# How to transport springtails



## dgibbons1 (Jul 25, 2013)

Ok i keep running into this problem of moving the springtails. Whether its feeding time or just removing a bunch to start a new culture. the first time i used the water to just pour a bunch over but i really don't like doing that because its not good for feeding the frogs the springtails never seem to stay on the surface. 

Now that my rambling is done how do you guys transport springtails from the culture into the tank or from culture to culture. Some people have said to put rice on a leaf and use that as a bucket to carry them but i can't get them on the leaf to transport.


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## redfrogger (Nov 6, 2010)

I tilt the container and then I use a plastic spoon to scoop the springs and water into the vivs, growout tanks, quarentine tanks, etc. Very easy and quick. Takes a few scoops but it does the trick. After, I add a little bit of spring water back into the springtail container.


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## Coqui (Jan 17, 2013)

I just recently started using a turkey baster. 
I skim the top of the water where all the spring tails
Are hanging out. Then I just replace the little water I sucked
Up using the same turkey baster this way any tail in there
Are return to the culture.


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## frog dude (Nov 11, 2011)

Tree fern fiber panels work great. Just put some yeast under and on top of the panel, leave alone for about 24 hours, then pick up tree fern, hold over container, and thwack it with the handle of a butter knife. In a booming culture, you can collect thousands of springtails that way with minimal loss and mess.


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

frog dude said:


> Tree fern fiber panels work great. Just put some yeast under and on top of the panel, leave alone for about 24 hours, then pick up tree fern, hold over container, and thwack it with the handle of a butter knife. In a booming culture, you can collect thousands of springtails that way with minimal loss and mess.


Easiest method by far, right there. Simply leave the 4"x4" tree fern panel in place, on top of the culture substrate at all times. That way it's ready any time.
Frog dude was over here and watched me harvest about 5,000 silver springtails in about 30 seconds, a few months back. We harvested them into a Ziplock style plastic shoebox. The sides are just high enough and slippery enough that they can't escape. Now I can carry it around to all the vivs for feeding.


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## therizman2 (Jul 20, 2008)

I use tree fern or just leaves. Leaves are nice for doing froglet bins, just grab a leaf covered in springs and toss it in with them.


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## MELLOWROO421 (Feb 21, 2007)

I always just flooded my cultures and poured into vivs, but I began to get tired of the charcoal falling into the viv and having to constantly refill the charcoal in the cultures. I recently began using a new method that works well for me. I bought a bundle of garlic at the grocery store and they came in a net bag. I use the net bag and put it over the top of a fruit fly culture cup. I then flood a springtail culture and pour into the net so the springs fall through but the charcoal gets caught by the bag. This leaves me with thousands of springs floating in water that I can just pour into my vivariums without getting charcoal in them. I just put the charcoal that falls in the net back into the culture and close it back up. I also allows me to collect a bunch of springs from one culture and divide them into as many vivs as I need.


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## dgibbons1 (Jul 25, 2013)

lots of good ideas on this thread. I just took apart an old viv with tree fern in it. I think ill reused some of that and try that out for now. Keep the good ideas coming!


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## frog dude (Nov 11, 2011)

dgibbons1 said:


> lots of good ideas on this thread. I just took apart an old viv with tree fern in it. I think ill reused some of that and try that out for now. Keep the good ideas coming!


Be sure to give the tree fern a good boil before putting it in a culture so you don't introduce mites.


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## hypostatic (Apr 25, 2011)

I just tip the culture a bit, and blow into it. Springtails go flying everywhere.


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## pavochavo (Nov 21, 2012)

Great ideas! I think I may have to try the turkey baster idea. 


Thanks,
Robert


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