Lilac springtails for sale

Lilac Springtails or Purple Podura are some of the rare springtail species found. Due to their color and ease of maintenance, this cleanup crew has captured the attention of various exotic pet lovers and admirers alike.

Lilac Springtails: Summary

●      Native Place: Thailand

●      Scientific Name: Ceratophysella sp. “Lilac”

●      Maintenance level: Easy

●      Temperature Range: 69℉-80℉

●      Size: 2 mm

●      Rareness: High

●      Breeding Difficulty: easy

●      Humidity Range: Damp to semi-dry

●      Diet: Fish flakes, boiled rice, mushrooms

●      Substitute food: Powdered Springtail Diet

●      Supplements: Calcium powder, Limestone

Lilac Springtails: Introduction

Lilac springtails are tiny creatures that are native to Thailand. These creatures feed on leaves and are mostly found in damp areas. These small species play an important role in maintaining balance in the ecosystem.

They consume dead and decaying plants that lie on the ground and then break them down into essential nutrients and give them back to the soil. They can be found in a wide range of places, from small gardens to large forests. They prefer to stay in an area that is moist in nature and where there are a lot of leaves and other stuff that are available to consume and hide inside. Due to these characteristics, they are also paired with isopods and reptile enclosures.

Lilac Springtails: Characteristics

●      Has a distinctive purple shade on their body. Due to this striking color, they are a great addition to vivariums, terrariums, and dart frog enclosures.

●      The color varies depending on the color and the incidence of light of the substrate They show a light lilac shade, under certain light conditions.

●      The color of this springtail may vary depending on the diet and the age of these species.

●      In their natural habitat, these are found in damp soil and under rotting wood.

●      They help the ecosystem by feeding on detritus and aerating the soil.

●      These species, though they are smaller in size, adapt well in moist and semi-arid environments.

●      These springtails can jump to different heights with the help of the jumping fork in their bodies. This characteristic distinguishes them from other species.

●      These species reproduce pretty quickly and can be paired with isopods and other creatures.

Lilac Springtails: Food Habits

●      The best way to provide the right feed to your pets is to include organic matter, just like what is available in the natural habitat.

●      They primarily feed on dead and decaying organic matter. But when culturing in an enclosure, it is important to feed them a wide variety of food. This helps to achieve balanced nutrition for these creatures.

●      Apart from adding veggies and fruits, include fish flakes, mushrooms, pure brewer yeast, and boiled rice to their diet.

●      The powdered Springtail Diet can also be used as a substitute for the springtails to achieve complete nutrition.

●      You can sprinkle the food onto the substrate, evenly covering all the areas inside the container. While feeding, it must be monitored carefully to ensure you are not overfeeding them. If you are placing extra food in the container, then it can attract pests as well as small insects, disturbing their ecosystem.

●      The feeding behavior has to be closely monitored, and the uneaten food must be removed from the container daily to avoid infestation by pests and insects. This will also keep the environment clean.

Lilac Springtails: Basic Care

Providing care to these species is not that difficult when compared to other isopods. The basic thing is to setup an environment which can mimic its original habitat by adopting certain techniques.

If you are using a container to keep your springtails, then you have to ensure that the container has a good-securing lid to prevent the movement of your pets out of the container. The holes made for ventilation should be small to prevent the escape through the holes. You can also add a wire mesh to cover the ventilation outlets as they can help prevent these species from jailbreaking.

You can fill the container with leaves and other substances like coconut coir, which can retain moisture inside. This will provide a comfortable environment for the springtails. While spraying the water into the substance placed inside the container, it is to ensure that it does not create water logging inside the container.

Inside the container, you can create spots for hiding by using naturally available materials like bark and leaves. These hiding places will make them feel comfortable as they will use them to hide inside the container.

You have to ensure that the container with your pets should be placed away from direct sunlight, as this will heat up the container. You can place the container in a cool place and should monitor the conditions inside the container.

You can place a lot of decaying leaves and scraps of vegetables in the container on which your pets will feed.

Lilac Springtails: Enclosure Setup

Lilac Springtails are native to the wet and humid regions of Thailand. Though these species survive well in moist and semi arid soil conditions, they tend to prefer a high humid and moist environment. Due to this they can be paired well with humid loving isopods, dart frog enclosures and certain reptile enclosures.

To replicate their natural environment, a plastic or glass enclosure is used. These species reproduce quickly and do very well on a calcium-clay substrate or in soil. Therefore, make sure to get a substrate mix that has soil or calcium clay mixed in the enclosure. If not available, you can create a DIY mix of soil, organic mulches, leaf litter, bark, and decaying wood for your Bioactive setup. You can add charcoal to the substrate as an optional element.

To maintain high humidity, add sphagnum moss to the enclosure. It is also used as a snack for these species, so you have to add it periodically.

When misting, ensure that the enclosure has the necessary moisture to avoid water logging. Also, maintain the ideal temperature for these species to thrive in the setting. In the end, add calcium supplements and fish pellets to the enclosure for nourishment.