First vivarium

[Tom Highum]

Ok john would it work to have a 5.5g tank with soil and extra plants and put the woodlice and springtails in there? Would they live with me dumping in some of the feces from spot cleaning my extra tanks?

[1beataway]

I'm excited. My dumpies move around so much more in their new bigger tank. Especially Luigi. He's become a lot more acrobatic. He likes to jump onto the vine in the middle, and kind of swing on it with his back legs hanging down. But he also keeps falling down from the top of the tank. No wonder he has a damaged bone. He's going to end up killing himself from being silly.

[John]

Ok john would it work to have a 5.5g tank with soil and extra plants and put the woodlice and springtails in there? Would they live with me dumping in some of the feces from spot cleaning my extra tanks?

I wouldn't feed them frog waste on purpose. The Woodlice will eat fish flakes and the springtails will eat baking yeast. The woodlice will value something to hide under.

[bobgildolf]

Hi, sorry if this seems silly but John could you please explain to me how springtails and woodlice would be beneficial. Would the WTFs not just eat them? Could they breed to the extent of infestation? Also the exo-terra tank in question has low vents, could they escape?

[John]

Springtails will break down the waste produced by the frogs. They are too small for most treefrogs to bother eating them. They are not a pest animal so don't worry about the taking over your home - they just want to live in the terrarium substrate.

[Wyomingite]

Springtails will break down the waste produced by the frogs. They are too small for most treefrogs to bother eating them. They are not a pest animal so don't worry about the taking over your home - they just want to live in the terrarium substrate.

I'm assumin' they will colonize the soil in house plants, so how far from the vivarium would a houseplant have to be to prevent this? The nearest houseplant is in the next room from where I'll be puttin' any critters.

My wife'll have my head on a silver platter if I knowingly bring "vermin" into the house and they get into her houseplants...

WYite

[Tom Highum]

I don't think they eat live plants. I actually think that they can help plants.

[Wyomingite]

I don't think they eat live plants. I actually think that they can help plants.

Right, Tom. I'm not worried 'bout them harmin' the plants in any way. Thanks.

I'm worried 'bout my hide should Mrs. WYite see little critters hangin' out in her plants. She's kind of...uhmmm...an OCD cleanliness freak with an aversion to invertebrates, who fails to accept the ecological importance of insects, wood lice, spiders, worms, etc., etc. 'Cept for bees and butterflies, 'cuz they're pretty. So I was wonderin' just how likely springtails are to colonize the soil in potted houseplant in different rooms. Has anyone else had "problems" with this?

WYite