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Dart Den

Serving the Dart Frog Community Since 2004...

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feeding out springtails
#1
I have three small springs culture in those 32oz deli cups. I have them in only coco bedding.

I place a leaf and sprinkle some yeast on top of it, than place it in the culture. By next day, the leaf is covered with springs, but as soon as I lift up the culture and open the lid, all the springs scattered to the substrate.

Is there another way to do this.
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#2
Flooding and pouring works well. It works better for flatter cultures though.
-Field Smith
Some frogs...
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#3
More leaves on top - layers, so the springs can't jump away before you snatch up their leaves and tap them into the viv.
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#4
Never thought about adding more leaves and making layers. Cool, I will try it.

THANKS Phil!
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#5
With a layer of leaves....you can grab 2-3 leaves together - like a sandwich and the springs inside will be less able to get away. I use medium Magnolia leaves and mist them and place their food (dried mushrooms, fish flake or Bakers Yeast on the interior leaf and then pick up the whole group of leaves and shake them / tap them out into the frog viv.

Springtails like moist, runny food....
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#6
How often do you put more springtails back into the viv? from what i've read, they will reproduce in the viv which would mean not needing other cultures.
Jon
1.0.6 D. Leucomelas
0.0.2 D. Azureus
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#7
Each vivarium is markedly different and it may be safe to say that no two ecosystems will produce the same microfauna (springtail) populations.

Crashes (mortality) in springtail populations occur inexplicably as well.

Some important variables include:

1. Vivarium ambient humidity
2. Standing water and false bottom water
3. Leaf litter and proper aerated substrate
4. Frog predation
5. Food for the microfauna
6. Temperatures

all very different in each one of our uniquely constructed vivariums. So you see, there's no possible way to gauge if a population is going to bloom, succeed, die-out, need replenished ect.

It's yet another aspect of frog husbandry that we all have to "play by ear" and make adjustments as needed.
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#8
I open my springs culture today and notice it was infested with mites. They look like grain mites. I didn't see any yesterday when I fed with yeast.
I am using straight charcoal and only feeding yeast.

Is this culture toast? What can I do to get rid of the mites?
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#9
post19598.html#p19598
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"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana".
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#10
I have had mites in some of my spring cultures for months and the cultures are still booming. I figure the mites are just another snack for the frogs when I feed.
-Field Smith
Some frogs...
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#11
Guys this is something, i have learned literally in the last few days,so i'm chucking an idea in the pot for you to possibly try.
Both springtails and iso love to eat the curbit family,i mean pumkins/squashes/ marrows/ corguettes. Pop a biggish say inch and ahalf bit (with the skin attached as it's easier to pick up), in the culture you want to feed out,next day this will be covered in feeders,gently pick up and tap into viv,gently is the important word,as above this is in its infancy. I grow all this stuff so have access to organic,to if yours isn't maybe a good wash before using, i'm staggered by how much of this stuff my little feeders have munched in the last week or so and how much easier it is to transfer quantity than grabbing bits of charcoal.I hope this works for you guys,ha it might just be i grow nice tasting veg :lol:
My usual method on my coco- fiber cultures of springs is a bit of oak bark,move and tap,and for both methods i gently take the culture to the viv and then take the feeder piece out
Stu
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