# Query about springtails ?



## bruton2000 (Jun 29, 2009)

I have completed the day geckos live viv and the pygmy chameleons, all live plants doing well (except red flower on brom that faded in light) 

Now looking to add springtails to help with the set ups but a bit worried with the humid temps in pygmys tank and that fact its a small exo will they breed too much .........will they become a problem dont fancy them overtaking the tank and having to take it all apart again. 

Also what sort of size culture do you start with ? 

30x30x45 pygmy tank 

45x45x60 standingi

Do the springtails eat dead crickets ?


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Hi, springs won't be a problem, they don't leave the soil,. and are so small that your viv could support a population of thousands. If you just want to put them in and forget about them buy a mega pack from dartfrog, chuck it in your substrate mix and leave. If you but the smaller cultures then you'll need to grow them on a bit yourself.

As for eating crickets, I would imagine so, they completely demolished a dead Giant African Millipede in my chams viv, shell and everything.

Dave


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## bruton2000 (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks for the reply, 

Had never seen one and kind of had our native wood lice in mind ( i know silly !!):whistling2: but having heard people say they feed them to there frogs always made me think they were bigger. 

Think i will buy the bigger pack then and leave them to it, maybe keep a small amount for the small pygmy tank. When it comes to a full soil change do i throw them away and start a fresh or is there anyway of keeping any back for the fresh soil. I read a change every 6 months is a good idea.


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## Tarron (May 30, 2010)

bruton2000 said:


> Thanks for the reply,
> 
> Had never seen one and kind of had our native wood lice in mind ( i know silly !!):whistling2: but having heard people say they feed them to there frogs always made me think they were bigger.
> 
> Think i will buy the bigger pack then and leave them to it, maybe keep a small amount for the small pygmy tank. When it comes to a full soil change do i throw them away and start a fresh or is there anyway of keeping any back for the fresh soil. I read a change every 6 months is a good idea.


With springtails, you shouldn't need to do a soil change, that's the point of bioactive substrates :2thumb:

As for woodlice, I'd suggest going out and grabbing a few for your garden. They are just as useful at breaking down organic matter, and can substitute as another food source for your geckos mI'm led to believe they are full of calcium but that could be false).


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Tarron said:


> With springtails, you shouldn't need to do a soil change, that's the point of bioactive substrates :2thumb:
> 
> As for woodlice, I'd suggest going out and grabbing a few for your garden. They are just as useful at breaking down organic matter, and can substitute as another food source for your geckos mI'm led to believe they are full of calcium but that could be false).


This is a good idea, but be prepared to constantly top up the woodlice....they don't last long when there are geckos around! This is why a lot of froggers culture tropical woodlice, to continually replenish the woodlice when they're eaten.

And the above post is correct about soil changes too, there shouldn't be any need to change the soil, the springs will clean faeces and convert it into usable nutrients for plants, the soil should be good until you get bored of the viv and decide to rip it all out and do a new interior (average seems to be 2 - 3 years for this, there's not that many tanks around that have been going for longer without the owner deciding to change it all up )

Dave


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

Yep, I agree with all the above. Sometimes you will see springtails collecting on the surface of any waterbowls, where they scoff up any floating debris, but most of the time you won't see them at all- or any wastes, for any length of time! :2thumb:


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## Wolflore (Mar 3, 2010)

Spray like crazy then sit and wait. Then you'll see them. I've got tropical and native springtails in my anole set up along with a self regulating colony of woodlice - various species. I enjoy watching the bugs come out after lights out to do the housework. I use the sprayer on jet setting to blast faeces off leaves, etc. that way the enclosure always looks clean and the lower levels always get fed!


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## Luke (May 19, 2005)

Could I keep these in my wifes whites tree frog setup then?, Id have to do research as my wife wouldnt like the idea of a colony of a thousand of these in her viv, its not ignorance its education lol.


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## my_shed (Jan 5, 2011)

Luke said:


> Could I keep these in my wifes whites tree frog setup then?, Id have to do research as my wife wouldnt like the idea of a colony of a thousand of these in her viv, its not ignorance its education lol.


Absolutely fine. If you want the proof, order a bumper size pack from dartfrog, then try and see if you can see any. There's thousands in there, and you may see 5 if you're lucky. But they'll keep your viv nice and clean.

Dave


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## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

I've been using bio-substrates in planted cages for corns for a while now and have springtails and woodlice in to help keep the soil in good condition. I remove droppings when I see them but know that if I miss any the “clean up crew” will break anything down. You need to keep atleast one area of the cage moist of the springtails will die back.


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## PhillyDee (May 17, 2010)

I wouldn't worry, they self regulate. Unlike poster above, I leave everything in there for them to break down, plenty of food for them. My mourning geckos must be eating the woodlice, as I cannot find any anymore!


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

I generally remove shed skins and especially large piles of droppings (when I see them!) from my corn tank, but again, it is mostly self-cleaning.


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