# Supermoss carpet?



## meaganelise9 (Nov 16, 2011)

Has anyone ever used this? I usually use sphagnum, but those dang crix always find a way to hide in it. I got some of this green stuff at a craft store. I think it might even be dyed (lame). It makes for pretty carpeting though. What say you?


----------



## ShieldMantid1997 (Nov 16, 2011)

it looks real nice!


----------



## gripen (Nov 16, 2011)

make sure it is not chock full of chemical poisons, but other wise it looks good.


----------



## hibiscusmile (Nov 16, 2011)

As long as the above says is not full of chemicals, u did good!


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Nov 16, 2011)

I think it should be fine as long as your mantis don't drink from it when you mist, chemicals etc.


----------



## Termite48 (Nov 16, 2011)

Actually I will add to that which has been stated by people a lot more mantid oriented than I. I would, if I were you try soaking the carpet material in some drinking water (no chemicals) and sitting it outiside in the sunshine to dry for a day. This will leach out the solubles and oxidize perhaps some others and render it a lot safer than right off the shelf. Remember the feeders sometimes crawl around on the bottom as do mantids at times.

Rich


----------



## meaganelise9 (Nov 16, 2011)

Ah yes, good call, folks. I will concur.


----------



## Precarious (Nov 16, 2011)

I always worry about decorations made for anything other than terrariums. I shop through craft stores pretty often looking for useable materials and personally I would worry about this. It is definitely full of dye and who knows what other chemicals. I would not allow any pets to drink from it, which shouldn't be a problem if it's on the floor. But you will probably notice the color draining out of it over time anyway.

Those plastic grids you have glued to the walls are from the knitting section, right? I was looking at them yesterday. I went with burlap instead.


----------



## LLCoolJew (Nov 17, 2011)

I just bought something from the Home Depot Garden Department called Mosser Lee Sheet Moss for only $3.59, and its awesome! It's green, not electric green, and I soak it in water first to rinse and to retain moisture. I unroll it over a layer of Spaghnum moss, and it looks great: http://www.mosserlee.com/product/534_NaturalGreenSheetMoss.aspx

Then I buy this small pack of assorted decorative mosses at Michael's craft store http://www.qualitygrowers.com/moss_packages.html# and I soak those as well, and I add them in sparingly for contrast.


----------



## meaganelise9 (Nov 17, 2011)

Precarious said:


> Those plastic grids you have glued to the walls are from the knitting section, right? I was looking at them yesterday. I went with burlap instead.


Yup, they're cross-stitching thingies or something.. They seem to work well



LLCoolJew said:


> I just bought something from the Home Depot Garden Department called Mosser Lee Sheet Moss for only $3.59, and its awesome! It's green, not electric green, and I soak it in water first to rinse and to retain moisture. I unroll it over a layer of Spaghnum moss, and it looks great: http://www.mosserlee...nSheetMoss.aspx
> 
> Then I buy this small pack of assorted decorative mosses at Michael's craft store http://www.qualitygr...s_packages.html# and I soak those as well, and I add them in sparingly for contrast.


sweet


----------



## LLCoolJew (Nov 17, 2011)

Here's a little snapshot of my moss carpet. (I know, sounds a little dirty).


----------



## Precarious (Nov 17, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Here's a little snapshot of my moss carpet. (I know, sounds a little dirty).


Wow! Great finds! And the terrarium looks beautiful!

I resisted taking the bait and making an off-color comment about your moss carpet, but I'm sure I'll see a whole list below once the dog pack catches wind of it.


----------



## lunarstorm (Nov 17, 2011)

That's a gorgeous terrarium LLCoolJew!

ME9: I'll take a harder stance than others, I wouldn't use that moss at all due to the dye. It does look nice but I'm with Precarious, I wouldn't let pets drink from it either and if pets shouldn't drink from it, it shouldn't even go into their habitat. The dye will get on their tarsus (legs) or apical claws and then ingested shortly thereafter (you know how mantids are about grooming themselves.) Granted, it's *probably* no big deal but why risk it?


----------



## LLCoolJew (Nov 17, 2011)

Thanks, guys! I'm glad you like my... umm... layout


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Nov 17, 2011)

@ LL: Wow, thats is one cool setup! She didn't get all that at home, close but no cigar... VERY NICE!


----------



## patrickfraser (Nov 17, 2011)

I,personally, don't like dyed moss carpet. I prefer a bare botttom.

WAIT! That just doesn't sound right. :lol:


----------



## meaganelise9 (Nov 17, 2011)

haha. so you guys like the carpet to match the drapes perhaps? duly noted. from here on out, all natural carpet.. er something.


----------



## LLCoolJew (Nov 18, 2011)

I was reading the package again on the moss I used. Its all organic, so I cfeel really good about using it. It really does offer a nice finish to the terrarium. Spaghnum on its own gets so tricky because of the dismembered feeder incects and decapitated flies that get lost in there.

With my organic moss carpet (see? still sounds dirty!), I just roll it up, and throw it out! I keep the spaghnum in place (which is clean), and put on a fresh slab of green moss. For less than $4 for a bag that lasts for months, you can't go wrong!!

I use it at the bottom of all of my deli cups, too


----------



## Termite48 (Nov 18, 2011)

This looks amazing, and if it is inexpensive, a throw away item, and it looks that good, why not. If something adverse happens with the Mantids using it, and there is no other reason, you can look a little closer at what some are saying now about the use of such carpet. For now, it is very nice looking. Congrats on the Idolo enclosure. It shows imagination, good thinking, and a degree of skill. have you thought of interior decorating as a side line?


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Nov 18, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Here's a little snapshot of my moss carpet. (I know, sounds a little dirty).


It's OK, I like it when a girl sounds a little dirty... :devil2: (yes, I edited do to over the top raunchiness  )


----------



## LLCoolJew (Nov 18, 2011)

Oh Nick. LOL


----------



## Mantiskid (Jan 26, 2012)

Hey I just got some Exo Terra forest moss (the dried, compressed kind) from Connie's Tropical Fish last week, and put some in my Mantid enclosures. The moss looked good, but the next day, it stunk up my whole room. I know moss has a natural smell (and usually not a bad one  ), but this just smelled like you-know-what.I tried replacing the moss, cleaning it, squeezing it, but it still smelled really bad. I spent like 10$ on that stuff, and I'm not very happy. Any idea of why this happened?


----------



## meaganelise9 (Jan 26, 2012)

Ah. I've been trying different kinds. I tried "mood moss" from Josh's Frogs, and I actually really liked the smell. It didn't stay green under the heat though. It did look nice for a bit and the feeders didn't hide it in as much.


----------

