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Transitioning to earthworms:

notaphrodite

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Hello! I recently (FINALLY) had success in getting my guy to eat a bit of Earthworm. (Yay!!!!) He has been stubborn on bloodworms and it’s been impossible starving him into anything until a few days ago!

Question 1: He’s only 1.5 y/o so I understand it I have to cut the nightcrawlers.. he ate a piece 1” two days ago and again today. As morbid as it sounds to ask, how many times can I cut a worm? I only want to cut what I need to be as humane as possible/keep them alive... so can I snip off 1” of the same worm a couple of times? I feel horrible even asking lol. But yeah should I be chopping up one worm and offering/sacrificing the whole worm and tossing the rest or can a worm stay alive with its butt snipped off??

Question 2: assuming the smallest # i can buy is 12, how long do they usually live/do I need to feed them and if so what foods are safe since my axie will be snacking on them?

thank you!
 

AnimeDan

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Answer #1: As many times as you need to. Only one side of the worm actually has the brain and the worm is designed to split apart to survive predators. Plus regardless of how many pieces you cut it up into it’s still gonna be digested slowly inside your Axie, so killing it before hand it probably more of a mercy.
Answer #2: A LONG TIME. As long as you add a bit of water to the soil once a week and refrigerate them, they will probably stay alive for a few months without even needing to feed them. If you really feel bad and want to feed them give them a piece of a peel from a fruit or something. Anything that you can compost will work since that’s effectively what your doing by feeding them.
 

notaphrodite

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Cool thank you so much!! I tried transitioning him when he was younger and it left me with a lot of angry worm bits, I’m so happy he is finally accepting them! How regularly/what amount would you suggest feeding a 1.5y/o guy nightcrawlers? I haven’t wanted to chop up extra to offer in case he isn’t accepting but want to make sure he’s properly fed ofc
 

AnimeDan

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I usually feed my guys their worms whole but I usually give them one red wiggler every other day. Depending on the size of the night crawlers either half of one every other day or like a whole one twice a week. The side that flails like mad is usually the side that DOESN’T have the brain and organs because it’s designed to distract and draw the attention of the predator away from the surviving worm. Kind of like when Geckos drop their tails.
Remember that an Axolotl’s body should be about the same width as their head so you can increase/decrease food as necessary to maintain that weight.
Have you tried feeding him red wigglers? My guys turn their noses up at nightcrawlers but love red wigglers. If you haven’t tried them it’s worth a shot to see if your lotl has a preference. I know mine do haha.
 

notaphrodite

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I usually feed my guys their worms whole but I usually give them one red wiggler every other day. Depending on the size of the night crawlers either half of one every other day or like a whole one twice a week. The side that flails like mad is usually the side that DOESN’T have the brain and organs because it’s designed to distract and draw the attention of the predator away from the surviving worm. Kind of like when Geckos drop their tails.
Remember that an Axolotl’s body should be about the same width as their head so you can increase/decrease food as necessary to maintain that weight.
Have you tried feeding him red wigglers? My guys turn their noses up at nightcrawlers but love red wigglers. If you haven’t tried them it’s worth a shot to see if your lotl has a preference. I know mine do haha.
Thank you for the advice! I did try red wigglers- many times 😅 he seems to be really enjoying the nightcrawlers this time around! The width between his eyes is about my thumb nail, and the nightcrawlers are really long.. I’ve heard not to offer food bigger than between the eyes but I’ve also seen people feed whole worms! I didn’t think about that with the worms.. it makes a lot of sense and now I feel for the one worm who I know I chopped into his guts this morning.. well now I know lol
 

Dr. Phil

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Red wigglers are extremely easy to grow - they are the species most commonly used in vermicomposting. Do a search and you'll see how easy it is - also a great way to recycle your vegetable scraps and paper egg cartons, while generating vermicompost for your garden.
 
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