Springtails

[DefyTheNorms]

So I've been setting up my Exo Terras with Eco Earth, and even tho I don't wish to live plant (I have a black thumb), I was still interested in adding some springtails, but I'm not 100% sure of what the steps or requirements are. If someone could help me with my million questions I'd really appreciate it! 

1. Is Eco Earth covered with dried leaves as the substrate sufficient for springtails or is actual soil needed?
2. I currently have about 1" of Eco Earth on the bottom of each terrarium. Should it be thicker?
3. If I'm not live planting is a drainage layer still required?
4. I'm unsure how many springtails to add to each terrarium, so I'm not sure how much to purchase (5 with 8" square bottoms and 2 with 12" square bottoms)
5. How wet should the soil be kept? 
6. Is it ok to keep springtails under non UV light?
7. I noticed there are different kinds of springtails available. Does it matter which kind I purchase?
8. Do springtails eat waste too, or should I also add isopods?
9. Can springtails be added to the 32oz deli cups for nymphs as well?

I know I'll have more questions but that's all I can think of at the moment lol
 

 

[Bathory]

1. It should be enough, I keep mine on coco fibre (the stuff you get in bricks) and some sphagnum moss to maintain some air pockets so I don't get anaerobic bacteria. If you want to get them going a bit more you can add decaying plant matter that doesn't have any chemicals on it; I have a little box of cleaners where I put odd sticks or leaves that are left over from decorating my enclosures and they love it.
2. I'd use a little more, it'd just personal preference though, the springtails are super small and don't really care but I find it easier to maintain humidity with a bit more substrate.
3. I don't have drainage in any of my enclosures, as long as you're not soaking it you should be fine, in room temp or higher it will evaporate quickly.
4. The more the merrier, if you get any left over just keep them in a sterilite container with a few vent holes and some soil and you'll have a stash in case you want to make new enclosures!
5. I keep mine pretty moist if I can, it does dry up a bit in the enclosures but they don't seem to mind.
6. They do fine in whatever lighting you can give them  
7. This I'm more unsure of,  there's only really one kind avaliable in Sweden and it's the one I use
8. They eat EVERYTHING, when I mist my enclosures they really crowd around any waste or dead plants, but isopods are a fun addition! 
9. I don't see why not!

Hope I cleared some things up at least, good luck!

 

[DefyTheNorms]

@Bathory Thank you! You've cleared up all the questions I had. I'm off to add more substrate to the terrariums and to order some springtails! Thanks again!

 

[CosbyArt]

So I've been setting up my Exo Terras with Eco Earth, and even tho I don't wish to live plant (I have a black thumb), I was still interested in adding some springtails, but I'm not 100% sure of what the steps or requirements are. If someone could help me with my million questions I'd really appreciate it! 

1. Is Eco Earth covered with dried leaves as the substrate sufficient for springtails or is actual soil needed?
2. I currently have about 1" of Eco Earth on the bottom of each terrarium. Should it be thicker?
3. If I'm not live planting is a drainage layer still required?
4. I'm unsure how many springtails to add to each terrarium, so I'm not sure how much to purchase (5 with 8" square bottoms and 2 with 12" square bottoms)
5. How wet should the soil be kept? 
6. Is it ok to keep springtails under non UV light?
7. I noticed there are different kinds of springtails available. Does it matter which kind I purchase?
8. Do springtails eat waste too, or should I also add isopods?
9. Can springtails be added to the 32oz deli cups for nymphs as well?

I know I'll have more questions but that's all I can think of at the moment lol

1. Springtails are fine any substrate material that is at least 1/4" deep and kept at least slightly moist. If the substrate dries out they will die.
2. 1" is more than enough to grow a huge colony in.
3. Nope, again any damp substrate is more than enough.
4. Springtail populations will adjust to the amount of food available. They easily can be a huge thriving population of tens of thousands in a week or two if there is enough food.
5. The substrate should be kept damp enough that if a handful of substrate is squeezed it will stay in a ball. It doesn't take much water at all, and if properly monitored can be kept a bit drier.
6. Yes, springtails are typically spend their lives in dirt, and prefer darkness. UV or not has no bearing on them.
7. I personally use the larger tropical springtails as they can eat more (and can double as small nymph feeders); however, any species will do.
8. Springtails will eat nearly anything. The isopods are also used as they do the same basic job, will eat waste before it starts to decompose (can cause plant damage), have larger mouths, and so "double" the cleaning affect. A major downside is isopods require more moisture and if they dry out at all die much quicker - they are a crustacean and need water to breathe.
9. Springtails can be added to any container with a substrate.

 

[DefyTheNorms]

@CosbyArt Thanks again! I'm still shopping around for the best place to order

 

[CosbyArt]

@CosbyArt Thanks again! I'm still shopping around for the best place to order

The only problem is the temperatures in most of the US, as they need plenty of moisture that could freeze. In that regard I'd be more than happy to ship you more tropical springtails than you could use for the cost of shipping, shoot me a PM if your interested I have a heat pack left too. I just took a quick photo of one of my two colonies for a updated photo, see below.

A few other things to point out is that springtails can easily be cultured in a plastic shoe box container (as I do mine) with the lid on and no ventilation.That way if a mantid habitat dries out and they die off you have more to repopulate the habitat.

I've tried various mixes of dirt and materials, but even straight 100% sphagnum peat moss works fine and what I use anymore. Put 2" in the shoe box, sprinkle a layer of food (I use a Parmesan cheese shaker to even it out) and spray it with water. I tend to feed mine once a week, but they are fine for several weeks, if forgotten as long as they are damp can survive over a month.

For colony food they will eat vegetables, scraps of bread, dry cat or dog food, rolled oats, potato flakes, etc. The more common officially sold foods are brewers yeast and charcoal for them; although, I'll say charcoal keeps them alive their population never seems to grow well.

Then to harvest springtails to add to your habitats simply add more water to the colony until it is very wet. You can then tip the colony and pour the water and springtails into a cup or habitat itself, or use a eyedropper/turkey baster to suck them up and squirt into a habitat. Or to avoid the water you can simply spoon out a tiny bit with a plastic spoon and put into your habitat.

To keep a habitat moist at all times adding a bit of the cricket water gel, landscaping water crystals, will keep it from drying out. The crystals under the substrate will not harm a mantid, and will release water as needed (and will absorb water as well when the soil is misted).

 

[cwebster]

I got my springtails and easy to use food which you sprinkle on every week or so from Joshs Frogs. Tyey have been growing strong and doing well for four years now in a covered shoebox.

 

[DefyTheNorms]

The only problem is the temperatures in most of the US, as they need plenty of moisture that could freeze. In that regard I'd be more than happy to ship you more tropical springtails than you could use for the cost of shipping, shoot me a PM if your interested I have a heat pack left too. I just took a quick photo of one of my two colonies for a updated photo, see below.

A few other things to point out is that springtails can easily be cultured in a plastic shoe box container (as I do mine) with the lid on and no ventilation.That way if a mantid habitat dries out and they die off you have more to repopulate the habitat.

I've tried various mixes of dirt and materials, but even straight 100% sphagnum peat moss works fine and what I use anymore. Put 2" in the shoe box, sprinkle a layer of food (I use a Parmesan cheese shaker to even it out) and spray it with water. I tend to feed mine once a week, but they are fine for several weeks, if forgotten as long as they are damp can survive over a month.

For colony food they will eat vegetables, scraps of bread, dry cat or dog food, rolled oats, potato flakes, etc. The more common officially sold foods are brewers yeast and charcoal for them; although, I'll say charcoal keeps them alive their population never seems to grow well.

Then to harvest springtails to add to your habitats simply add more water to the colony until it is very wet. You can then tip the colony and pour the water and springtails into a cup or habitat itself, or use a eyedropper/turkey baster to suck them up and squirt into a habitat. Or to avoid the water you can simply spoon out a tiny bit with a plastic spoon and put into your habitat.

To keep a habitat moist at all times adding a bit of the cricket water gel, landscaping water crystals, will keep it from drying out. The crystals under the substrate will not harm a mantid, and will release water as needed (and will absorb water as well when the soil is misted).

Oh wow! That would be fabulous! Are you sure you don't want a few $ for the springtails? And thanks again for all the helpful info, as always! I'll send over my shipping address

 

[DefyTheNorms]

I got my springtails and easy to use food which you sprinkle on every week or so from Joshs Frogs. Tyey have been growing strong and doing well for four years now in a covered shoebox.

That's awesome! Hopefully I have as good of luck as you

 

[CosbyArt]

Oh wow! That would be fabulous! Are you sure you don't want a few $ for the springtails? And thanks again for all the helpful info, as always! I'll send over my shipping address

No problem, I've shared my springtails several times and glad to help. Nah, not necessary I've been helped out by a few members too. Okay I responded there too.

 

[DefyTheNorms]

To keep a habitat moist at all times adding a bit of the cricket water gel, landscaping water crystals, will keep it from drying out. The crystals under the substrate will not harm a mantid, and will release water as needed (and will absorb water as well when the soil is misted).

What are the crystals you mentioned? I'm not sure what to look for. And can these be used to provide water to feeder insects instead of having standing water?

Also, I'm wondering so you use a spray bottle to keep the mantis substrate moist? I mist every day but the soil still dries out and only the top stays moist. Maybe I need a heavier spray bottle.

 

[CosbyArt]

What are the crystals you mentioned? I'm not sure what to look for. And can these be used to provide water to feeder insects instead of having standing water?

Also, I'm wondering so you use a spray bottle to keep the mantis substrate moist? I mist every day but the soil still dries out and only the top stays moist. Maybe I need a heavier spray bottle.

The polymer water crystals can be purchased from RainbowMealworms (and tons of places online, but many seem to be questionable sellers/sites), but I'll include some dry crystals when I ship the springtails.

I've been using the inert/non-toxic/food safe crystals since June and they are amazing for many things, including their original use in potted plants (or landscaping). Reading online it seems some use them at parties for jello shots, due to the much lower cost ($20 of crystals makes 32 gallons of gel), but the crystals are not recommended for human consumption (as a legal liability in case the crystals have not expanded when swallowed, as they will in the stomach fluids).

They are the same thing that is sold in pet stores as cricket water gel and many other names in plastic peanut butter looking containers (in cricket water pillows, and other similar things too). Some companies add food coloring to the water and it dyes them orange. For the $10 - $15 retail price it is about $0.01 of crystals and maybe $0.003 in water.

Add a teaspoon of the crystals to a large mixing bowl and fill with water and let it sit, as they really expand in size. RainbowMealworms say wait an hour for them to expand with water, but I just let mine sit overnight to ensure they are properly expanded. Then simply scoop the crystals into a food safe plastic container (with screw lid) that way they do not evaporate and dry out. I leave my container full sitting on my bottom shelf until used up; however, for some unknown reason RainbowMealworms says to refrigerate (they do not mold, break-down, or anything so there is no point).

Yes, I've used them with my crickets for many generations now without issue, and they love them. I just fill a small half height deli cup (8oz) full and place in their tanks, and refill or replace as necessary. If I have smaller crickets I just cut a 4" long 1" wide piece of fiberglass mesh put a end into the cup (then fill) and let it overhang for them to climb in/out.

For spraying mantid habitats I personally use a 1-gallon sprayer (this one currently), I gave up on hand spray bottles after the first day. Typically I fill it half-full to keep weight down, and only have to pump it for pressure every few days for maybe 5 seconds. Besides many conveniences of using the sprayer, the extremely fine mist and long wand makes misting any tank much easier.

Winter is bad for humidity, and in some houses can drop to 5-10% RH due to heating. I mist primarily on a habitat wall, that way mantids can drink droplets if wanted, and the rest simply runs down into the substrate. Ideally you want to spray enough that it evaporates within 30 minutes, but if it evaporates much quicker you need to mist more (and a hygrometer can help in figuring out how much to mist).

 

[DefyTheNorms]

@CosbyArt Thanks for the crystals! I'm definitely going to incorporate them into my insect keeping. The little dishes of water with sponges that I keep in with the feeders get nasty fast! 

I'm going to pick up a sprayer like yours tomorrow. That seems like a much better option. The little spray bottle worked fine when i was just misting the deli cups but not so well in the much larger terrariums. 

Thing with humidity here, it's always between 50-60% in the house. The hydrometer reads about 60% humidity in the terrariums and that's with daily light mistings and the soil pretty much dry :/ I was originally going to partially cover part of the terrarium screen to prevent the soil from drying out so fast, but now I'm afraid it will make the terrarium too humid.. I'm especially concerned now that I'm planning on adding the springtails and need to keep the soil moist.

If it makes the terrariums to humid, I guess I'll just have some pet springtails lol. I already have pet bean weevils. I bought some for my nymphs, but most of the time when they would try to catch one they would just bounce to the other side of the container lol. I guess because their shells are harder, they would just pop out of the mantis's grasp. It was funny to watch, but I felt bad that they had to try like 10 times to get hold of one. Then I didn't have the heart to just kill them, so now I have a container of bean weevils ;/ they keep multiplying and the small container is not a large container lol

 

[CosbyArt]

@CosbyArt Thanks for the crystals! I'm definitely going to incorporate them into my insect keeping. The little dishes of water with sponges that I keep in with the feeders get nasty fast! 

I'm going to pick up a sprayer like yours tomorrow. That seems like a much better option. The little spray bottle worked fine when i was just misting the deli cups but not so well in the much larger terrariums. 

Thing with humidity here, it's always between 50-60% in the house. The hydrometer reads about 60% humidity in the terrariums and that's with daily light mistings and the soil pretty much dry :/ I was originally going to partially cover part of the terrarium screen to prevent the soil from drying out so fast, but now I'm afraid it will make the terrarium too humid.. I'm especially concerned now that I'm planning on adding the springtails and need to keep the soil moist.

If it makes the terrariums to humid, I guess I'll just have some pet springtails lol. I already have pet bean weevils. I bought some for my nymphs, but most of the time when they would try to catch one they would just bounce to the other side of the container lol. I guess because their shells are harder, they would just pop out of the mantis's grasp. It was funny to watch, but I felt bad that they had to try like 10 times to get hold of one. Then I didn't have the heart to just kill them, so now I have a container of bean weevils ;/ they keep multiplying and the small container is not a large container lol

Your welcome. Indeed sponges, cotton balls, etc kept in water dishes foul quickly and can lead to bacteria issues too. Some of the better options I found were to use small pebbles or plastic craft/needle mesh - adjusted in the water dish so water barely comes to the top of them.

The sprayer is nice and I wouldn't use anything else. My only recommendation is to buy a decent brand for better quality. I've bought a few in the last 4 years now, and need to again soon, as the cheaper ones eventually leak air pressure around the seals of the pump (or rarely the wand handle). Although two of the sprayers I bought were only $5 on sale, so I guess I got $5 of use from them.

Humidity is one trick to be sure on habitats for keeping a cleaning crew. The only option if you have high humidity is to increase airflow in the habitats to keep them drier, or heat if temperatures are in range to dry as well.

I know what you mean about the bean weevils and I look at the springtails as pets. No matter how many I give away/sell/use myself most live their entire life happily in the colony cultures.

 

[DefyTheNorms]

@CosbyArt I wonder if this sprayer would be sufficientho it doesn't have the wand?
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Spray-Bottle-quarts/dp/B004CJS7XW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1517111981&sr=1-1&keywords=pressure+sprayer
 

 

[CosbyArt]

@CosbyArt I wonder if this sprayer would be sufficientho it doesn't have the wand?
https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Spray-Bottle-quarts/dp/B004CJS7XW/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1517111981&sr=1-1&keywords=pressure+sprayer
 

That is the more common type many keepers tend to end up with. It is a cross between a both types, but as you noticed has no wand so is basically a spray bottle that you don't have to keep squirting.

For me the wand is required for easier use with mantids, filling arachnid water bowls in their habitats, and various feeders, where simply inverting the bottle and trying to place it in a tank to spray is absolutely impossible. However if the wand isn't something you need go for that style.

As you are looking on Amazon I found a much better rated spray bottle even after many more reviews (and no reviews talking about leaking pressure, having to pump as you spray, and other obvious problems as there are with the Exo sprayer). If you decide on a wand pump here is a very highly rated one, and even cheaper than the spray bottle, it also incidentally is the one I currently use (although I got mine locally at Lowes).

 

[DefyTheNorms]

As you are looking on Amazon I found a much better rated spray bottle even after many more reviews (and no reviews talking about leaking pressure, having to pump as you spray, and other obvious problems as there are with the Exo sprayer). If you decide on a wand pump here is a very highly rated one, and even cheaper than the spray bottle, it also incidentally is the one I currently use (although I got mine locally at Lowes).

I already ordered the exo one, but it was quite affordable so I'll prob eventually getting one like you suggested. I added it to my amazon wish list so I wouldn't forget lol. 

 

[CosbyArt]

I already ordered the exo one, but it was quite affordable so I'll prob eventually getting one like you suggested. I added it to my amazon wish list so I wouldn't forget lol. 

Well I'm glad to hear you decided on one. Ha, I am good at giving lists for things lately.