# Shipping springtails



## agrosse (Apr 5, 2005)

Has anyone found a good way to ship springtails?

I've been shipping them on moist substrate, in insulated boxes with phase packs and seem to only get a 60% success rate.

I've tried shipping on charcoal and just wet sphagnum but those were even worse.

I'd love to offer them to people I sell Isopods to but they are always kind of a wildcard.

I even had one guy take temps when he opened the box and they were 68-72 and all his Isopods made it. 

Maybe they just can't handle getting shuffled around like the Isopods?

Any ideas are appreciated.


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## chillplants (Jul 14, 2008)

My springs and isos are shipped to me exactly how you describe. Other than 1 oddball shipment that had a low success rate, everything has arrived in good shape here in west central Florida. I have noticed on many occasions that the springtails need to get fresh air as CO2 can build up in the closed containers. As soon as I open the box, I dump the springs into another larger container and give it a mild shake to break up the media. After 30 mins or so, the springs are back to life and doing well.


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## agrosse (Apr 5, 2005)

Ah, so maybe my issue is co2. I'll try using one of the fabric fruit fly lids and see if that corrects the problem.


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## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

In my experience the shipping temps need to be just right. If the springs experience hot temps along the way they pretty much arrive DOA.

I've stop shipping springs because I end up giving more refunds than successful shipments. Isopods are much more temperature tolerant.


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## TheCoop (Oct 24, 2012)

Temperature has never been an issue for me, the cups do need to be vented in some way. Although they do well cultured at home in non vented cups/lids shipping does best when vented, culture media can also be an issue.


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## SDKev (Oct 25, 2014)

I have received some that appeared to be dead but after opening the container and giving them some fresh oxygen they start moving again after 10 minutes or so.


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