The dirt on dirt

[guidofatherof5]

The last couple of times I've spoken to Jeff B. on the phone our conversations has returned to the same topic.
That being, worms may be more beneficial to garter snakes than just a food source.
Worms may be mostly water but what's left is some good stuff, especially the dirt that the worms have eaten.
I think for the most part this dirt is a benefit to the snakes rather than a problem. I understand there would be some exceptions to this statement.
Not only have the worms consumed many good minerals but Jeff and I both believe that the soil possesses beneficial bacteria that especially help the babies develop.
Gut flora, gives the young a jump start to their immune system.
I know that the Plains garters(T. radix) in my area feed mostly on night crawler and grow quickly and big.
Gut flora - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gut_flora)

Thanks Jeff for the great conversation. Always a pleasure.

[Jeff B]

I would like to add that there may also be proteins and enzymes that the worms specifically manufacture and possess, that may have benefits to garters, both in tems of nutrition and immunity. We are not making any research based claims here, merely hypotheses from our own personal observations.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I have been saying this for years! Worms selectively eat the most nutrient dense stuff they can find and in my opinion... Well fed worms are excellent as food.... worms are nutrient rich and the snakes will have to eat more of them to be full, but my snakes that do prefer the worms are some of the most robust!

[Jeff B]

It's not so much that they eat nutrient concentrated "stuff" it's that they themselves concentrate nutrients and minerals and chelate them and excrete (worm castings well documented) but also they have incredible "guts" mainly thru their bacterial flora, but may also be their own enzymes manufactured as well, and that MAY translate to better "gut" and digestive health in garters. shrug

[Hornets23]

It seems to make a lot of sense..