Questions about Tarantulas and Springtails

[RezonantVoid]

Hey guys. I have 5 Aussie Ts now and since I only recently got back into spiders I also only recently found out about springs. I have a couple of questions about keeping Ts and springs together.

1. Do they hurt tarantulas during moulting? I know they are not predatory but I thought that since Ts are softer after moulting springtails might try nibbling at them. I ask the same question about detrivoric mites too.

2. Should I continue to put small amounts of yeast in the Ts enclosure after introducing springtails so they can feed? It sounds like a terrible idea to me but just thought I'd ask anyway.

3. Can they stress Ts that web alot by crawling over the silk?

4. What's actually the best method to introduce them into the tarantula's enclosure. I already have heard one way but since I only have 1 culture atm I thought it'd be good to hear some additional opinions.

Any answers and additional info I should know is appreciated. Thx guys

 

[Otteresting]

1. No they wont, springtails are detritivorous and wont eat anything alive, unless you use a carnivorous specie but never I heard anything about these

2. Yeast isn't really needed, I personally wouldn't, fungus may develop

3. Nope, maybe with a really small sling, but they are actually too small to trigger a feeding response or disturb a T (as long as they don't crawl on your tarantula, but they shouldn't)

4. Never used springtails actually, so i can't answer that

Correct me if I am wrong

 

[sasker]

4. What's actually the best method to introduce them into the tarantula's enclosure.

Open tarantula's enclosure, open culture, blow over culture to make springtails jump out, presto!

Of course it depends a bit on how you keep your springtails. Some keep them on BBQ coals. In that case you will be able to poor them out with the water in the bottom. I keep mine on plant soil, so that wouldn't work.
Keep in mind that springtails need moist. They won't survive in dry conditions. I have never kept Australian tarantulas, but if they are supposed to be kept bone-dry there is no need to use springtails anyway. Hope this helps

 

[RezonantVoid]

Open tarantula's enclosure, open culture, blow over culture to make springtails jump out, presto!

Of course it depends a bit on how you keep your springtails. Some keep them on BBQ coals. In that case you will be able to poor them out with the water in the bottom. I keep mine on plant soil, so that wouldn't work.
Keep in mind that springtails need moist. They won't survive in dry conditions. I have never kept Australian tarantulas, but if they are supposed to be kept bone-dry there is no need to use springtails anyway. Hope this helps

Thx I'll give it a try. Aussie tarantulas don't mind a bit of moisture, as long as the substrate isn't saturated. So I think the springs should have enough moisture. I keep my springs on charcoal pieces so I should be able to blow them off. Here's a pic of my P.Strennus setup before a transfer, hopefully you can see how much moisture the substrate has. Thx for the info

 

[Chris LXXIX]

In all honesty I tell you this

While I have no 'Cons' (but not even 'Pro') to add - I've never used those as 'clean crew' since when I've started to keep arachnids, in early '90 - I think that they are useful, yes, indeed... but also a bit over hyped.

They help, but nothing that you can't do just keeping attention and a well spot on routine cleaning. Never used, and I don't plan to use those not even for my inverts that require a more humid parameter for thrive.

 

[EulersK]

1. No, they're harmless

2. No need, but I do occasionally drop in a piece of mushroom (from the grocery store) for food. That's what I feed my colony anyway, so I always have them on hand. Springtails are so good at keeping an enclosure fungus-free that they actually end up dying off from lack of food once their numbers get up there. The mushroom helps keep them alive.

3. No, they stay under the silk

4. I keep my colony in plain topsoil. I just drop in a mushroom, wait a few hours, and the mushroom will be absolutely covered in springtails. Scoop it up with a spoon and plop the whole thing into your tarantula's enclosure - done.

Although, I will say that Aussie T's probably won't benefit from springtails very much. They're kept moderately dry, so fungus shouldn't be a problem to begin with. The springtails will die off pretty quickly in dry substrate. I only keep springtails in my most humid enclosures: T. stirmi, H. gigas, C. vonwirthi, H. lividum, etc etc etc.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

1. Do they hurt tarantulas during moulting?

No, they only eat decaying organic matter.

2. Should I continue to put small amounts of yeast in the Ts enclosure after introducing springtails so they can feed?

No need.

3. Can they stress Ts that web alot by crawling over the silk?

Not as far as I'm aware, slings aren't even bothered by them.

4. What's actually the best method to introduce them into the tarantula's enclosure.

Open enclosure.
Open culture.
Tilt culture sideways over enclosure.
Gently blow on culture to make the springtails jump out.

 

[draconisj4]

Should I continue to put small amounts of yeast in the Ts enclosure after introducing springtails so they can feed? It sounds like a terrible idea to me but just thought I'd ask anyway.

Personally, I don't recommend feeding the springtails, a small population will survive and do their job as long as they have moisture. I get overpopulation of them in my harvestman enclosure because they get supplemental food. It stresses the harvestmen and I've lost a few I think due to that. I'm going to redo their enclosure and use dwarf isopods in that enclosure instead.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Personally, I don't recommend feeding the springtails, a small population will survive and do their job as long as they have moisture. I get overpopulation of them in my harvestman enclosure because they get supplemental food. It stresses the harvestmen and I've lost a few I think due to that. I'm going to redo their enclosure and use dwarf isopods in that enclosure instead.

I see. I'll just leave them be and hopefully with the moisture levels im using they wont populate ridiculously. I'm not actually sure if i can get dwarf isopods in Aus but i haven't searched around too hard. Would you reccomend them over springs though?

 

[draconisj4]

I see. I'll just leave them be and hopefully with the moisture levels im using they wont populate ridiculously. I'm not actually sure if i can get dwarf isopods in Aus but i haven't searched around too hard. Would you reccomend them over springs though?

For myself I don't trust isopods in with my T's since they are so vulnerable when they molt, I use just springtails in their enclosures. The harvestmen molt hanging from the bark in their enclosure so I think isopods will be fine in their enclosure.

 

[RezonantVoid]

For myself I don't trust isopods in with my T's since they are so vulnerable when they molt, I use just springtails in their enclosures. The harvestmen molt hanging from the bark in their enclosure so I think isopods will be fine in their enclosure.

Good to know since I'm planning on getting a few harvestmen in the future, found these black and gold ones with 8cm long legs. Looked a bit funny with disproportionately long and thin legs but thought theyd be cool to keep

 

[draconisj4]

Good to know since I'm planning on getting a few harvestmen in the future, found these black and gold ones with 8cm long legs. Looked a bit funny with disproportionately long and thin legs but thought theyd be cool to keep

Yeah, I didn't know that either until I saw one molting, good thing the bark was curved enough to give them room or I probably would have lost all the babies. That's the fun thing about keeping these animals, it's always a learning experience.

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

The springtails won't hurt your T, hence why people use them in their enclosures. They won't disturb your T in any way, and they don't need any supplemental feeding.

 

[RezonantVoid]

The springtails won't hurt your T, hence why people use them in their enclosures. They won't disturb your T in any way, and they don't need any supplemental feeding.

Glad to know. I've heard reports about them hurting moulting T's but my bet is that was just fake info

 

[EulersK]

As a side, do not use some isopods in tarantula enclosures. Many are carnivorous. Be sure to know what your species of isopod exclusively eats before introducing them into your tarantula enclosure.

I primarily keep P. scaber "Orange" which are fond of fresh flesh. They're also common in the hobby. Never use these in a tarantula enclosure, they will absolutely eat your molting spider. @boina, do you have anything to add?

 

[boina]

As a side, do not use some isopods in tarantula enclosures. Many are carnivorous. Be sure to know what your species of isopod exclusively eats before introducing them into your tarantula enclosure.

I primarily keep P. scaber "Orange" which are fond of fresh flesh. They're also common in the hobby. Never use these in a tarantula enclosure, they will absolutely eat your molting spider. @boina, do you have anything to add?

Porcellio scaber is fond of fresh flesh and will eat a molting tarantula? Really? Never heard of that one before, do you have any sources?

To the best of my knowledge all Oniscidea (terrestrial isopods) are detrivores. While they will certainly eat rotting flesh and will nibble on a dead tarantula they should avoid fresh flesh or only take it if no other food source presents itself and they are starving. I've never heard of any isopod eating a molting tarantula and I didn't think they would.

I keep P. scaber in several tarantula enclosures, but admittedly not in any sling enclosures. I like to have a significant size difference between my cleaning crew and the resident tarantula so that the tarantula won't be bothered by the cleaners.

 

[RezonantVoid]

As a side, do not use some isopods in tarantula enclosures. Many are carnivorous. Be sure to know what your species of isopod exclusively eats before introducing them into your tarantula enclosure.

I primarily keep P. scaber "Orange" which are fond of fresh flesh. They're also common in the hobby. Never use these in a tarantula enclosure, they will absolutely eat your molting spider. @boina, do you have anything to add?

Alright ill keep that in mind, i probably won't get them any time soon but its good knowledge to have on hand

 

[EulersK]

Porcellio scaber is fond of fresh flesh and will eat a molting tarantula? Really? Never heard of that one before, do you have any sources?

Just my first hand experience. A year or so ago, I had a juvenile 3" tarantula (the species escapes me right now) that ended up getting swarmed mid-molt. I was home that day, so I saw the molt process start. When I checked on it a few hours later, I saw the isopods nibbling away. The spider didn't make it. I alsonhave taken to feeding my P. scaber colony cut roaches. They're usually on the roach before it stops kicking. I'm not the only one that's experienced this, either:

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/isopods-are-brutal.296501/

 

[RezonantVoid]

Just my first hand experience. A year or so ago, I had a juvenile 3" tarantula (the species escapes me right now) that ended up getting swarmed mid-molt. I was home that day, so I saw the molt process start. When I checked on it a few hours later, I saw the isopods nibbling away. The spider didn't make it. I alsonhave taken to feeding my P. scaber colony cut roaches. They're usually on the roach before it stops kicking. I'm not the only one that's experienced this, either:

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/isopods-are-brutal.296501/

Thx for linking me that post, if i end up getting any (and we actually get them in Aus under garden rocks/logs all the time) I'm not putting them in any of my sling enclosures. Looks like springs are the way to go for now

 

[boina]

Just my first hand experience. A year or so ago, I had a juvenile 3" tarantula (the species escapes me right now) that ended up getting swarmed mid-molt. I was home that day, so I saw the molt process start. When I checked on it a few hours later, I saw the isopods nibbling away. The spider didn't make it. I alsonhave taken to feeding my P. scaber colony cut roaches. They're usually on the roach before it stops kicking. I'm not the only one that's experienced this, either:

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/isopods-are-brutal.296501/

Wow, that's interesting. I didn't know that and I didn't expect it either.