Green Moss Vs. Peat Moss

My T's cage was needing to be cleaned out in a bad way. She was still on the moulch from the pet store and since I thought she was about to molt, I was waiting before changing her cage.

After about two weeks, I felt it was to her best interest to go ahead and change the substrate and clean her terrarium real good. So, I head to Wal-Mart to get potting soil and peat moss. They didn't have peat moss, but they did have green moss. Well, when I get it home, it's actually very mossy and less like dirt substance.

I went ahead and used the potting soil and then covered it with the green moss since I had already dumped out her moulch. Do you think this will be ok for a little while or should I go get peat moss and redo her terrarium again?

I'm a little worried about stressing her even more so. My husband caught her and placed her in one of those Glad plastic food storage bowls while we were cleaning out her home, but when he tried to put her back in, she would not leave the bowl. We ended up just placing the bowl in the terrarium so she could wander out when she was ready. She seemed really scared.

Sorry to be blunt, but I think that was a REALLY bad idea.
The moss type doesn't matter.

Your Tarantula is about to molt, it NEEDS to find shelter. Molting is a VERY vulnerable period for any spider. Now since you cleaned out all it's clues as to where it is; it is now dropped in an entirely unfamiliar environment.

These two factors added together equals a very high stress level for the animal.

Well, I said I THOUGHT she was about to molt........but apparently I was wrong. I believe now, after watching her for a period of time and posting about her behavior that she was just exploring her new environment and being....well, strange. Avic. avic's are weird little guys anyway.

She's black, but she doesn't look dulled......I don't see a molt coming for a while. Hopefully I'm right on that.....I'm no expert.

Everything I've learned off these boards points to a behavior change after a substrate change/modification, so you can expect that. My own B. smithii still hates her new substrate that was changed out three weeks ago, plus she just had a tussle with some of it and is REALLY mopey.

Either way - pending molt or no pending molt - you did what you thought was best... isn't that what every taranchula wishes it's owner would do? I thought your thought process was well-directed - and if it was a bad idea for your T, then we'll all learn something. Keep up the good work.

First comment, when asking a question please let us know what type of tarantula you are asking about. You first post did not mention what species you were talking about advice can vary greatly depending on that.

Now, with respect to you moss question. Since we are discussing an arboreal tarantula it should not be a problem. I personally don't like to use it because it offer more hiding places for prey items. I will admit that is does dress up an enclosure though. The moss as the sole substrate would not be recommended, especially for terrestrial tarantulas. There are several people who have used it without problems.

i have had problems with the moss harboring prey items (who later die and mold and smell) and allowing lovely areas for crickets to lay and hatch eggs. not to mention mite threats. mixing the mulch with the potting soil gives it some support for burrowers. if you T is an A. avic, then it will probably just appreciate the extra humidity and ease of having new webbing supports fit into it.

One way to avoid crickets and other prey from hiding under the moss is to "tuck" the edges of the moss under the soil. I use sheets of green moss from a plant warehouse/distributer. It is great b/c it lasts almost forever and doesn't have to be moist at all times. It can dry out and not die.

You just have to make sure that you don't leave any exposed flaps allowing crickets to crawl under there. I also like to use live plants (such as pothos and snake plants) in a few arboreal cages and all of my reptile tanks. Live plants also help with dead prey as they use it for plant food! I line the base of the plant with the moss, so in case a cricket gets under there, it dies and is used again by the plant...Just like nature. (Although you should always clean out dead/uneaten prey when you find it for safety measures...but if one does crawl under there, its not the end of the world.)

Delailah said:

Either way - pending molt or no pending molt - you did what you thought was best... isn't that what every taranchula wishes it's owner would do? I thought your thought process was well-directed - and if it was a bad idea for your T, then we'll all learn something. Keep up the good work.

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Delailah......I appreciate you saying this. I am a novice so I may not make all the right decisions, but I do try and I do care about my T....that's the whole reason I joined this board, to learn as much as possible and provide the best care that I can for my avic. avic. I do have her best interest in mind.

Windchaser said:

I personally don't like to use it because it offer more hiding places for prey items. I will admit that is does dress up an enclosure though. The moss as the sole substrate would not be recommended, especially for terrestrial tarantulas. There are several people who have used it without problems.

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I have about an inch of potting soil (made sure there were no added ingredients that could be harmful or insecticides), and then I covered that with the moss.

The issue with the prey is the first thing I noticed when I offered a cricket. The prey went down into the moss. It concerned me at first, but today, the prey is out and about and making itself readily available for lunch.

You're right about appearance....it definitely is prettier, and though an attractive terrarium is nice, it's not my number one concern. I was more worried about my T's legs getting caught up in the moss. She's aboreal, but I have seen her burrow in the substrate under the wood piece that is in there for climbing(that's what I was talking about when I mentioned her 'odd' behavior).

Kali said:

i have had problems with the moss harboring prey items (who later die and mold and smell) and allowing lovely areas for crickets to lay and hatch eggs. not to mention mite threats. mixing the mulch with the potting soil gives it some support for burrowers. if you T is an A. avic, then it will probably just appreciate the extra humidity and ease of having new webbing supports fit into it.

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I try to make it a habit of removing prey items if they are not eaten in a day or two, so hopefully that will resolve the issue of prey dying and getting smelly, at least until I replace it with peat moss. As for mites, how do they get in, where do they come from? I watch my T. closely, more out of fascination than anything, so I'll notice if mites become an issue (unless they are microscopic?). As for the humidity, I do think the added humidity will be good for her as well.

Ney Ney said:

One way to avoid crickets and other prey from hiding under the moss is to "tuck" the edges of the moss under the soil. I use sheets of green moss from a plant warehouse/distributer. It is great b/c it lasts almost forever and doesn't have to be moist at all times. It can dry out and not die.

You just have to make sure that you don't leave any exposed flaps allowing crickets to crawl under there. I also like to use live plants (such as pothos and snake plants) in a few arboreal cages and all of my reptile tanks. Live plants also help with dead prey as they use it for plant food! I line the base of the plant with the moss, so in case a cricket gets under there, it dies and is used again by the plant...Just like nature. (Although you should always clean out dead/uneaten prey when you find it for safety measures...but if one does crawl under there, its not the end of the world.)

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This is a great idea, thank you for the info! I had a live plant in there, but it didn't live very long. I just aquired a 10 gal aquarium that I am working on turning into a terrarium for her and would be interested in learning about which types of plants would be acceptable for an avic avic terrarium.

Thank you all for the info and advice.