 

[7oasty23]

My tortoise is currently ill, and compacted from eating too much moss. I know a lot of people use it, but I would defiantly watch their intake. I have a post in the russian section if you want the full story.