# Where to buy springtail cultures without getting ripped off



## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

I've bought cultures from a few places and only to get them and find very few springtails to even start your own anyone have any suggestions on where the best place to get them from


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## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

I've ordered them from a couple different web based dealers and totally disappointed with the amount you get for the prices you pay


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## AzJohn (Aug 31, 2016)

dendroboard classifieds


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## cwebster (Mar 5, 2016)

Got some from Joshs Frogs online a couple of years ago and put them in a shoebox with orchid bark and distilled water and a sprinkling of springtail food from joshs. There are zillions still going strong. I just lift the lid briefly each day to give them air.


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## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

Like I said I order some from a couple different places and they claim their cultures are "booming" even show pics with tons of them moving around and what you get 2 different things I think if they show you pics of a booming culture then that's what you should get not a freshly started culture with barely any in it to get it started


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## chillplants (Jul 14, 2008)

I have 2 different members that I order bugs from here on Dendroboard. Cultures from both members were large enough to get my own started.


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## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

I order some from one member since I got ripped the 2nd time they should be here tomorrow or the day after so needless to say it's the last time I order from one of the online stores cause they seem to false advertise you get you buy stuff and when you get your package opened up you have to wait a month so the culture has enough to keep it going so you can feed out of it


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## AzJohn (Aug 31, 2016)

I was in the invert hobby for years. I bought and sold 1000s of animals. I've found that hobbyist are by far and away the best people to buy things from. Hobbyist are doing what they love because they love it. A lot of local and on-line stores have ownership that feels the same way, but some are only out to make a buck.


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## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

If I sell something I would make sure it worth what I charging for it and it seems that there is hobbyist running these online shops and they only care about the $$$ not the person buying what they are selling it too


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

eek_420 said:


> If I sell something I would make sure it worth what I charging for it and it seems that there is hobbyist running these online shops and they only care about the $$$ not the person buying what they are selling it too


Did you mention your dissatisfaction to these individuals, or give them the opportunity to remedy the problem? I know that back when I was running a vivarium webstore, I would bend over backwards if a customer was ever unhappy with what they received.


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## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

Yes let both know that there was nothing to work with and the one said just give it a month to start producing and the other just ignored the issue all together


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

eek_420 said:


> Yes let both know that there was nothing to work with and the one said just give it a month to start producing and the other just ignored the issue all together


Well, if this next batch is unusable, let me know, and I will ship you some for the price of postage.


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## nagasaki (Feb 9, 2012)

IS> there Really such a thing as Jumbo Springtails out there?? If so WHO Has them? WhERE U Get Them ??


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## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

Don't know about jumbo but Michael shrom had some giant you can check with him might have some left


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Did you manage to find anything satisfactory?

I hate paying for bugs  I especially hate paying for really skimpy cultures.

I don't expect to get a master culture but when I pay $10 for bugs there better be more than I can count on one hand.

I've had the best luck with DB members via the classifieds. I've never felt ripped off or been scammed.

With springtails and other rare micro fauna you're usually going to have to plan ahead. It's nice to have a booming starter culture to get things going faster, but either way they're never going to be feeder sized populations out of the box.


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## eek_420 (Jun 27, 2016)

Yes Michael shrom hooked me up with a few that was well started and I was able to get the little ones fed and rather fast shipping and your right I'm not going to get cultures from the web based dealers if I can help it will order them from people here if possible


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## tardis101 (Apr 11, 2012)

cwebster said:


> Got some from Joshs Frogs online a couple of years ago and put them in a shoebox with orchid bark and distilled water and a sprinkling of springtail food from joshs. There are zillions still going strong. I just lift the lid briefly each day to give them air.


Yep, the same thing that I did/do.


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## viper69 (Dec 28, 2013)

eek_420 said:


> I've ordered them from a couple different web based dealers and totally disappointed with the amount you get for the prices you pay



Who were the dealers? I'm just starting out and would hate to order from those unmentioned sources.


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

viper69 said:


> Who were the dealers? I'm just starting out and would hate to order from those unmentioned sources.


Just a reminder... Vendor feedback is not permitted in the open forum. Please send any responses via PM


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## viper69 (Dec 28, 2013)

carola1155 said:


> Just a reminder... Vendor feedback is not permitted in the open forum. Please send any responses via PM



Thanks, done.


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