# springtail culture spilled all over the floor



## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

Okay, so I walk into the bedroom last night to go to bed and there is my springtail culture spilled all over the carpet. I guess I have found one disadvantage to keeping your frogs and supplies in my bedroom. So now am I going to have a colony of springtails living and growing in my house? IF so,is there something I can spray or dust the carpet with to kill them? I don't want a bug infestation.


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

Unless the springtails find some nice damp place in your bedroom, I suspect that it is unlikely they will thrive there. You may find a few springtails in damper places, i.e. by plumbing under sinks, soil in potted plants but I would be willing to bet that they are already there from natural sources, just not in numbers to be noticeable. 

Just something to consider. I tend to avoid utilizing any sort of insecticides in the house when animals and small children are around...just my 0.02.

Bill


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

Yeah, I was thinking that was the case. I just wanted to confirm it. It would have been a lot worse if it was a FF culture or some crickets. I do have to have someone come spray a little for spiders and set out rat poison, usually in the fall when cooler temps drive them inside. They just sort of go along the baseboards. But this year I have a baby crawling around all over the floor, so I don't know what I'll do. The spiders are already all over the place. They are bad all summer, and I get other things in the hosue once fall gets here. :?


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2006)

I wouldnt worry about the springtails. Poor things are probably gonna die unless they find their way to the nearest potted plant. I have lived all my life with potted plants chuck full of springtails. They just arent worthy of being considered pests. They dont get into your food, or beds, or clothes.


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## Tadpole4 (Mar 16, 2006)

so how do you feed springtails to your frogs? I can't seem to figure out how to get them out of the culture. I have tried several suggestions but still no luck


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## Guest (Apr 7, 2006)

I dont know either, so I just pile up a bunch of dead leaves in an obscure corner of my viv and that is like a springtail factory.


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## back2eight (Dec 19, 2005)

Well, I normally take some of the culture, soil and all, and dump it into the viv. If you are worried about it looking bad, do it in a back corner or something like that, and put a leaf over it. Today I fed some springtails out by opening the culture and blowing across the top of it. They fly right off and fall in the viv.


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## dragonfrog (Feb 16, 2006)

*springtails*

I find it very easy to grow my springtails in a plastic show box filled with africal Violet soil (unfertilized) mixed with charcoal. When I am ready to feed the frogs, I scoop up some of the soil into a small plastic cup and put it into the viv laying on its side so that the frogs can come right up to it and eat. The springtails stay in the cup for the most part. Sometimes I put a small amount of fish flake food at the opening of the cup and this brings the springtails out for the frogs to eat. 
I also dump just plan springtails into the viv every now and then to breed in the viv.


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