Enclosure Mosses

[ccTroi]

I've been using this particular moss because it looks very appealing compared to the New Zealand sphagnum moss. I use the moss as a tool for web-building and source of water for my slings. I notice thin, white layer of fuzz growing on the moss and start to carpet parts of the substrate. Enclosures are well-ventilated.

Does anyone use any of these mosses? What are your experiences? Will this thin, white fuzz eventually stop growing? Is it harmful to the T's? Why is it growing? Does the NZ sphagnum moss also grow the white fuzz? Is there something I can do to avoid this?

 

[spideyspinneret78]

I use the same exact type of moss for my enclosures. I've found that if you repeatedly put water directly on it, it tends to get a thin layer of mold growing on the surface. Mold in general isn't harmful to tarantulas, but it's certainly unsightly. I've had better results keeping the substrate beneath the moss moist instead. I've even had this moss start to grow on its own in the enclosures with moist substrate. Probably throw out the moldy moss and replace it with fresh moss and try not to wet it too much directly. It drives me nuts when my tarantulas start dumping it in the water dish, because it absorbs water like a sponge and gets gross quickly unless I remove it.

 

[omni]

I use sphag, usually not a lot, but it doesn't grow fungus because I wet a different part of it each time for slings, tho generally it's only on 1 side of a habitat in adult habitats where I want them to live and the actual moist side of the habitat is the farthest corner from the mosses and decor. just moist sub. uneaten food will mold up in one day tho.
the moss I learned soaks all the water up before the little T's can get it so I put drops of water on a plastic leaf or cork and drip down the sides of vials