Springtails for new terrarium

[clownonfire]

I just got done setting up my first natural terrarium. I have Hydroballs covered by mesh covered with cocofiber. I have a few plants and a driftwood stick, waterfall and such. I was going to get a Red-Eyed Leaf Frog however I decided to get a pair of darts since the terrarium is only 12x12x18.

I havent had springtails before however I am concerned since it is a bug and I have roommates. Will springtails escape the terrarium and make home in our carpeting/bedding/furniture? and also I have read that soil is needed for springtails, will just having cocofiber be ok?

Hi! If you are going to go with darts, you should seed your terrarium in advance (at least two weeks before you introduce the darts) with springtails. Basically, get a culture and spread it on the substrate of your terrarium. It will give them enough time to dig down and reproduce. This microfauna will be a great source of food for your darts.

Now the springtails wont escape, they are tiny and prefer dark and wet places... As for fruit flies, which should be the other food source (or pinhead crickets - which are more expensive and will hide in the substrate). Fruit flies should be feed every other day, and they should be dusted first. Your frogs will eat on the springtails when there are no FF. And springtails will also clean your viv...

Depending on what dart frogs you will be getting, you will either feed D. hydei (bigger fruitflies) or D. melanogaster (smaller). Make sure you get either flightless or wingless. Now even if they will not fly, some will escape, so be ready to live with a few loose bugs!

12*12*18 is on the smaller side for darts... Do you know which ones you are thinking of getting? For a small frog, they need lots of space. In the dimensions you are giving, I would only suggest something like a pair of thumbnails, as they are arboreal. You would need to create more of a vertical landscape for them.

Don't hesitate if you have more questions...

Eric