Earthworms?

capsicum · 09-26-04, 02:50 PM

I have had a few people ask me how to raise their own earthworms (or if I sell them). So now I am curious. What eats earthworms and how would I raise them myself?

TIA!

TK

meow_mix450 · 09-26-04, 03:24 PM

they eat dirt i believe i cant remember. Not sure how they breed though. But you can always go to a fishing store to get worms

Meow

capsicum · 09-26-04, 03:30 PM

I don't think there are any bait shops locally...I used to sell superworms and crickets to fishers

But, I will keep looking

TK

meow_mix450 · 09-26-04, 03:40 PM

o that stinks, well good luck

Meow

lostwithin · 09-26-04, 03:48 PM

earth worms are simple too keep, they decompose matter easiest way too do it is layer soil and dead leaves the worms feed on the dead plant matter and break it down into soil. As for breeding too avoid getting technical if you have more then one worm they will breed. the are hermaphrodites. so all you need is a bunch of them some damp soil and rotting plant matter for them too eat. I plan on setting up a colony for my Wood turtle. But I have too get worms first. I can’t find a bait shop.

Devon

Cruciform · 09-26-04, 04:54 PM

Check hardware stores and corner convenience stores. Some carry them or will usually know where to go in your neighborhood

CamHanna · 09-26-04, 07:46 PM

I tried to breed 'night crawlers' for bait a couple years ago and seemed to end up with fewer worms than I started with. I had great success with 'red wigglers' however and they seem to breed well. I kept them in my basement and used table scraps as feed. I found that excessivly moist foods and greasy foods lead to problems. Moist foods flood the worms and greasy foods stink when they rot. I'm not sure where you could get 'red wigglers' but I found mine in my grampa's manure pile. I've seen them for sale from time to time from places like Lee Valley and garden centres.

Good Luck
Cam

capsicum · 09-26-04, 08:00 PM

Thanks everyone! I am going to call up my local Art Knapp and see if they by chance carry anything that I can use

TK

Thrush · 09-26-04, 08:07 PM

I believe that Canadian Tire often sells worms!

capsicum · 09-26-04, 08:17 PM

Thanks

I am going to call tomorrow to find out, and will call everyone I can find, lol!

TK

wetlander · 09-26-04, 08:40 PM

Make sure the worms are cool but not cold. If you can keep them around 65 F they will do well to warm and they will die and get stinky

wetlander · 09-26-04, 08:56 PM

Make sure the worms are cool but not cold. If you can keep them around 65 F they will do well to warm and they will die and get stinky

Linds · 09-27-04, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by capsicum
What eats earthworms and how would I raise them myself?

I eat worms...

:flick: LOL, but I don't think that matters. They are a good food source for all sorts of animals such as amphibians, birds, fish, insectivorous lizards, etc. I would be wary of actually feeding bait shop worms without finding out for fact that they haven't been fed any sort of additives to enhance their appearance, taste, growth, etc. Marisa posted this link a while ago... http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2133.html

rwg · 09-27-04, 12:50 PM

Garter snakes eat worms as well. Red Wigglers are reportedly toxic to garter snakes...perhaps to other animals as well? Night crawlers are recomended for garters.

CamHanna · 09-27-04, 03:29 PM

I couldn't find anything about 'red wigglers' being toxic. Could you provide a link?