Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Couple of worm farming questions

foxn

New member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Location
Washington
I have a 4 inch axolotl that I've been feeding him earthworms I capture and keep in a small tupperware container. I'd like to keep and breed them on a larger scale. I've done a lot of research, and I have a pretty good idea on what to do, but I still have a couple questions.

I noticed a lot of the worm farms have holes drilled in the bottom for drainage, however I would like to keep mine indoors. Is this necessary?

I'm thinking about keeping red wigglers and I've read about them having an unpleasant taste to axolotls, but soaking them in water for about an hour helps with the taste. I've only ever fed my axolotl live food and I want to keep it that way. Will the worms drown in an hour? Should I raise canadian nightcrawlers instead? I'm just concerned about the cooler temperature nightcrawlers need, my house is usually 70+ (fahrenheit)
 

chaimdov

Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
93
Reaction score
7
I tried many times w/o holes in bottom, never works. The worms need the drain. I find red wigglers are not as enjoyed as the regular garden worms. Mine sometimes live for a day underwater.
 

JM29

Active member
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
664
Reaction score
178
Location
Brittany
I find red wigglers are not as enjoyed as the regular garden worms.
I agree. Unfortunately, the red wiggler (Eisenia foetida) is one of the easiest worms to rear, but also the less enjoyed due to repellent yellow substance.
 

michael

2010 Research Grant Donor
Joined
Apr 12, 2003
Messages
3,406
Reaction score
156
Location
Ephrata,Pa
You can do it without the drainage holes if you stir the medium more often. You have to fuss with the culture more without the holes. I prefer E. hortensis.
 

TatoTesla

New member
Joined
Apr 27, 2015
Messages
59
Reaction score
3
Location
Colorado
You can do it without the drainage holes if you stir the medium more often. You have to fuss with the culture more without the holes. I prefer E. hortensis.


I agree. I was able to culture European nightcrawlers in my apartment with no drainage holes. These worms are smaller than Canadian nightcrawlers and larger than red wigglers so they were the perfect size for me.
 

auntiejude

New member
Joined
Apr 18, 2013
Messages
3,685
Reaction score
58
Location
England
I have never had any trouble getting any of my axies or salamanders to take E. fetida. I keep a farm of both E. fetida and E. hortensis in together, in a bucket with no drainage, and I turn the compost over regularly. I remove wet compost and replace with dry or add dry 'brown' scraps if it gets soggy, stuff like shredded brown cardboard.
I have never magaed to get Canadian nightcrawlers to breed in captivity though - they like deep soil under 10C, so not the easiest to farm.
 

dennis

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
76
Reaction score
3
Location
Colorado
Red wigglers can live a long time under water so as long as at least half ya media is not drenched, imo drainage holes are not needed. I just use buckets or tubs in watch my water level....but ideal ya want the media not quite drenched even at the bottom helps the other oxygen loving micro life in the compost too.....

I've tried to culture a lot a worms species and most do fine kept cool outside but inside or out red wigglers are the most foolproof for me. Over the years I even have a wild population a red wigglers that over winter here in Southern Colorado fine. I really like it because outside it gives me three species at different ground levels in different niches available to use for feed but also working to make me fertilizer for my own food 24/7 at all three important root zone levels.......Night crawlers go deep when it gets o hot dry or too cold, my regular earthworms are in the middle and the wigglers prefer the top freshly rotting or root zone area of the soil when they are not frozen or hibernating. I haven't quite figured out how they are over wintering here but the population has grown n grown since I started using them maybe 7 or so years ago.....I got my original wigglers from Uncle Jim's and last year I refreshed genetics with some a local worm farmers wigglers. Worms are interesting to me but red wigglers are fascinating all their own. More like a giant version of much smaller worm species ya find them in balls even in natural soil outside idk if its because they remain close to the cyst they hatch from or what? Makes them easy to wrangle. And get to know wigglers a lil you can totally see how they can consume even a large mass of meat "lol":angel: in a short amount a time to bare bone........
outside I've seen them eat a lot a manure and different rotten veggies n leaves or whatever extremely fast.........

peace best wishes getting things all wormy!

dennis
 

dennis

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
76
Reaction score
3
Location
Colorado
he he he although I never owned any those huge Aussie worms they fascinate me......definitely remind me a throw back from ancient times. Very neat. Australia as a whole just blows my mind in one day I'd love to travel there in just explore the nature for a month or so Darwin style......Everything there is so different n a lot of it dangerous, right up my creep show type alley.

I have gathered in my homework on giants they like trout a lot, but as stated above I bet hungry any sorta meat be considered. I imagine trout is one the healthiest diets though cuz I eat a lot of it here in Colorado and it is a very wholesome landlocked cousin of a salmon. I prefer ones from cold lakes here that ate enough fresh water scuds to have beautiful pink/orange meat but even white meat fish eating mostly worms from our rivers are excellent eating. We got Kokanee salmon here (a land locked species a true salmon) but they stay very deep most the year and usually ice fisherman catch them.I occasionally get one night fishing with a worm but not often.

Lol.......too cool the folks feeding the giants wear Kevlar gloves! I guess their bite packs an amazing punch. Well don't get me too excited on the giants.I am too poor atm to get in on them if they were to become available finally. But soon come I can almost guarantee chinese giant imports will be available and cites legal in America. And they spawn similar quantity to an axolotl so although the first few pairs may be out a reach. I hypothesize them being fairly affordable withing ten to twenty years here......just a guess but I know a couple aquatic biologists here. :errr: I should get a legit group a actual cb firebellies :D today I'm excited for now like a kid before Christmas.......one species I adored as a child n must admit took for granted. I dig aquatic caudates....I spent all evening watching my crested newts interact......amazing lil creatures.

dennis .
 

Natspersonalzoo

New member
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Wilmington North Carolina
I have a sorta unrelated question.. I’m starting my own little worm farm and still figuring it out . Does feeding worms coffee grounds affect your axolotl? I don’t produce much to feed my worms but coffee is definitely used the most in my house. I’m just trying to figure out if the caffeine in it will harm my little monsters or not? Please help. I don’t get on here much but I will try to check back soon. Couldn’t find anything through google. :confused:
 

Attachments

  • DCF3249D-0495-4986-9DD5-D491EEE076AA.jpg
    DCF3249D-0495-4986-9DD5-D491EEE076AA.jpg
    354.9 KB · Views: 528
  • 830DC44D-4883-4E2C-B769-FAAC7F8FEB2E.jpg
    830DC44D-4883-4E2C-B769-FAAC7F8FEB2E.jpg
    363.2 KB · Views: 448
  • C3893740-A434-48E7-9886-F5303851B066.jpg
    C3893740-A434-48E7-9886-F5303851B066.jpg
    428.3 KB · Views: 431
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top