Mold

[Hesh1212]

Hello all!

I want to put moss in my cage but I'm worried/afraid it with creat mold. I need get creat humidity for my tort. They say to leave the damp moss in the cage an then spray frequently, that makes me thing my wood chips will mold. Thoughts??

This is my enclosure...

 

[lkwagner]

Oh no, I have cypress mulch and sphagnum moss and there is no molding! It will work fine. Also if you're having a hard time keeping the humidity up consider turning your enclosure into a closed chamber or partially covering it

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Coconut coir is my favorite substrate.

 

[lkwagner]

I decided I'm done with coco coir today. Never had 1 problem with cypress mulch but my coco coir keeps getting infested with super tiny white maggots. No mater what tort it keeps happening so I'm switching them all to cypress mulch.

 

[Hesh1212]

Oh ok good cuz I use cypress mulch too. I have to check what kind of moss I bought but I'm glad to hear my enclosure won't mold! So do you ever spray your cage or just keep getting Theis damp?

 

[lkwagner]

I actually pour a pitcher of water in there everyday

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I decided I'm done with coco coir today. Never had 1 problem with cypress mulch but my coco coir keeps getting infested with super tiny white maggots. No mater what tort it keeps happening so I'm switching them all to cypress mulch.

Really? Never had that problem. I wonder why it's happening there. For me, it's always been the opposite: more pests with cypress mulch than coco coir.

I actually pour a pitcher of water in there everyday

Yep, pretty much. Misting doesn't do much, unless the pen is covered. I basically just dump out the shallow water dish every day right onto the substrate, fill the dish up again with fresh water, and then do it again the next day. I also mix it up every now and then to homogenize it. Keeps the substrate nice and moist (but not damp).

 

[lkwagner]

I wonder if there's a bug in Michigan that causes my problem

 

[lisa127]

I had white mold with coco coir. I've never had any kind of mold at all with the long fibred new Zealand sphagnum moss I use. And I've been using it for a couple of years in a closed chamber.

 

[Hesh1212]

That's good to hear. The one I bought is called "Terrarium Moss" does that matter? My biggest worry was having the cypress mulch chips mold. Good to hear it doesn't

 

[lisa127]

I did try the terrarium moss once, and I actually did get mold with that. I'm not sure if it was the same that you are using or not though. The long fibred sphagnum moss however is never a problem.

 

[Hesh1212]

Ok ya I think I'm going to take it back

 

[theelectraco]

I decided I'm done with coco coir today. Never had 1 problem with cypress mulch but my coco coir keeps getting infested with super tiny white maggots. No mater what tort it keeps happening so I'm switching them all to cypress mulch.

Are you sure they weren't springtails. I use coco and moss. If there is a cool area in the tank, it may grow mold but if the heat is up in the entire thing it most likely will not form.