Can Moss in hides cause scalerot?

Hi I saw people say "put Moss in your bp hides"

And just curious do you put it in dry and your humidity will kind of "fill it up" or do you get it wet first?

If you get it wet can it cause scalerot?



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Clean, damp moss in an isolated humid hide is not going to cause scale rot. Dirty, moldy moss covering the floor of the enclosure will likely cause it.

I've used moss in my hides for years without any issues. Damp moss is not going to cause scale rot. Having a damp dirty cage is.

The moss will not "fill up" so you will have to spray it or dunk it in water. I only leave it wet during a shed. Outside of a shed I allow it to dry out before adding more water.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Clean, damp moss in an isolated humid hide is not going to cause scale rot. Dirty, moldy moss covering the floor of the enclosure will likely cause it.

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Yep. Dirty is the key word here. ^^^^^^^^^^^^. Feces and urates/urine are the main medium for bacterial growth and development of scale rot. Of course it hapens over time but cleanliness is your best defense against scale rot.

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Yep. Dirty is the key word here. ^^^^^^^^^^^^. Feces and urates/urine are the main medium for bacterial growth and development of scale rot. Of course it hapens over time but cleanliness is your best defense against scale rot.

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How do you clean Moss? Or just buy new moss?

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Read the instructions on the bag/box.

I usually rip off any part that gets super soiled.

Got it. Cool stuff! May use for her next shed!!

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I know this has been largely resolved but in case anyone else comes wondering... I was always told to treat your snakes' enclosures as though it were a newborn baby's diaper. You wouldn't leave poop in your newborn's diaper, you would change it as soon as you noticed it. I was taught to treat snake enclosures the same way. If you remove waste and soiled bedding the second you notice it, it doesn't have time to grow bacteria or produce mold. Humidity is good for most snakes, it keeps them healthy and active and helps them shed cleanly. The only time humidity and moisture are a problem is when the enclosure is dirty, that is when mold appears.

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Originally Posted by Calider

I know this has been largely resolved but in case anyone else comes wondering... I was always told to treat your snakes' enclosures as though it were a newborn baby's diaper. You wouldn't leave poop in your newborn's diaper, you would change it as soon as you noticed it. I was taught to treat snake enclosures the same way. If you remove waste and soiled bedding the second you notice it, it doesn't have time to grow bacteria or produce mold. Humidity is good for most snakes, it keeps them healthy and active and helps them shed cleanly. The only time humidity and moisture are a problem is when the enclosure is dirty, that is when mold appears.

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That's a really good way of looking at it! I never thought of it like that. I've always spot cleaned as soon as I see anything anyway but, that's an easier way to teach my kids!