Earthworms

[Aundrea]

Ok I have been searching and searching to buy earthworms for my snakes. Winter is comming and I dont have a bait shop around me and Petsmart dont sell earthworms. I have seen red worms and red wigglers for sale. Are red worms and earthworms the same? I know red wigglers have that stripe and are not good to feed the snakes. Is Eisenia Fetida the same as earthworms? Im just so lost UGH. :mad: Or can I feed them European nightcrawlers? They are for my Dekayi's

Thanks so much for helping

[garterchick]

you may try wal mart, they often sell live bait in the sporting goods department. also, if you're near any body of water the smaller convinience stores may carry worms. good luck

[Zephyr]

Red wigglers, AKA, Eisenia foetida/fetida, are bad. Also, they "hybrid super worms" are bad.
Panfish worms, which I believe to be Eisenia hortensis, are okay. African nightcrawlers are okay, as well as European nightcrawlers (Another Eisenia member.)
Canadian nightcrawlers are okay too.
If the worms you get are under 1 1/2 inches long and have red/yellow banded "tails," they're red wigglers. Common earthworms are a mix of many species, generally not Eisenia. If you buy them from a store, however, double check to make sure.
**EDIT- Another way to check for red wigglers is if they squirt out yellow fluid when you touch them enough. Panfish worms do this too but their fluid is non toxic.

[charliegirl]

If you have a Big 5 Sporting Goods store near you, they sell earthworms for a pretty good price.

[drache]

as Kyle said . . .
I've been having trouble finding the nightcrawlers in my yard because it's too warm
they like it cool to cold
this site has some good info and you can order from them if need be
European Nightcrawlers From New York Worms - Order Bait Size Nightcrawlers (http://nyworms.com/eurocrawlers.htm)
they have them year round, but in huge quantities unfortunately (500)
if properly maintained they do keep forever though

[infernalis]

Aundrea - I have been feeding my dekayi snakes worms from wal mart for 3 years, and they all look good to me so far....:D

[Aundrea]

OMG I bought some worms a month ago and the container says earthworms I didnt think nothing of it but thought the worms were kinda small well they do squirt out this nasty stinky yellow stuff when they are touched. I was wondering why they did this. Now I know (Thanks Kyle)

Are the african night crawlers too big for my Dekayi's to eat? Are they as big as the canadian nightcrawlers?

My wal mart that I go to only sells canadian nightcrawlers.

Thanks everyone for your help :D

[Zephyr]

OMG I bought some worms a month ago and the container says earthworms I didnt think nothing of it but thought the worms were kinda small well they do squirt out this nasty stinky yellow stuff when they are touched. I was wondering why they did this. Now I know (Thanks Kyle)

Are the african night crawlers too big for my Dekayi's to eat? Are they as big as the canadian nightcrawlers?

My wal mart that I go to only sells canadian nightcrawlers.

Thanks everyone for your help :DThose other worms may have been panfish worms.

Also, I'm thinking about the validity of the "red wigglers = bad" statement...

[Stefan-A]

Also, I'm thinking about the validity of the "red wigglers = bad" statement...
Then you might be interested in this article:

Feeding Earthworms: Red Wigglers vs. Nightcrawlers - gartersnake.info (http://www.gartersnake.info/articles/001634_feeding_earthworms_.phtml)

[infernalis]

Also, I'm thinking about the validity of the "red wigglers = bad" statement...


Thanks Kyle, I honestly think I have fed red wigglers to my snakes, and have for long before joining the forum.

I cannot argue fact, so I have not... But gods honest truth, Red wigglers have yet to hurt a single snake in this household.

Xena, Casper, Athena, Spot and Prince have all eaten them for 3 years now, if they were gonna die, they would have by now.

The 3 morphs that died, never once got offered a red wiggler, and they croaked off anyways....

My feelings on feed items change frequently, heck I am glad they all like sushi:D Its a lot easier cutting up Tilapia and Salmon strips, and I let them eat a lot more food this way.


Retraction, NOT WORTH IT.... I'll culture the mini night crawlers first....... so not wort the risk...... so I got lucky, why risk it.

Thanks for posting that link Stefan..

[Stefan-A]

SpringerLink - Journal Article (http://www.springerlink.com/content/k01q44t6uq0q1624/)



Cytotoxic activity in the coelomic fluid of the annelid Eisenia foetida




Summary

1. The annelidEisenia foetida not only causes hemolysis of red blood cells of several vertebrate species, but also has a toxic effect on a variety of cell types, such as chicken fibroblasts, guineapig polymorphonuclear leukocytes and insect hemocytes. However, it has not influence on the vitality of the coelomocytes ofLumbricus terrestris and other lumbricides, nor on the hemocytes of the snailHelix pomatia, the musselsAnodonta cygnea andUnio tumidus, free cells of the turbellarianEuplanaria sp. or wholeRhabditis oxycerca (nematode) and the protozoonsParamaecium caudatum and an amoeba of theProteus-type.

2. By electrofocussing the hemolytic activity of pooled coelomic fluid was separated into 7 hemolytic bands. Three of them are cytotoxic.

3. The cytotoxic effect is a result of the destruction of the cell membrane, as shown by measuring the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal action of the coelomic fluid ofE. foetida against a broad spectrum of gram positive and gram negative bacteria was tested. An antibacterial activity could be observed only againstProteus vulgaris andBacillus megaterium.

4. It was noted that the so-calledEisenia foetida-factor acts on an antigenic structure at the cell surface when anti-sheep-E-antibody was used under competitive conditions. The binding between theEisenia foetida-factor and this membrane structure is relatively strong as it cannot be removed by subsequent treatment with anti-sheep-E-antibody or 2 M KCl.

[gregmonsta]

I mistakingly fed red wrigglers once ... they were regurgitated within 2 minutes and refused at any following offering.

[Stefan-A]

I mistakingly fed red wrigglers once ... they were regurgitated within 2 minutes and refused at any following offering.
I did it once as well. I accidentally gave one of them along with a bunch of Lumbricus worms. The snake regurgitated within about 2 minutes and promptly swallowed the slimy pile again.

[Aundrea]

Which are bigger? European night crawlers or the african ones?

[Zephyr]

Which are bigger? European night crawlers or the african ones? I've yet to see a european night crawler, but from what I've found European night crawlers are bigger.

[Zephyr]

So wait...
Do the red wrigglers produce the toxin under stressed conditions or from their diet?

I can see why they'd be high in toxins under standard compost conditions; high humidity, low surface area, high soil acidity, varying proportions of citruses, avocado, all that "nasty" stuff.

[reptile3]

interesting... see I am learning. Great articles Stefan

[ATNGUY]

So anyone ever collected earthworms with a little electricity? Quick and easy!

[reptile3]

So anyone ever collected earthworms with a little electricity? Quick and easy!

How do you do that?? wondering I may try that!!!

[Lori P]

Enlighten us, Andrew! :-)

[ssssnakeluvr]

So anyone ever collected earthworms with a little electricity? Quick and easy!
did that for years!!!! we called them "prods" I used to sell worms when I was little, had a yard crammed full of huge nightcrawlers!!!!! My dad just split an electric cord, attached the bare wires to 2 metal rods with handles, covered with electric tape. this cord was plugged into an extension cord. you push the rods into the ground and wait....the worms come scooting right out of the ground! I did that recently with a store bought little extension cord...has one hot wire and a ground wire so I have one rod in the ground...works...just don't touch the rod when it's plugged in...:eek: not fun!!! did that when I was little...last time I did it!!! :cool:

[drache]

I've been having trouble finding worms in my yard and I'm wondering what is going on
in a fit of irritation over something else, I moved the entire compost pile this morning
it had needed to be done anyway, so why waste perfectly good anger on pacing and door slamming
anyway - I didn't see any
a whole bunch of other bugs, and some nice black dirt, but no worms
earlier this summer I got a couple of those someone else (Kyle?) had mentioned - the ones that drop the tail
now - nothing
today I read up on land planarians Land Planarian (flatworm) - DirtDoctor.com - Howard Garrett - The Dirt Doctor (http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=389) and now I'm totally freaked
I know it's like hypochondria of the dirt, or stuff one goes through in med school

[Zephyr]

I found one of those this spring. Put it in a container to try and culture it.
Accidentally killed it. lol

[infernalis]

Another lost art form, a worm fiddle.

Drive a wood dowel rod into the ground, leave about 8 inches showing above the surface, then rub a hardwood plank back and forth over the top of the wood peg.

The resulting vibrations drive worms crazy, they will surface rapidly.

I have used electricity for many things, extracting worms is one of them.

[drache]

Drive a wood dowel rod into the ground, leave about 8 inches showing above the surface, then rub a hardwood plank back and forth over the top of the wood peg.

The resulting vibrations drive worms crazy, they will surface rapidly
thanks
how deep do you drive the dowel into the ground?
I like that method better, as it doesn't involve long extension chords and it has a slightly lower carbon footprint

[drache]

I found one of those this spring. Put it in a container to try and culture it.
Accidentally killed it. lol
there's bound to be more - unfortunately

[infernalis]

thanks
how deep do you drive the dowel into the ground?
I like that method better, as it doesn't involve long extension chords and it has a slightly lower carbon footprint


Until the first big rock halts it from going any further, and in my part of NY that isn't too far down.

We have also been known to deluge the yard with a fire hose, and then hunt at night:D

Unfortunately my source creek is nearly dried up, and I will not draw from a stream in that ones condition.

What are the long pink looking worms that bleed when you cut them??

My snakies like those, and I find quite a few out back.

[infernalis]

One could eliminate the "carbon footprint" by charging a battery with a solar cell, and then using an inverter made for camping to power the probes, this also eliminates extension cords, and allows a portable worm trap.

[drache]

What are the long pink looking worms that bleed when you cut them??

My snakies like those, and I find quite a few out back.
I am fairly certain that's a type of night crawler
the other day one of the ones i cut, did something like that
and one time I thought one of my snakes was bleeding, and it turned out to be the worm

[anji1971]

Most of the worms I cut up bleed. The nightcrawlers, and the little pink ones.
I've also almost gone into a panic thinking one of the snakes was hurt!

[Zephyr]

I've been having trouble finding worms in my yard and I'm wondering what is going on
in a fit of irritation over something else, I moved the entire compost pile this morning
it had needed to be done anyway, so why waste perfectly good anger on pacing and door slamming
anyway - I didn't see any
a whole bunch of other bugs, and some nice black dirt, but no worms
earlier this summer I got a couple of those someone else (Kyle?) had mentioned - the ones that drop the tail
now - nothing
today I read up on land planarians Land Planarian (flatworm) - DirtDoctor.com - Howard Garrett - The Dirt Doctor (http://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=389) and now I'm totally freaked
I know it's like hypochondria of the dirt, or stuff one goes through in med school
Also... Might I mention now's not a good time of year for worms?
My neighbors are big on composting and etc, in the spring I could pull out literally thousands of worms from their one pile. Now, with the ending summer heat and dryness, the worms have tunneled deeper (I'd say... a good 6 feet under, lol) or gone into aestivation; don't worry, in spring when the snow melts and we have all that cool, moist weather you'll find them all over again.

[reptile3]

don't worry, in spring when the snow melts and we have all that cool, moist weather you'll find them all over again.

Luckily we don't have much snow here in Northern Georgia!! *woot*
But we haven;t had much rain though, we need rain!!!
Wonders, if I try Wayne's way... maybe I can supply us all!! he he:eek:

[Aundrea]

UGH I am so depressed I dont want summer to end. I HATE WINTER HERE. I have been living here for 5 bloody years and im STILL not used to the winters here. LOL :eek:

Yeah Wayne send us some worms and some slugs our way LOL :D

[drache]

Now, with the ending summer heat and dryness, the worms have tunneled deeper (I'd say... a good 6 feet under, lol) or gone into aestivation; don't worry, in spring when the snow melts and we have all that cool, moist weather you'll find them all over again.
I do know that they're deeper now - they don't like it this warm
hopefully they'll come toward the surface in a few weeks

[infernalis]

UGH I am so depressed I dont want summer to end. I HATE WINTER HERE. I have been living here for 5 bloody years and im STILL not used to the winters here. LOL :eek:

Yeah Wayne send us some worms and some slugs our way LOL :D

Thats the thing, our basement is 25x50 so a few tubs take up no room at all.

So I will probably culture slugs again this winter if anyone needs some.

[reptile3]

UGH I am so depressed I dont want summer to end. I HATE WINTER HERE. I have been living here for 5 bloody years and im STILL not used to the winters here. LOL :eek:

Yeah Wayne send us some worms and some slugs our way LOL :D

I haven't seen a slug in YEARS!!! I do tend to see some worms after it rains, but haven't in a long time.

I just realized, my son loves to dig. Maybe get him to dig up some worms!! ha ha