Tropical Springtail (Folsomia candida & Seira spp.): Small white Central American species 0.5 - 4mm long, ideal for feeding to newly metamorphosed and small amphibians such as thumbnail Dendrobates species.

European Springtail (Tomocerus longicornis): Large black temperate species grows to 8mm, suitable for feeding to small species such as adult Dendrobates.

Springtails are widely used in Europe as a food source for Dendrobatids, especially for froglets of small species. Springtails or Collembola are tiny arthropods that live in moist conditions, usually feeding on decaying plant matter and fungi. They can be useful in raising the smallest of froglets, but anecdotal evidence suggests that there may be problems with protozoan infections associated with the long-term use of collembola.

The more springtails you can feed with, the better the frogs are doing. If you have problems with tadpoles that turn into froglets with spindly legs syndrome (SLS) it will often solve the problem or at least decrease the number of frogs that get SLS if you start to feed with more springtails.
Another situation where springtails can help out alot is when you have a frog group that you want to start up for breeding. Increased springtail feedings will often help with starting them up. For feeding small froglets and some tiny species like R. reticulata springtails is the only alternative. Newly raised O. pumilio is best raised into adults with alot of springtails.  Even if this is a good food source it’s important that you don’t overfeed with this since to much springtails at one time will stress the frogs.

Culturing Springtails:

1: First you will need a number of small plastic pots with tight fitting lids such as margarine tubs, Tupperware or unventilated cricket tubs.

2: Fill the tubs to about 1/3 with a substrate of peat moss, and / or soil. This must be kept permanently moist, as if allowed to dry up the culture will die off.

3: On top of the substrate lay a sheet of damp paper towel this will act as a barrier between the food and the substrate making it easier to both remove the food and collect the Springtails.

4: Place a small amount of potato peelings, white bread or cereal in small clumps on top of the paper towel. Commercial Collembola food is available from some mail order specialists but can prove expensive. The foodstuff over time will begin to grow moulds and fungi this is what the Springtails feed on so do not remove the food just top up as necessary.

5: Seed the container with Springtails from your starter culture and close the lid firmly.

6: Store the culture in a dark area at a temperature of 68F-77F (20 - 25°C). If exposed to temperatures under 60F (15°C) the culture will become dormant and no Springtails will be produced and if exposed to temperatures above 85F (30°C) they will die off.

7: It is a good idea to have a number of cultures running at anyone time, and rotate their use as to avoid exhausting your cultures.