Is lichen safe for tarantulas?

[tarantulanewbie]

I searched but could not find anything specific to tarantulas and lichens, sorry if there's already a thread for this.

I went to Petco to pick up some cork bark but the only kind I could find had dry lichens, is it safe to put in my avic enclosure? Or, should I scrape it off beforehand?

 

[Haksilence]

It's almost certainly safe.

 

[tarantulanewbie]

It's almost certainly safe.

Will it start to grow if it gets moist?

On the package it says that it is for vivarium and terrarium but nothing about it growing.

 

[Haksilence]

I'm not sure, I have no experience with lichens. I would post in the live plants or the terrarium sections. Lichens grow very slow if I'm not mistaken. So there is a possibility it would take to the moisture and grow, but I'm not 100%

 

[viper69]

Ask the people on Dendroboard regarding lichen growth etc, they know all about non-animal vivarium things.

It's a fascinating symbiotic organism.

 

[tarantulanewbie]

I decided to scrape it off with a metal brush used for barbecue grills.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[WildPortraitArtist]

lichen is very, very, very slow growing and completely harmless.

 

[tarantulanewbie]

lichen is very, very, very slow growing and completely harmless.

Well, too late for that

Thanks though, now I'll know if I ever get a terrarium piece with lichen.