maintaining new zealand sphagnum moss

[D-.No]

As I wait for Roxy to shed she’s hiding out in her mossy humid hide most all the time. She doesn’t seem like a huge fan of it but I give her a couple sprays of water inside the hide as she endures the process and at the same time I keep her enclosure at least 70% most the day. I use aspen as her substrate but I find between the human hide and spraying the top of her tub really helps maintaining humidity.
The only times I’ve completely replaced her sphagnum moss was the last time she shed considering it looked like it had been in there for a while and when I do a full monthly cage cleaning.
Every time I’ve cleaned the moss I’ve inspected it for any type of fecal matter, urates and check for any foul odors.
At the moment the moss is only used inside her humid rock hide but I was just wondering if I am under or over doing it. New Zealand sphagnum moss seems like a super cool product but I wanna make sure my animal stays healthy while controlling any excessive waste/cost. Opinions?


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[Bogertophis]

I periodically rinse, soak & drain sphagnum moss to refresh it, but any with fecal material should be discarded (or relegated to your garden). Eventually (when it no longer smells fresh) I replace it- it doesn't last forever, but quite a while -with luck.

[D-.No]

Any chance I get I inspect her moss for shed or waste. One time I found your shed (I changed) since there is never been apparent waste otherwise.
The smell inspection never seems good but when I rinse and squeeze and always seems to rejuvenate to freshness.
Following instructions through the company and online.
This leads me to another question, how does everybody spa clean properly on a dark substrate? My favorite part about Aspen is it’s very easy to detect an easy to clean.


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[YungRasputin]

Any chance I get I inspect her moss for shed or waste. One time I found your shed (I changed) since there is never been apparent waste otherwise.
The smell inspection never seems good but when I rinse and squeeze and always seems to rejuvenate to freshness.
Following instructions through the company and online.
This leads me to another question, how does everybody spa clean properly on a dark substrate? My favorite part about Aspen is it’s very easy to detect an easy to clean.


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what i do is anytime i see urates i take up all the substrate around it and replace it with fresh substrate - same thing if i see a big wet spot that can’t be explained otherwise as well - i haven’t had too much trouble finding it and tbh most of my snakes using their soaking bowls as liter boxes anyway

[D-.No]

I finally got into her humid hide. Found fresh shed seems complete but unable to find the eye caps. It was really super balled up and took a lot of massaging to get it back into its entirety. When I was washing in the Moss couldn’t really find anything inside but there didn’t seem to be a dark black stain dead as Roxy really balled the moss it all up as she squeeze out of her skin.
I just fed her and she’s not in there. I rinsed out the oder and fluffed it up. Should I have just replaced it?
She hasn’t gone back in total yet but I was blaming temperature is more than quality of the moss


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[D-.No]

Was shedding in the human hide constitute as waste and I should’ve changed it after I found skin?


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[D-.No]

As Roxy goes through the shedding process, I had to replace her moss a couple times (urates). If there is only a shed skin in her humid hide but no excrement is it OK to just rinse the moss or do you guys recommend to replace it?


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[Bogertophis]

Was shedding in the human hide constitute as waste and I should’ve changed it after I found skin?


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"Human hide"? And honestly, I'd just have removed the shed if there's no waste left in the moss.

[Bogertophis]

As Roxy goes through the shedding process, I had to replace her moss a couple times (urates). If there is only a shed skin in her humid hide but no excrement is it OK to just rinse the moss or do you guys recommend to replace it?


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Sorry I missed your other post until now- yes, I'd keep using the moss. A re-soak now & then to rehydrate & refresh it.