moss..

[yellermelon]

were do you guys get you moss from? is that what the most prefered medium for layboxes? i was using perlite, then i saw it has asbestos in it..

 

[joshwilson]

You can ussually find moss at any garden supply store. I do use perlite for incubation though. Below, is a link and a quote from the website concerning asbestos and perlite.


http://www.schundler.com/perliteasbestos.htm


"To date, there is NO evidence that perlite contains asbestos either from contamination or as a secondary component. perlite is a form of rhyolite characterized by a fine microscopic and amorphous structure; i.e. a volcanic glass whereas asbestos is a mineral and exists as a fibrous form of amphibole. The two are rarely, if ever, seen in the same deposit."

 

[GeckoMandi]

I use Oraganic Sphagnum Moss from lowes, it's like 3.00 a bag. I usually only have to mist it once every 2-3 days.

I use it in my moist hides/lay boxes.

 

[adwoolsey]

I get mine at the evil PetSmart. It's pretty cheap there. Also, make sure you are changing that moss quite frequently. It is a MAJOR breeding ground for bacteria, especially if you keep it moist.

 

[MichaelJ]

Oraganic Sphagnum Moss is what we use also and you can find it at any store with a garden center, Lowe's, Home Depot, even Wal-mart. We mix it with vermiculite which you can get a huge bag of of from Home Depot or Lowe's for around ten dollars.

We mist about every two days also.

 

[yellermelon]

cool, you dont have to clean the spagnum moss from lowes? I think I may go that route.

 

[Rufus]

I'm sure you should do a spot check before using anything organic, and clean it after a while.

 

[DanTheFireman]

were do you guys get you moss from? is that what the most prefered medium for layboxes? i was using perlite, then i saw it has asbestos in it..

Nothing's perfect. Several years ago a buddy of mine got really sick from something called sporotrichosis from working with sphagnum moss in his nursery. It can cause skin lesions and in some cases can go systemic and affect other organ systems, took a few months to heal. That's why I'm extra careful with moss, kinda like defensive driving after seeing a bad accident - you're more likely to pay heed to something when you see it yourself. I personally use vermiculite but am extra careful while it's dry just in case. Even if there's no asbestos, no fine dusts are good to inhale.