Questions involving paper used with redworms

J

joseph

Guest
Anyone know if printer ink or similar would be of worry in a worm bin? I think newspaper ink is soy based but not sure of printer ink. I've heard redworms can decompose what could pretty much be toxic waste so would like to know what paper could be deemed as safe.
 
I use newsprint and trash from mail and my computer printer. I try to avoid to much colored ink or colored paper. I havn't noticed any problems.
 
There are two separate questions: what's OK for the worms, and what's OK for the amphibians that eat the worms. For the first issue, you're right, these worms could probably live on toxic waste and it wouldn't hurt them. For the second issue, I'm pretty careful to err on the side of caution. My newts eat these worms whole, and thus ingest the gut contents of the worms directly. The only beddings I'm willing to use are peat moss and coco-fiber. I'm probably being too careful here. I just don't like the idea of all the chemicals that *might* be in inks, and also in the paper itself.
 
Agreed. Since our newts live pretty long lives, biomagnification(correct term?) could be a real problem.

I think printer ink is petroleum based.

I guess to be safe(er) you could use potting mix or coir, some hardwood mulch, and feed them some kind of prepared food...but its not exactly as enviromentally friendly(if you are concerned about that).

(Message edited by fishkeeper on November 05, 2006)

(Message edited by fishkeeper on November 05, 2006)
 
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