substrate question from a new snake mom

CelticWench · #1 (**permalink**) 05-01-2002, 03:54 AM

Is moss a good subatrate for my baby RTB? I had her in some bark mulch that came with her cage from the pet store, but I cleaned it out & replaced it with moss for the humidity factor. It says it's good for all reptiles but I've read through other posts & no one seems to use it. Is there a reason?
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trinitywolf · #2 (**permalink**) 05-01-2002, 04:11 AM

Hey! Welcome to RTB!! I love your name! Way cool!
I don't know anyone who uses moss but it is not impossible that some do. If you have an RTB then you can provide too much humidity and mosture. If an RTB is kept in to much mositure it can cause such things as repritory infections and scale rot. Your humidity level should be between 50-70% and an RTB should never be kept in standing water. I think that either aspen bedding or newspaper are the two best things that you can use for boas. Whatever you do please don't use anything that contains cedar as the oils in cedar produce chemicals toxic to boas.
I hope that this helps you. Others will be along shortly to help as well. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Ted
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CelticWench · #3 (**permalink**) 05-01-2002, 04:17 AM

Thanks, for the compliment the welcome and the advice. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] The humidity level in her aquarium is reading 88 right now, but I think that's because I just got the whole thing wet. I will see if it dries out any before I put her back in, if it doesn't, I'll replace the moss with newspaper. It's a good thing to know about the humidity being too high, I was wondering if that could possibly be bad for her & now I know it can. That helps me alot!
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trinitywolf · #4 (**permalink**) 05-01-2002, 04:23 AM

I would say that just the humidity being too high for short periods would not be that big a concern...but the boa lying in water can quickly cause scale rot. That is my opinion anyway.
Good luck and stick around!
Glad to have you here! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
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Drax · #5 (**permalink**) 05-01-2002, 04:35 AM

hey cool name!
yea like trinity said the moss will cause too many problems, foremost being scalerot. other substrates that you can use are reptibark, cypress, carefresh, and coconut bark. i use newspaper for my two red tails and they do fine.

moss is better for humidity loving animals like green tree pythons (GTP)/emerald tree boas (ETB), brazilian rainbow boas (BRB), and frogs. now if you want to keep a little tub of the moss in it's cage to keep the humitiy up and give him something to play in if he wants to.
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CelticWench · #6 (**permalink**) 05-01-2002, 04:50 AM

I like the idea of having moss in there for her to play in. We just dumped out the moss & replaced it with Cypress mulch, but I think I'll keep a little moss in the corner for variety & so she can have something to burrow in. Thanks guys!
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#7 (**permalink**) 05-02-2002, 04:38 AM

If your cypress is from somewhere like a feed store or wla-mart etc...MAke sure that you "bake" it first just to kill off anything that is / may be roaming around in it hehe.
I'd agree with what they have said here in relation to using the moss for an rtb also. Scale rot would be most likely to happen when doing such IMO. The rtb can not with stand the higher humidity like a BRB. Brb's are kept on moss by a lot of people with no problem of scale rot noted due to their high resistance to such, which unfortunately your rtb does not possess.
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Constrictor_BO · #8 (**permalink**) 05-02-2002, 04:44 AM

Well.. everyone has pretty much covered the answer you need. SO the only thing I can add is... Welcome to the site. Good to have ya
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