# Nutrional content of Springtail Spp.



## Dendrobatesdreamer (Oct 6, 2011)

Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew the nutritional content of springtails, and their nutritional value compared with fruit flies and microcrickets etc. I found a paper on the fat content of springtails but sadly there was no info on their actual overall nutritional value. I culture both the tropical and temperate blue species successfully, and use them on newly metamorphed dendrobate spp, but would really like to find out some science behind why they are good to use other than because they are small in size etc.
Any info is greatly appreciated!
Many thanks in advance,


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I don't know the details, but Lötters' _Poison Frogs_ has a large section on food/feeding, and it mentions that springtails are of higher nutritional value than adult FFs. I also know that FF larva (maggots) have a mich higher nutritional value than the adults.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

hypostatic said:


> I don't know the details, but Lötters' _Poison Frogs_ has a large section on food/feeding, and it mentions that springtails are of higher nutritional value than adult FFs. I also know that FF larva (maggots) have a mich higher nutritional value than the adults.


I think you are inferring a meaning to the table in Lotters. They call springtails "highly nutritional" and fruit flies were listed as "nutritional value must be raised". I had looked at this with interest as I was hoping that they had listed the citations they were using and unfortunately I couldn't find any... as we understand it all of the invertebrates that are fed to the frogs need to have thier nutritional value raised as all (with few exceptions have a poor calcium to phosphorus ratio (usually negative) and lack vitamin A or large amounts of carotenoids. 

There are some analysis out there that include springtails but I've been unable to locate copies of them as some are unpublished thesis. The citations for those can be found in the Nutritional chapter of Mader's Reptile Medicine and Surgery (the first edition is more hobby friendly). 

Ed


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

So just to be clear, do springtails have a higher nutritional value than adult fruit flies?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

hypostatic said:


> So just to be clear, do springtails have a higher nutritional value than adult fruit flies?


I have yet to see any information that indicates that to be true as I noted above other than the anecdotal claim in Poison Frogs (Lotters et al).... 

Ed


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