# Reindeer Moss/Caribou Lichen



## tasteslikechicken (Sep 8, 2009)

I did a few searches on this on the forum and couldn't find much about it...

Reindeer Moss/Caribou Lichen (Cladonia rangiferina) is a lichen sold in craft stores- you can get it dyed or natural. The packaging talks mostly about craft usage, but does mention that if you lay it on top of a plant you are watering (and water through the lichen) it will deteriorate. Other then that and the wiki page stating that caribous eat it (and apparently are special in being able to digest it) I know nothing about it. 

Anybody use this? Is it safe? 

Thanks for any input


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Hi,

I don't think it is harmful, but I tried some a couple years ago and it didn't last very long, unfortunately. Doesn't seem to like the moisture/mold. It would be neat to get some lichen that grows in a rainforest and see if it survives in a viv.

Mike


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## skylsdale (Sep 16, 2007)

Given the fact that it's pretty ubiquitous to arctic and northern regions, I think just the conditions of captive tropical vivariums greatly stack the odds against its longterm survival.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

It will mold and decay very very rapidly in the tropical conditions of the terraria... 

Ed


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## tasteslikechicken (Sep 8, 2009)

Ok..so other than maybe being a waste of money...is it safe? Does it become something bad when it dies or just messy?

Also..anybody use this stuff: Home "supermoss"


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## roxrgneiss (Sep 30, 2007)

Well, the lichen I used was found locally, in VA. I did a little searching and found that Cladonia rangiferina can be found as far south as Florida, so I think tropical conditions aren't the problem so much as the high moisture and lack of air movement, leading to mold. Here is a website with some info: Reindeer Lichens

Mike



skylsdale said:


> Given the fact that it's pretty ubiquitous to arctic and northern regions, I think just the conditions of captive tropical vivariums greatly stack the odds against its longterm survival.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

roxrgneiss said:


> Well, the lichen I used was found locally, in VA. I did a little searching and found that Cladonia rangiferina can be found as far south as Florida, so I think tropical conditions aren't the problem so much as the high moisture and lack of air movement, leading to mold. Here is a website with some info: Reindeer Lichens
> 
> Mike


It might (and I stress might) have a chance in terraria if it usually wasn't treated and killed... most require a drier substrate, no canopy cover (direct lighting) and good air movement.. and have very slow recovery rates (look at the rates for regrowth after a fire and most of those are adapted to a fire ecology..) 

Ed


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## tasteslikechicken (Sep 8, 2009)

Ed said:


> and have very slow recovery rates (look at the rates for regrowth after a fire and most of those are adapted to a fire ecology..)


lol....I really hope my terrarium doesn't catch on fire. If it does, the last thing I'm going to be concerned about is the 5 dollar craft moss.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

tasteslikechicken said:


> lol....I really hope my terrarium doesn't catch on fire. If it does, the last thing I'm going to be concerned about is the 5 dollar craft moss.


Well..
I was referring to two implied issues there.. 
1) that it is probably unsustainably harvested for the arts and crafts trade given its growth rate
2) given its growth rate in the wild, it would be difficult to establish and keep alive in the terraria for any significant length of time... 
requiring more if one wanted to keep trying it leading back to number 1 above...
Ed


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