I bought springtails and didn't realize they are packed in charcoal. Is this okay!?

[ByTorT]

I bought springtails at the expo today and didn't realize they are packed in charcoal. Is this okay to put in with my T!?

Can I just dump it in and take it out after they disperse into the soil? I really don't want a mound of charcoal in my T's enclosure.

 

[NMTs]

You don't need to put the entire culture of them into your enclosure. Just hold the container over your enclosure and open the lid - a bunch of the spring tails will jump out. You can pour some of the water directly into the substrate, too, which will get more of them in there.

 

[goofyGoober99]

I think the charcoal is pretty standard (that's how mine came). You really don't need that many to get a population going in the enclosure so pouring the whole thing would be overkill.

 

[ByTorT]

Thanks NMT's. I must have gotten a bad culture because when I opened the container nothing was jumping out....
I ended up just dumping it in a corner. I did see some life in there, but not what I was expecting.
The spider in question is an A. seemanni who has been completely sealed up in his burrow, 7" below, since 2/1 lol. I doubt he's coming up anytime soon.
I'll give it a couple of days for them to disperse out, and then start removing the charcoal.

 

[NMTs]

Thanks NMT's. I must have gotten a bad culture because when I opened the container nothing was jumping out....
I ended up just dumping it in a corner. I did see some life in there, but not what I was expecting.
The spider in question is an A. seemanni who has been completely sealed up in his burrow, 7" below, since 2/1 lol. I doubt he's coming up anytime soon.
I'll give it a couple of days for them to disperse out, and then start removing the charcoal.

Sometimes, if it's a fresh culture, there aren't many adults (the ones you can see easily), but there are likely a number of babies that you can't really see with the naked eye. If the conditions in your enclosure are right, you only need a few to get a good population built up. Removing the charcoal after a few days should be fine.

 

[Wolfram1]

look up how to culture springtails in charcoal, that way you will be able to judge your own situation better

to grow the colony you put in a fish flake or crushed oat on top of moist charcoal.

to harvest and spread the springtails fill the container with water, submerge the charcoal, the springtails will float to the top and then you pour the water + springtails into whatever container you want

might have been a starter culture you would need to grow first, hart to tell based on your description

edit: but what you have done will work anyway so ...

 

[Kodasea]

I’ve never had an issue with a couple chunks of charcoal accidentally slipping from my springtail cultures to a spider enclosure. Always happy to see those little guys rolling around in my spider boxes!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

look up how to culture springtails in charcoal, that way you will be able to judge your own situation better

to grow the colony you put in a fish flake or crushed oat on top of moist charcoal.

to harvest and spread the springtails fill the container with water, submerge the charcoal, the springtails will float to the top and then you pour the water + springtails into whatever container you want

might have been a starter culture you would need to grow first, hart to tell based on your description

edit: but what you have done will work anyway so ...

haha maybe for the next colony he can do that.
I had a bunch appear in dirt once in my t albo container I ended up giving them all to my Phampho lol . Don’t think I kept it wet enough I only see them near the water dish now.
most my cages are too dry for them.

 

[Wolfram1]

doesn't matter as long as some survive they will always be able to re-colonize any moist areas

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

doesn't matter as long as some survive they will always be able to re-colonize any moist areas

I guess so I see them in some of my other water dishes occasionally.

 

[ByTorT]

Well that makes a lot more sense Wolfram1. I feel like an idiot now I do see them moving around in there so hopefully they colonize up. Thank you for your reply.