Huge worms

[Hayley]

I ran out of small worms that I got online so I bought some from a pet shop (well my sister did, if I knew they were so big I would have got an alternative for now)... But they are HUGE and I really dont want to cut them up as I find it really mean and personally can't do it... Also I just find it really nasty cutting them up live and don't feel comfortable doing it... Does anyone or has anyone felt like this and is there any way to make the chopping experience as easy and as simple as possible!!! My axies are due a feed but I cant bring myself to do it!!! I know I sound like a big dramaqueen but I'm not use to cutting up fleshy things and actually feel bad in case I'm causing the worms to much pain... I would give the worms whole but I think they might actually be the same size as my axies... Any advice...

[A. Macxicanum]

Hayley,

I don't know. But you are not alone. I can feed worms but I don't like to drown them first or cut them up. I've had reptiles and fed crickets that I rescue when they fall in the water, yet I can watch em' get gulped with no problem.
If the Worms are to big.... then you are stuck. Unless you can stand to drown them first you don't have much choice but to slice and dice them live.
Maybe tomorrow you can head out for some frozen bloodworms to tide you over?

Good Luck.

[MartinBr]

I hear you. Just think of it as your duty:) get a nice sharp blade and cut the head of first, this way it wont know that you slice up the rest of the body :) (the head is the darker and thicker end)

I understand that some people cant do it and if its impossible for you to do it, i think you should rather getting them something else untill you get hold of smaller worms :)

[Hayley]

Thanks Mac, I've had lizards before and had to feed them all kinds of creepy crawlys but I've never had to kill them. I don't like feeding them live food but I can do that as it's the lizards or axolotls actually killing the insects, and not me, although I am assisting with the murder ... I was thinking maybe drowning them would be better but even that I don't want to do , I have some bloodworm just not a lot left but the bloodworm is such a pain to feed as it makes a mess and they just swim around it and spread it all over the tank and I don't think they even eat it... I might try a bait shop and get some smaller ones but untill then I might ask my sister to feed my axies for me and see how it goes down with her, hopefully she will do it, I'll let you know

[Hayley]

Martin, you make it sound even worse, nice sharp blade ... But thanksfor letting me know what end the head is as this was running through my mind... I hate the thought of it let alone doing it.. But thanks anyway il tell my sister and hope she will do it... Oh and what do i do if i have any bits of worm left over, will it keep in a container for a day or two if its dead and that...??

[MartinBr]

Well if you didnt use something sharp you would struggle cutting it? i think that would be worse :P And yea if you feel bad enough just thinking about it, then i dont think you should do it :P

Maybe not an option, but if you cut it off starting from the "***" you could save a live worm for next time :P
As long as you sace like 1-2cm of the head it will live on.

Wouldnt it be great breeding theese and feeding your axolotls with them?

[Hayley]

, I know what you mean. I knew I would use something sharp but I didn't register the word sharp and cutting up a worm in the same sentence which kind of made it slightly better until you did if that makes sense ... I asked my sister and she said she will do it for me tomorrow so it looks like they will be having bloodworms until then which they can't complain about, better than nothing .... But I'll miss feeding them but I'll make sure I get some smaller worms next time ... And if I cut them from the end will they not be in any pain , I know it's just a worm but I don't want it to suffer ... And Oh my God, them worms should be classed as snakes, not worms, the worms I have are tiny compared to them they're the HUGEEEEE worms!!

[MartinBr]

Naaaah worms dont feel pain, they attend to twist abit when you split them, but thats just because something happens with its tendons:)

[Hayley]

Are you sure they dont feel pain and not just saying that so i dont starve my axolotls

[MartinBr]

Well thats up to you to decide ;D

[Hayley]

That helps loads

[Ken Worthington]

If you do cut a worm in half, remember to cut it cross-ways and not long-ways

[Julia]

Originally Posted by Ken Worthington

If you do cut a worm in half, remember to cut it cross-ways and not long-ways

That did make me laugh.
I have to say when I started out feeding worms to my axolotl , I hated cutting them up. I still do, but figure it is kinder than being chewed, or sitting in an axolotl stomach being digested. Earthworms can survive a while in water too...I have seen them moving in water after 24 hours, so suspect drowning them may not be an option. I use a very sharp knife, but have seen them chopped with sharp scissors too.

[A. Macxicanum]

Haley,
I have no idea how long they would last in a fridge. I've never even thought about it before.. Funny how that works. Maybe someone knows.
It sounds like you have Nightcrawlers of some kind.
1 thing I know is that if you cut a worm in half you end up with 2 dead pieces and not two worms.
As for pain.... no one knows for sure. The commonly held scientific "theory" is that invertebrates have no spinal cord... only very simple nervous systems that respond to stimuli... bad or good. Regardless of whether it is a fish hook, a finger poke, or a razor blade. They react the same way. The muscle actually reacts on its own separate from the animals "brain". Their nervous systems are "believed" too be to simple to process emotions or pain. And emotions have a lot to do with the way humans feel pain. We tend to anthropomorphize our pets.... I know I do....but worms and other invertebrates don't "think" like us or feel like us.
That doesn't help me at all. I hate killing stuff. I can't even fish for food anymore.


Edit: Julia is right. When I "drown" them I typically only do it until they've slowed down (about 1.5 hours). With the species of worm I use it also seems to cause them to release the foul chemicals they use for protection before I feed them making them more palatable to my herd.

[MartinBr]

Originally Posted by Mac Myers

Haley,
1 thing I know is that if you cut a worm in half you end up with 2 dead pieces and not two worms.

As far as i have understand when reading up on this subject is: You dont get 2 dead or alive pieces, but you get 1 dead and 1 living. It depends on the size of the worm. They need about 2 cm of their head to survive. Please correct me if absolutely wrong, this is only what i have read at various internet pages.

[Hayley]

Who knew worms could be so interesting ... Thanks for all of your advice and mac the worms and their nervouse systems and emotions was very interesting and i will take that to account next time i have to cut up a worm (i got my sisters bf to do as she chickend out)... But when he isnt around it looks like its down to me , i have a feeling what you said mac will help alot when i do have to cut them up.... And il be sure not to get such big ones again!!

[deliriah]

This post makes me realize how cruel and thoughtless I can be. I tend to just use my thumbnail to break the worm off where I want to, just like I was taught to while fishing, by my grandfather.

[A. Macxicanum]

Originally Posted by MartinBr

As far as i have understand when reading up on this subject is: You dont get 2 dead or alive pieces, but you get 1 dead and 1 living. It depends on the size of the worm. They need about 2 cm of their head to survive. Please correct me if absolutely wrong, this is only what i have read at various internet pages.

That could be true. Maybe it's also species dependent. All I get is two dead halves. I heard that from a worm farmer too.

[MartinBr]

Originally Posted by Mac Myers

That could be true. Maybe it's also species dependent. All I get is two dead halves. I heard that from a worm farmer too.

Heard that you get two dead or? When i cut my the head always keep living though:P so maybe it specie or something. Anyhow my axolotls love them so who cares if it live or not

[PAWS]

My wife also refuses to cut up worms so if I am going to be away on business I slice a few beforehand and then freeze them between newspaper. Make sure they are defrosted before feeding though!

I believe you can also "almost" freeze worms before slicing them, it slows em down and you get less "reaction" as the grim reaper decends!