Parasites in Nightcrawlers

[Little Wise Owl]

I've been wanting to get a bunch of Nightcrawler earthworms but feel a little put off now that I've read they carry many different parasites. I notice many of you feed them and I was wondering where you get them.

"Earthworms have many internal parasites including Protozoa, Platyhelminthes, Nematodes; they can be found in the worms' blood, seminal vesicles, coelom, intestine, or in the cocoons." From the Wikipedia article about Earthworms.

[Bradyloach]

parasites that can be transfered worm to worm, not worm to monitor. I feed my sav cassie night crawlers from a bait shop. she LOVES LOVES LOVES them. its one of there fav foods! ive been feeding her night crawlers for 4 months i think? since i got her and she wolfs them down and i burry them in the substrate! :D

[Little Wise Owl]

I wish I could feel reassured by your response but I'm not so sure about them only passing worm to worm...

[Bradyloach]

wait untill wayne gets here! the food is actually a monitor favorite.

[Little Wise Owl]

I know, I've read his posts about them.

[infernalis]

The stomach acid in a monitor's belly could rot a nail overnight, so those worms are safe.

Laboratory scientists feed them to test subjects as treats.

Also, Monitor lizards have some of the most powerful immune systems around, provided that you properly support the animal.

On my web site, click the parasites link, and read Dr. Sam Sweet's study on monitors in captivity and parasites.

That should ease your mind.

Parasites!! (http://www.savannahmonitor.co/parasites/)

[BarelyBreathing]

I agree with the above answer.

[Little Wise Owl]

Hmm... I appear to have put this in the Varanid forum, haha. Think the same rules would apply to a Red Tegu? lol

I guess I accidentally put it here because mostly Varanid keepers feed these worms regularly. Sorry for the confusion.

Now I feel silly...

[infernalis]

Same rules apply with a tegu.

Keep the animal supported correctly, and you will be fine.

[BarelyBreathing]

Yes, night crawlers are fine for tegus.

[Little Wise Owl]

So, I should be okay with collecting them from my own garden? What about ones from bait shops?

[Bradyloach]

i use the ones from bait shops, there safe and have been working for me :D

[BarelyBreathing]

As long as they are raised and fed organically, it will be fine.

[Little Wise Owl]

Are the ones in my garden organic enough? :P

[Bradyloach]

yes! if no pesitcides are being used

[BarelyBreathing]

I don't know how you keep your garden.

[Little Wise Owl]

I don't keep it. lol It's just dirt and rocks and weeds. We haven't used any chemicals or pesticides in our yards... ever. Family is against them.

[Bradyloach]

then its safe.

[BarelyBreathing]

That would be fine.

[Little Wise Owl]

Thanks, guys. Looks like I've got some collecting to do tomorrow after work. lol

[infernalis]

It's raining like mad right now here, so I can have all the free worms I want. yippee!!

[simpleyork]

i'll pull um up out of the ground at night with a flashlight and bucket in hand. easy to get them out of my grass, and no digging needed!!!Use them fer fishing as well

[jaleely]

Yup, my 72 year old dad takes his flashlight and goes out to catch them at night and says it's some of the most fun he's had *lol*

[Little Wise Owl]

It's raining here as well so I hope to find plenty.

[simpleyork]

i've gotten off of work at 2 am sometimes just to go right to work pulling them out of the ground till the morning comes.

[mo9e64]

From what i have read usually the issue of parasite load is mostly from freshly imported monitors.The article by Sam Sweet does not differentiate between monitors kept in proper or improper conditions.Of coarse you should treat monitors with symptoms realizing how treatment can also compromise their health-but worrying about parasites if you have proper conditions and your monitor appears outwardly healthy in my opinion is making a problem that does not exist.If someone with actual firsthand experience has had issues with parasites in what were intially healthy animals in captivity for sometime would be of more relevance.
This is under the belief that compromised monitors under subpar conditions cannot deal with parasite load.An outwardly healthy imported monitor under subpar conditions is later compromised due to lack of support.A properly supported outwardly healthy imported monitor will have a fully functional immune system.
disclaimer:the above is my opinion,if you take it as rude that was not my intention

[KORBIN5895]

If they take that as rude they just need to suck it up. That made a very good point.

[infernalis]

worrying about parasites if you have proper conditions and your monitor appears outwardly healthy in my opinion is making a problem that does not exist.


.......... http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gifhttp://www.ssnakess.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gifhttp://www.ssnakess.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif ..........

[shaunyboy]

i'll pull um up out of the ground at night with a flashlight and bucket in hand. easy to get them out of my grass, and no digging needed!!!Use them fer fishing as well

i do the same but.....

i mix up a basin of soapy water using washing up liquid.....

you scatter the soapy water all over a grassy area,as far as i know.....

the soapy water cuts the oxygen supply and the worms,HAVE to come to the surface to breath

this method has always worked for me

cheers shaun

[infernalis]

i do the same but.....

i mix up a basin of soapy water using washing up liquid.....

you scatter the soapy water all over a grassy area,as far as i know.....

the soapy water cuts the oxygen supply and the worms,HAVE to come to the surface to breath

this method has always worked for me

cheers shaun


Maybe for fishing, but would you feed soapy worms to your animals?

[Lankyrob]

Maybe for fishing, but would you feed soapy worms to your animals?

At least they would be clean :) :bouncy::D:wacky:

[Gregg M]

The best way to get worms is with a "shock rod". Stick it in the ground, plug it in, worms all over the place. Pick the right spot and you can get a hundred in a few minutes.

[Little Wise Owl]

From what i have read usually the issue of parasite load is mostly from freshly imported monitors.The article by Sam Sweet does not differentiate between monitors kept in proper or improper conditions.Of coarse you should treat monitors with symptoms realizing how treatment can also compromise their health-but worrying about parasites if you have proper conditions and your monitor appears outwardly healthy in my opinion is making a problem that does not exist.If someone with actual firsthand experience has had issues with parasites in what were intially healthy animals in captivity for sometime would be of more relevance.
This is under the belief that compromised monitors under subpar conditions cannot deal with parasite load.An outwardly healthy imported monitor under subpar conditions is later compromised due to lack of support.A properly supported outwardly healthy imported monitor will have a fully functional immune system.
disclaimer:the above is my opinion,if you take it as rude that was not my intention

I'm not sure why I would take that as rude... but I'm also a little confused. I was only wondering if a properly kept Monitor (well, Tegu, in my case) would be affected by parasites in wild caught worms. I imagine that an animal in optimal health and environment conditions might not be bothered by them but I was unsure.


The best way to get worms is with a "shock rod". Stick it in the ground, plug it in, worms all over the place. Pick the right spot and you can get a hundred in a few minutes.

Where would I get a "shock rod"?

[Gregg M]

Where would I get a "shock rod"?

I always made my own but I am sure you can get one on ebay.

[Mikey T]

Where would I get a "shock rod"?

car battery, 2 wires (one to pos, one to neg) a metal rod at each end of the wire, wet ground, jab both rods in the ground,
Jumper Cables work too but not as much range
***DISCLAIMER***
Wear rubber gloves, and/or properly insulate the rods and wires.

[KORBIN5895]

Try using 120v

[Mikey T]

hey does anyone thing it would be worth it to put some in with Ares??
he seems a bit big for worms?
(3.5 feet)

[Mikey T]

Try using 120v

that would work to, and a lot more powerful, just need a long *** extension cord

[Shmoges]

Or miracle grow!

[millertime89]

Wear rubber gloves, and/or properly insulate the rods and wires.

If you use a shock rod, please, for the love of good, do this. 12v is NOT fun... (I accidentally grounded the alternator on a car I was working on... I didn't feel the need to disconnect the battery because I shouldn't have been doing anything that needed it, whoops)

[Lankyrob]

If you use a shock rod, please, for the love of good, do this. 12v is NOT fun... (I accidentally grounded the alternator on a car I was working on... I didn't feel the need to disconnect the battery because I shouldn't have been doing anything that needed it, whoops)


I did a similar thing as a kid, cant remember what i was doing now but i dropped a piece of metal under the bonnet and as i went to pick it up <POW> - hurt like hell :)

[millertime89]

sounds similar. I had a socket wrench in one hand and a wrench (spanner to you guys) in the other and was turning a bolt and moved my hand with the socket wrench and touched both the alternator and the engine at the same time. ouch.

[Little Wise Owl]

I'm someone whose afraid to use the BBQ by herself... I think I'll be making my father do this, haha. He is an electrician after all.

[millertime89]

make sure you seal it off so it can't get wet if you put it in the enclosure.

[Shmoges]

I wonder if tropical frogs can eat night crawlers or the very small nightcrawlers (diff species I think). I was considering putting a bait store container of them in the substrate of our frog aquariums along with the springtails.