How to change/refill a water dish with springtails in it?

k0rviid

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 7, 2022
Messages
7
Im looking to get springtails soon and I know they like to hang out in the water dishes, but I didn’t know how I’d be able to dump the old water down the drain without dumping the springtails with it. I dont wanna pour it out into the substrate every time I go to change it because after trial and error I found that my sling (g pulchra) prefers dry substrate, and it takes a while to dry out
 

Hardus nameous

Yes, but only on Tuesdays!
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Feb 24, 2018
Messages
274
Put a tiny hole in the enclosure right above the dish. Stick the tip of a needle through the hole and fill the dish with a syringe.
You can get large syringes and needles at farm supply stores like Tractor Supply, Farm and Fleet, or most places that sell livestock supplies.
 

NMTs

Spider Wrangler
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Joined
Jan 22, 2022
Messages
1,331
Im looking to get springtails soon and I know they like to hang out in the water dishes, but I didn’t know how I’d be able to dump the old water down the drain without dumping the springtails with it. I dont wanna pour it out into the substrate every time I go to change it because after trial and error I found that my sling (g pulchra) prefers dry substrate, and it takes a while to dry out
I've found that the amount of springtails in the dish is minimal compared to how many are in the substrate - I dump the dish, springtails and all, and the next day there are more in the dish. Although, I don't empty the dish completely each day. I use the syringe method mentioned above (but you can order plastic ones from Amazon so you don't have a steel needle poking into your enclosure) and just refill it when needed, only removing and cleaning it about every other week.
 
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