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Thread: Earthworms

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  1. #1
    "Preparing For Fourth shed" Aundrea's Avatar
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    Question Earthworms

    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. Or can I feed them European nightcrawlers? They are for my Dekayi's

    Thanks so much for helping
    1 Ball Python Spenser
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    1 Ornate Boxie Turtle Lola
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  2. #2
    Subadult snake garterchick's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

    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
    tina, aka garterchick

  3. #3
    Thamnophis inspectus Zephyr's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

    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.
    0.1 Storeria dekayi
    Hoping to get some T. s. sirtalis High-Reds next summer!


  4. #4
    Never shed
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    Re: Earthworms

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

  5. #5
    Ophiuchus rhea drache's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

    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
    they have them year round, but in huge quantities unfortunately (500)
    if properly maintained they do keep forever though
    rhea
    "you cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus" Mark Twain


  6. #6
    Forum Moderator infernalis's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

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

  7. #7
    "Preparing For Fourth shed" Aundrea's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

    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
    1 Ball Python Spenser
    2 Dekayi's Bennie, Max
    1 Ornate Boxie Turtle Lola
    1 Baby Russian Tortoise Lilly
    1 Beagle Dog Maycee

  8. #8
    Thamnophis inspectus Zephyr's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

    Quote Originally Posted by Aundrea View Post
    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
    Those other worms may have been panfish worms.

    Also, I'm thinking about the validity of the "red wigglers = bad" statement...
    0.1 Storeria dekayi
    Hoping to get some T. s. sirtalis High-Reds next summer!


  9. #9
    Forum Moderator Stefan-A's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

    Quote Originally Posted by Zephyr View Post
    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

  10. #10
    Forum Moderator infernalis's Avatar
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    Re: Earthworms

    Quote Originally Posted by Kyle
    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 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..
    Last edited by infernalis; 09-10-2008 at 03:39 PM. Reason: New information

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