Need advice on how to find springtails and isopods (from nature !)

[M Ali]

Hi there i'm recently registered here and i'm glad that i find this place cause other references are mostly useful for reptiles and more common animals not sals. so i'll go straight to the point. I just finished setting up my first paludarium for my kaiser newts and i've got my first obstacles to.
i mean "mold" .then i started to research and find out that the solution is springtails and isopods
but the problem is that i cant find anywhere to buy them in my city now there is only one way left
the natural way. but i have no idea about how to make a trap or something to cache them and where do i have to search for theme

sorry for my poor language

 

[AdvythAF]

Well, you could start your search for isopods and springtails under damp wood, especially in moist forests or grasslands. Where I live, springtails can be found feeding on rotting wood. Isopods can also be found on rotting wood, but they prefer more moisture.

If you have a backyard that is somewhat naturalistic you can encourage isopods and springtails to take up residence by placing bricks and wood/bark on the ground and watering the garden well. If you need to collect isopods or springtails, you just flip the wood or bricks to find them.

If all this fails, it may be possible for you to buy your isopods/springtails online. Dart frog keepers use isopods and springtails so try looking at different websites that might be able to ship to you.

Lastly, if you have a problem with mold in the tank, try other methods of reducing mold growth. You can mist the tank less, which your Kaiser's Newts could be fine with as they come from semi-arid environments in the wild. Try increasing the ventilation and open the lid to let in fresh air and reduce the stale air that the causes the mold to grow.

Good Luck! :happy:

 

[SnotOtter]

Their natural habitat is under rocks, rotting wood and moist leaf litter rich soil. Isopods should be easy to find and toss in as is. If the environment is suitable they will reproduce.

The spring tails are tiny and hard to gather individually. I'd suggest finding some leaf litter and soil and placing it in a container. Keep slightly moist and humid (not wet) and place slices of sweet potato on the surface. If there are any springtails they will start to congregate of the sweet potato. Tap the springtails from the sweet potato into a container and place in your paludarium. The springtails may have a hard time thriving and reproducing in your paludarium if there is no soil or leaf litter though.

Good luck!

 

[M Ali]

Well, you could start your search for isopods and springtails under damp wood, especially in moist forests or grasslands. Where I live, springtails can be found feeding on rotting wood. Isopods can also be found on rotting wood, but they prefer more moisture.

If you have a backyard that is somewhat naturalistic you can encourage isopods and springtails to take up residence by placing bricks and wood/bark on the ground and watering the garden well. If you need to collect isopods or springtails, you just flip the wood or bricks to find them.

If all this fails, it may be possible for you to buy your isopods/springtails online. Dart frog keepers use isopods and springtails so try looking at different websites that might be able to ship to you.

Lastly, if you have a problem with mold in the tank, try other methods of reducing mold growth. You can mist the tank less, which your Kaiser's Newts could be fine with as they come from semi-arid environments in the wild. Try increasing the ventilation and open the lid to let in fresh air and reduce the stale air that the causes the mold to grow.

Good Luck! :happy:

unfortunately i wasn't able to find any seller for those little guys in iran and i think they won't let the animals shipped from other countries to come inside easily :\
but i have a trip to "mazandaran" on this weekend. mazandaran is One of those places that if you stand still for a minute you can see all kind of insects climbing up on your legs. probably i have a better chance to find them in there
and about other solutions i cant lower Humidity because there is a moss in there and they're already looks a little dehydrated .however i'm trying to setup a closed air flow system instead.

Their natural habitat is under rocks, rotting wood and moist leaf litter rich soil. Isopods should be easy to find and toss in as is. If the environment is suitable they will reproduce.

The spring tails are tiny and hard to gather individually. I'd suggest finding some leaf litter and soil and placing it in a container. Keep slightly moist and humid (not wet) and place slices of sweet potato on the surface. If there are any springtails they will start to congregate of the sweet potato. Tap the springtails from the sweet potato into a container and place in your paludarium. The springtails may have a hard time thriving and reproducing in your paludarium if there is no soil or leaf litter though.

Good luck!

i'm thinking of making some sort of trap and i'll use the potato method on it to
and thanks for all your helpful solutions :wink:

 

[Muddy]

Mold in a new tank is pretty normal. All the organic material is just starting to break down and fungus is usually one of the first things to move in. You could likely just wait it out if the newts aren't waiting for their new home. Piles of firewood are my first stop when hunting either bug though.