Please, tips on cleaning

[Leefrogs]

Ive had my2 whites about 6 weeks now, and I'm thinking I should do my first cleaning. Reason being, new vivs usually get mold, from what I've read. I spot clean poop and change water daily, and wipe down favorite sleeping spots weekly. It's a 33 gal, super natralistic, rock layer bottom 2", coco husk 1", 2" moss. I don't see any moisture trapped in rock layer, or any mold. But I have seen crickets in rock layer, until I got all gaps closed. It still smells fresh, like moss. So is it due for cleaning? And does any1 have any tips for making this a quick painless process. Can I just have a 5 gal bucket of hot water and toss everything in? Will this do, or is bleaching always required? Thank you.

[Jumper]

I seed all my enclosures with springtails. Granted mine are darts, and a smaller frog, the springtails should still be a small help. Some of my enclosures have not been touched in 2 years.

[Leefrogs]

exactly why small frogs are so tempting. I'm waiting for spring to get some real moss in there, and that should maybe cut my cleaning to a couple times a year. I worry bout white fuzzy mold I found in vertical bamboo I got from store. It was molding 2 weeks before frogs even got home. So should I wait for it to smell?
Also, do spring tails just eat the solid waste, or urine?

[Jumper]

They eat moldy, dead, decaying, smelly stuff.

[kienieb1]

so how do you keep the spring tails from multiplying? Do the frogs eat them? How about using worms for cleaning?

[John]

Small frogs (thumbnail dart frogs, very young toads, very young frogs) will eat spring tails. I always find they eventually wipe out the spring tails in small terrariums. Worms are a mixed bag. I have encytraeid worms in most of my terrariums and they are more unsightly than helpful, so I started getting rid of them in new terrariums and refits.

[mrk]

stupid question...What is a spring tail and will Whites eat them all up?

[LilyPad]

stupid question...What is a spring tail and will Whites eat them all up?

Little bugs that eat the bad stuff in your aquarium. It depends how big your whites are. My biggest gray tree frog wont touch a fruit fly, so she would probably leave springtails alone. My two little ones chow down fruit flies though and would probably thoroughly enjoy some springtails!

[mrk]

That sounds like something I would love to try! We will soon be moving our juvenile WTFs to a 150 gallon vivarium. Where do you purchase springtails?

[MikeM670]

I reseed my vivariums about once a month form the springtail cultures I have setup.

[DonLisk]

I reseed my vivariums about once a month form the springtail cultures I have setup.

Mike, your frogs eating all those springtails? hehehehe

[MikeM670]

Mike, your frogs eating all those springtails? hehehehe

Yep! I see them hunting the little buggers when there are no flies for them to eat!

[Terralitoria]

where do you get springtails?

[skeet9924]

I'm curious about the spring tails too!!

[Shanny]

Joshsfrogs .com



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[Terralitoria]

hmmm i brought a book about small animals in new zealand and it says you can just find them in leaf litter in the forest.

[eric048]

try bugsincyberspace they have cleaner packs