# Where are my damn springtails?



## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

Has anyone else had this problem. In the last month I have ordered $75 worth of springtails and have yet to get one living bug!! :x :!: :!: 
I won't give names, but I have ordered from 3 different vendors (major vendors!!) on this board and so far 2 of the cultures are F%(^*ng dead!!!
:x :x :x 
I realize that shipping is out of the hands of the vendor but can't a little better care be taken in the way these are shipped? The first package I got was a 16oz cup simply put in a cardboard box. Of course the damn things are going to be dead in this heat, you stupid ass!!! (can you tell I am mad as hell?) The second one is lost somewhere in Commerce City, Colorado, some 70 miles from here and should have been in my hands today. I won't see those dead springtails until Monday afternoon when the UPS man shows up. And I bet they were packaged the same way the first one was.

Is there a vendor out there that gives a damn whether I get live springtails or not?

I have one last order coming from Black Jungle, the only descent vendor out there. Who wants to bet those are dead too?

Sorry if I am showing my anger, but I think $75 for dead bugs is a little excessive.


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## Enlightened Rogue (Mar 21, 2006)

Pm`d


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## Foggerfrog12 (Jun 15, 2006)

I have also recieve two dead springtail cultures this last week! I think in my case the heat is to blame.


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## snmreptiles (Feb 26, 2004)

Steve,

I some what feel your pain...I sent $45 for two cultures of black springtails in the middle of June...Guess what, can't get a hold of him. I am pretty bummed you wouldn't give me a call, I have quite a few cultures, and could give you enough to get you one started!! Let me know what you think. I have a class in the Springs on Monday from like 9 to 11am.

Mike
http://www.snmreptiles.com


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## Thinair (Aug 27, 2005)

How long did you keep the cultures around after you discovered they were dead? I had some springtails arrive last year on the day of a surprise heat wave and all appeared dead. I kept the culture around and checked on it a month later: surprise, springtails!

So ya never know...

(If they truly were all dead, then nevermind...)


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## thong_monster (May 6, 2006)

The heat can be harsh on springtails. I had a DOA event once when I ordered them, but this vendor was nice enough to send out a brand new one at no cost. You should check him out, I dont know about the rules on putting feedback in a nonfeedback section but he is a regular sponser of the forum and the first letter on his name starts with a "J" and ends with an "H" :wink: 

If you still cant figure it out pm me.


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

> How long did you keep the cultures around after you discovered they were dead? I had some springtails arrive last year on the day of a surprise heat wave and all appeared dead. I kept the culture around and checked on it a month later: surprise, springtails!


I have the "dead cultures" in containers of cocoafiber and peat, not wanting to give up completely. so we will see if anything shows in the next few weeks. But this does not help my frogs who want tasty springtails NOW!!





> The heat can be harsh on springtails. I had a DOA event once when I ordered them, but this vendor was nice enough to send out a brand new one at no cost. You should check him out, I dont know about the rules on putting feedback in a nonfeedback section but he is a regular sponser of the forum and the first letter on his name starts with a "J" and ends with an "H"


This is the person I ordered the second culture from that is lost in Commerce City. I can't blame him. I emailed him, not so much to ask for another culture, because it is pretty well understood that you order these at your own risk, but to tell him that I did not recieve it. Maybe he will read this post. :lol:  


Thank you Mike!!!
It is froggers like you that make me glad I joined this hobby. I don't know how others feel, but in my case I always like to try and take care of the problem on my own first before I ask for help. Besides, you paid for your cultures, why should I expect a free ride. I will gladly take you up on your offer, but only if you let me pay for the culture. Just don't charge me another $75 please!!! :lol: :lol: 
I will call you this weekend and work something out. Thanks so much for the offer Mike and Shelly.



> I some what feel your pain...I sent $45 for two cultures of black springtails in the middle of June...Guess what, can't get a hold of him. I am pretty bummed you wouldn't give me a call, I have quite a few cultures, and could give you enough to get you one started!! Let me know what you think. I have a class in the Springs on Monday from like 9 to 11am.


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

Shipping insects in either cold or hot weather is a risky business at times. Fortunately from your signature it doesn't look like you have any frogs that absolutely require springs so you are ahead of the game in that respect. 

Sorry to hear about your problems and thanks for keeping vendors'
names out of the thread (for the most part at least :wink: ).

Good luck.

Bill


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

Best bet is to try to find a fellow local frogger to a starter culture.


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

> Fortunately from your signature it doesn't look like you have any frogs that absolutely require springs so you are ahead of the game in that respect.


Bill,
I was not aware that there are certain frogs the require springtails. Could you elaborate on this and give a list of these frogs?





> Sorry to hear about your problems and thanks for keeping vendors'
> names out of the thread (for the most part at least ).


No problem. My intention was not to put blame on vendors (for the most part) Most of the problem seems to be the shipping end of the spectrum. Not using the right shipping method and the shipper themselves taking forever to ship.



> Best bet is to try to find a fellow local frogger to a starter culture.


Yes, this was the answer. Mike and Shelly of snmreptiles.com graciously came to my rescue and I will be getting some springtails from them on Monday. Thanks Mike!!

*BTW..* I just recieved a PM from Josh and he has graciously agreed to replace his shippment with another at no charge. Now that is a vendor who cares  His first shipment is the one lost in Commerce City. It will be 8 days in shipping before I see that one. Not his fault. The blame is definately on the shipper.


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

I just recieved permission from Josh to post his PM to me. I think it is a good indication of a good vendor and he deserves the recognition. Mods, please do not delete this, as I do have his permission to post it.



> It is amazing that with all the technology and the fact that they are
> shipping stuff every day for years that there is such horrible service. I
> can't think of any industry we expect so many errors from (and accept them).
> I guess fast-food would be close (i.e. why even say "no onions" because you
> ...


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

Steve,

If you had retics, zaps or in some cases pumilio that had just come out of the water, you will definitely want springtails on hand. Most other newly morphed froglets including the majority of thumbnails will do fine with wingless or Tiffany's Golden Delicious (TGD) (man I hate that name...is there another name for them?) FFs.

I've also observed that retics can get 'spoiled' on springtails and refuse to eat FFs. Unfortunately this can get in the way of proper supplementation so I had to wean my retics totally off springs and onto wingless/TGD.

Bill



dragonfrog said:


> > Fortunately from your signature it doesn't look like you have any frogs that absolutely require springs so you are ahead of the game in that respect.
> 
> 
> Bill,
> I was not aware that there are certain frogs the require springtails. Could you elaborate on this and give a list of these frogs?


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

Thanks for that info Bill. What are Zaps? That is a new name for me.


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

Zaps are shorthand for A. zaparo....

check out this thread to see what I mean by small size of the newly morphed froglets.

http://www.dendroboard.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=17955

Bill


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

Wow, that is small, thanks.


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