# How Long Can Springtails Live Without...?



## Percularis (Mar 22, 2011)

How long can springtails live without being fed?


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## EvilLost (Jan 10, 2011)

you mean in a viv? as long as you have leaf litter, animal waste, etc building up you don't ever have to feed them.


but if you mean a culture or shipping container...i dont know


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## varanoid (Jan 21, 2011)

Percularis said:


> How long can springtails live without being fed?


Supposedly they can live for years in cultures without being fed. This was a thread I came across today. This person hadn't opened his culture in 7 months and it looked like his culture was doing fine.

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/70441-safe.html


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

varanoid said:


> Supposedly they can live for years in cultures without being fed. This was a thread I came across today. This person hadn't opened his culture in 7 months and it looked like his culture was doing fine.
> 
> http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/70441-safe.html


First....yay! one of my threads were ''cited'' WOOHOO!


now, it' true, i actually found they did better being ignored, although apparently the secret is shredded paper...since it's all gone now...lol


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## SavannaZilla (Jan 19, 2011)

I forget to feed mine often, but they really do well with food with mold on it in their deli cup.


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I dumped some charcoal and water from a crashed culture into a bucket a few months ago. The other day I went to dump out the bucket and it was swimming with springtails.


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

now, it' true, i actually found they did better being ignored, although apparently the secret is shredded paper...since it's all gone now...lol[/QUOTE]
what's with the shredded paper?


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

WONTON SALLY said:


> > now, it' true, i actually found they did better being ignored, although apparently the secret is shredded paper...since it's all gone now...lol
> 
> 
> what's with the shredded paper?


it molds, breaks down, and feeds the microfauna...i made the cultures around 1/2 shredded paper, left them for 7 months, and now it's all dirt, springs and iso's


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

so you didn't use charcoal? reason why I'm asking is i ordered the tropical springtails with charcoal from Josh's. will adding some shredded paper to the charcoal help?


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## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

Depends on what you culture... I wouldn't bother with paper for springs, charcoals fine... But for iso's or mixed cultures, I highly recommend it...


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## WONTON SALLY (Jun 26, 2011)

well if i venture from spring's i will keep that in mind, thanks.


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