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Axies regurgitate red wigglers :-(

Gaius317

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I have tried twice to feed red wigglers to my axies and both times I have seen them expel the little worms. It was always soon after feeding them. I have fed them superworms (Which I now know isn't great for them) and blood worms with no problems.

Are they sick or is it the wigglers?
 

dragonlady

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Do you soak your wigglers? Mine won't take them unless they have been soaking first. I have my own wormery (you may consider starting one yourself) but let mine rest from time to time and use wigglers.

Some axolotls may not like the taste, I have heard of others not taking them. You could try some cut up earthworms or nightcrawlers (I soak these too). Some Wal-Marts have started carrying "baby" nightcrawlers that are a little smaller and might be easier to deal with.

Good luck!
 

AGreenDarkness

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My axie will not eat red wigglers either! the pet shot gave me red wigglers once on accident instead of nightcrawlers. I thought they were small versions of nightcrawlers and tossed them in the tank, she would eat one or two and then spit them right back out. When I asked at the store about it they said some amphibians won't eat them because they have a funny taste.
 

Gaius317

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Thanks for the replies guys. I just read on wiki that these wigglers let out a pungent liquid when handled. That could be what causes the indigestion, or my axies just don't have a taste for them. Now i need to figure out what to do with the 35+ wigglers I have left.
 

juantwothree

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Hello, Yes, Red Wiggler worms do let out some kind of defense mechanism when they feel threatened.They let out a mild liquid irritant which must have tasted awfully(from your Axie's mouth) WHish is why they are not advisable as pet food.

You should keep the rest that you have for worm composting and fishing purposes.

Here are more infos about Red Wiggler worms

Red Wiggler worm Articles
 

deliriah

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Thanks for the replies guys. I just read on wiki that these wigglers let out a pungent liquid when handled. That could be what causes the indigestion, or my axies just don't have a taste for them. Now i need to figure out what to do with the 35+ wigglers I have left.
Go fishing? I didn't think my axie would eat them either but I tossed one in after a fishing trip, just to see. And she sucked it up just like any other worm I've given her. I'm guessing Envy, my axolotl, is just a little piggy. Not even close to picky about what she eats. :p I was surprised. I did rinse it, but only because I wanted to get rid of the dirt on it so i have less cleaning up to do.
 

Gaius317

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I just tossed the rest in my mom's garden. I don't fish, and it is only worth while for me to keep earthworms that benefit my axies.
 

Mac Myers

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WHish is why they are not advisable as pet food.

Not to sound like a jerk, but while "Red Wigglers" do emit a foul tasting goo they are still one of the better feeder animals around. I find that after handling and then soaking them in cold water for an hour or so my guys take them with gusto. They are also easy to culture.
And as stated above.
"Hunger is the best cook". :happy:
 

dragonlady

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Hello, Yes, Red Wiggler worms do let out some kind of defense mechanism when they feel threatened.They let out a mild liquid irritant which must have tasted awfully(from your Axie's mouth) WHish is why they are not advisable as pet food.

Not advisable as pet food? That's interesting...Guess that's why they are included in nearly every list of acceptable caudate food...Including Caudate Culture Articles - Select Food Items For Captive Caudates You will find them listed about mid-way down.

As I stated before, I soak mine in fresh, clean, dechlorinated water to remove some of the slime and all of the dirt - I have a few silly axolotls who are afraid of the larger nightcrawlers so red wigglers work well for me.
 

Gaius317

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The last time I fed my axies the red wigglers, I soaked them for an hour in water. I got the same result. There was no use in trying again after that. That was the 3rd time, and I really don't like putting my axies through that. I guess their taste is not good for every axie.
 

dragonlady

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Hi Gaius317,

Sorry, I should have also mentioned that axolotls. like us, do have some individualized tastes. So, no, this is not a sign of illness as long as they continue to eat other things. Have you attempted nightcrawlers? I don't think you mentioned anything beyond superworms and bloodworms. With the bloodworms, are those the frozen cubes?

I would suggest trying to find some earthworms in your own backyard, if it is pesticide/fertilizer free. If this is not possible, maybe you could order some online and start your own wormery. This way, you will have some of various sizes to experiment with to see which size your guys prefer.

Sinking salmon pellets are another idea too. They are not as nutritious as nightcrawlers, but I have heard of very few axolotls turning them down. They are Rangen brand and can be found online. PM me and I can give you the info. One thing about the pellets, they can foul your water if not removed promptly.

The link I provided above may give you some ideas too. At the bottom of that page is a link that tells you the nutritional values of the various foods too.
 

Gaius317

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Thanks for the info shannon. I plan to start my own wormery soon. I am searching around to find a reasonable deal for earthworms online. I live in the US and haven't found that may good places except for ebay.

Nightcrawlers are much to big for my axies. The are both about 5.5"-6". I can cut them up for petsmart sell 12 for $5, so it really isn't worth it. I think that creating the wormery may be the most cost effective way for feeding my axies. The earthworms will also be the most nutritious in the long haul.

I bought a couple pellet packs from buy-axolotls.com, but they just fail. They don't sink unless they are left in the water for a long while.
 

dragonlady

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I am not familiar with the pellets from that site. I get mine from another breeder or from edsflymeat.com. These pellets sink straight away but will start breaking down in the water after about 30 min approx. All my guys love them, as well as my aquatic frogs, turtles, and newts - I order both sizes available.

As far as a wormery, I raise my own red wigglers (E. Foetida) because they are pretty hardy. E. Hortensis is more nutritious, but they are more temperature sensitive based on what I have read. There's a subsection all about earthworms a little further down on the forum index page that should aid you in the set up and care. Google "worm starter kits" and you should find some places of interest. I started at eBay and found a couple of good places.

At approx. 6", your guys should be able to handle nightcrawlers cut in half. It may take them a few times to get the idea. I think it was Mac who suggested letting them go hungry - not bad advice. Skip a day and then try a live worm - you might be pleasantly surprised at the response!

Check Wal Mart - their canadian nightcrawlers are much cheaper ($2.95 for 20) - store them in the fridge. Some Wal Marts also handle trout worms (some of my guys will take them - I always soak all my worms) and/or baby nightcrawlers (haven't tried these). I buy the nightcrawlers for my big frogs who are too lazy to chase crickets!..Hmmm...guess it's starting to sound like I spoil my critters...lol

Good luck! :D
 
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