Moss Mat

[nicosmom]

I have this leftover moss mat i got from walmart, brand is Proflora& i was wondering if it’s a good idea to use it as decor for my ball pythons tank. Like maybe glue it to one of his hides. Let me know!!!

[Armiyana]

Moss like that is typically a chemically preserved kind. It's not marketed towards reptiles, so I don't know if any of the products they use to preserve can be hazardous.

If you do use it for decor, I would rinse it out very well and let it fully dry again before anything else.
If you use it to decorate the outside of the hide, that may be best as you can also keep it from becoming too moist. My main concern would be the coloring agent staining your snake's scales or the possibility of the moss being knocked into water if left loose and leeching chemicals or dye into it.

I was using some fabric ivy decorations for enrichment with my snakes but had to really let them soak for a bit before using them. A lot of excess color rinsed out with a bit of dish soap that I'm glad did not make it into my enclosures and onto my snakes
@_@;

[Bogertophis]

I looked up the product but there's no information as to using this for pets- it appears to be designed for crafts & floral arrangements, so I wonder if there's any artificial colors or other chemicals added (preservatives? or?) that wouldn't be an issue unless used with a living pet?

Also, it says it's bonded to a "flexible mesh backing" but it's not shown- IF the holes on the mesh are big enough, & IF it were to come loose (in a humid environment, for example), could your snake get caught in it? So for those reasons, I can't guarantee it's safe to use that way- it may be fine, & might hold humidity (like to use in a humid hide, or just decor?) but I really can't say for sure.

If using for a humidity hide, I'd probably try soaking & rinsing it- see if any chemical smell? Or even when it's dry, do you detect any odors besides moss? That's no guarantee either, of course- it's just that we assume some risk when using products for pets when they're designed for other things.

I was typing & didn't see Armiyana's post until after I posted mine- looks like we "think alike"- But it pays to be skeptical & avoid problems.