Springtails, yes or no?

[SPW49]

Should springtails be added to enclosures, yes or no?

 

[TownesVanZandt]

That´s optional I would say. I´ve never used them.

 

[dragonfire1577]

Optional but they do help prevent mold and are not harmful in any way.

 

[Greasylake]

I have two cultures of them but have never put them in an enclosure. Im not even sure why I have them at this point.

 

[sasker]

I stopped having any mite problems in the enclosures that were prone to getting them. So yes, springtails are very beneficial.

 

[EulersK]

They're only useful in the more humid enclosures (e.g. T. stirmi, E. murinus, E. uatuman, etc.) because they require higher humidity to survive. Mold can and does grow in semi-dry enclosures, so you're out of luck when it comes to those setups.

Overall, I like them. They keep mold outbreaks to a minimum, and any outbreaks that do happen are resolved very quickly by adding in a few spoonfulls of the springtails. But they're far from a necessity.

 

[AngelDeVille]

If they do no harm, and give you something else to stare at in the enclosure, why not?

I have a T. Stirmi on the way so some preemptive springtails may end up in the enclosure.

 

[Ztesch]

I was getting mold in my A. Seemani's burrow and once I rehoused her I put some White Isopods in and I Havent had any problems with mold since. The Isopods are really thriving in her enclosure. If needed, I will spoon a good amount of them out to another enclosure.

 

[draconisj4]

I have springtails in all my humid enclosures for the T's and dwarf isopods in some of the other invert enclosures and have no mold problems. I prefer springtails for the T's , I don't trust isopods in with them no matter how small.

 

[kevinlowl]

They appear out of thin air in my enclosures just like magic so I don't have a choice.