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Razee
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2525 Posts |
 Posted - 18/07/2014 : 08:28:18
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Sphagnum moss is the best moss - it's a natural antiseptic, they used it in WW1 in dressing for wounds. You can buy a big sac of it in any garden centre, it's used for hanging baskets, just make sure it's pure, with no chemicals or colours added to it.
I avoid buying it in a reptile shop, as it's ridiculously expensive for a tiny package, either go for a garden centre ( you get about 20 x more moss for the same price in small package, or a massive bag for about £8 - 10 , that will last for years! ), or collect your own on any damp heathland, or in the woods. I also found, that quite often the moss sold for reptiles actually isn't sphagnum moss at all! That would explain some people's complaints it's gone mouldy - sphagnum moss keeps almost forever, without going bad!
To keep it - I used to divide it in small packages into freezer bags and freeze it. When I needed the moss, I'd take it out, and poured boiling hot water from the kettle over it. Let it cool down, then rinse, squeeze all the water out, and it's ready. Nowadays though, I don't bother freezing it anymore, because I've got a massive bag of it ( I use it for my bonsai, too, in fact, my trees get any old moss after it's been used for the snakes, too ) . I find it keeps really well, if kept moist in its bag, outside in the garden, in shade. Even if it dries out, it can easily be re wetted.
As to how much to use - when you make the moist hide ( any tub will do, the right size for your snake , and preferably dark , or at least with a dark lid ), just rinse the moss well, squeeze all the water out, so that there's no drips any more, fluff it up again, then fill about 1/3 rd of the box with it.
Just make sure you check it, in case the moss dries out. It all depends how big the hide is, and how much moss you're using. If you have a hatchling, in a tiny tub made of the smallest butter tub with half a handfull of moss, it probably dries out quicker, than a bigger tub with lots of moss in it. I'd say it will stay moist for several days at least, even the small ones.
Hope this helps :-) |
0.1.0 late CB10 Carolina corn snake - Bazilishka
1.0.0 CB11 Abbots Okeetee- Little Twiddler
1.0.0 CB11 Hypo corn- Sebastianek
1.0.0. CB14 Butter Motley - Squidwood
0.0.2 CB18 normal/ Okeetee yearlings Bunny and Lalalishka
0.0.1 hognose
0.1.0 stable cat
0.1.0 house cat |
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