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. 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
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....

[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

[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

Those 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

[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 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..