Springtails for Millipede enclosure.

[mossloft]

So, I've been heavily considering getting another millipede, but I figured I might want to add a cleanup crew of some sort. I've heard that springtails are generally safer than isopods, so I was planning to use those. Something that's always stumped me, though, is how you...do stuff with them in there.
Questions I have:
How do you change the substrate when you have springtails in the soil?
How do you keep them from multiplying too much?
Thanks in advance!

(p.s. happy birthday to me! i saw a scarlet millipede earlier <3)

 

[AZCeptipede]

I keep springtails in every single enclosure I have, it just makes everything so much easier. They are definitely safer than isopods, while I haven't had a negative experience myself (isopods snuck into my Dehaani's enclosure a few months ago on either moss or cork bark) I've heard they really pose a danger during molts where they can and will eat your pedes. I personally haven't had the need to do a substrate change, it disrupts their burrows and stresses them out, only spot cleaning is necissnec imo unless there's a known problem. Springtails will multiply like crazy but they have a self-limiting population, it's all based on food supply, but in a milli enclosure food will be everywhere, I don't see that as a problem though, that just means you have more janitors

 

[Sandland]

I keep springtail cultures with carbon and water when I need to add a few to an enclosure I tilt the culture until water pools on one end, the springtails float then use a turkey baster. if I need to add a lot of springtails I add distilled water to the culture until water covers the whole area then pour the water through a sand sifting mesh until the water in the culture is back to normal level

 

[BepopCola]

Is it ok to bury springtails? Like cover the springtail laden substrate with fresh substrate?

 

[SFA]

Is it ok to bury springtails? Like cover the springtail laden substrate with fresh substrate?

Sure, just be gentle and don't crush them. They'll make their way out.

 

[Sandland]

You can burry them but most will scatter in seconds just have to keep them from drying out. If you keep them from drying out they will even breed in enclosures, in enclosures I have to allow to dry out I have to add more when the dry season is over.

 

[mossloft]

I keep springtails in every single enclosure I have, it just makes everything so much easier. They are definitely safer than isopods, while I haven't had a negative experience myself (isopods snuck into my Dehaani's enclosure a few months ago on either moss or cork bark) I've heard they really pose a danger during molts where they can and will eat your pedes. I personally haven't had the need to do a substrate change, it disrupts their burrows and stresses them out, only spot cleaning is necissnec imo unless there's a known problem. Springtails will multiply like crazy but they have a self-limiting population, it's all based on food supply, but in a milli enclosure food will be everywhere, I don't see that as a problem though, that just means you have more janitors

Thank you, that clears up a lot of stuff for me! How would I go about adding them to an enclosure? :0 If I'm gonna get them, I'll be buying all of the supplies for a millipede along with it, along with the millipede itself. Most seem to come with their own substrate, do I just add that into the already existing substrate of the millipede enclosure?

 

[Sandland]

If you can get cultures that are already on charcoal then its easy to add distilled water enough to make the springtails float on top and pour some off into enclosures or new culture. Josh's Frogs has videos about all the questions you may have.