Best type of earthworms for axolotls?

[Geckogal]

I have noticed that people say earthworms are the best, but they do not specify what type of earthworm they are feeding.

Which option do you prefer?

Red Wriggler (Eisenia foetida)
European Nightcrawler (Eisenia hortensis)
Canadian Nightcrawler (Lumbricus terrestris)
African Nightcrawler (Eudrilus eugeniae)
Alabama Jumper (Amynthas gracilis)

 

[Boomsloth]

I have noticed that people say earthworms are the best, but they do not specify what type of earthworm they are feeding.

Which option do you prefer?

Red Wriggler (Eisenia foetida)
European Nightcrawler (Eisenia hortensis)
Canadian Nightcrawler (Lumbricus terrestris)
African Nightcrawler (Eudrilus eugeniae)
Alabama Jumper (Amynthas gracilis)

I can only speak for the Eisenia foetida and the Lubricus terrestris. From a food perspective (i'm feeding axolotls) night crawlers are bigger and tend to not excrete anything that would deter feeding. However I am making the switch to red wigglers because they are super easy to breed and since I'm in school would make my life easier instead of driving every week 30 min to pick up night crawlers. Night crawlers require deep soil and cool spaces and do not breed as often as red wigglers.

 

[sde]

My newts like all worms.

But if none of the above was an option, I would choose it. My favorite worms to feed are earthworms, the garden/original/ worms. Here is a pic of one. They are a lot different that the ones listed, but my second option would be Canadian nightcrawlers.....I think. I honestly don't know what kind of nightcrawler it is, but they work.

Picture.

-Seth

 

[Geckogal]

I was hoping to breed worms for feeding. They say the red wrigglers aka compost worms are the best for this, but since they admit a foul tasting substance when unhappy, some of my axolotls do not like to eat them.

And unfortunately, I do not have a facility to keep Canadian nightcrawlers cool enough for breeding. I buy them in small amounts and keep them in my fridge for a treat.

Which is why I originally asked this question, to see if anyone had an alternative species to feed that would be good for breeding also. I should have stated that earlier. Unfortunately, the term "earthworm" is so broad and can pertain to so many species, it makes this question a bit hard sometimes.

 

[michael]

E. hortensis are easy to keep and breed. I've had good luck with them.

 

[outdoorvivaria]

I breed Dendrobena or Red Wrigglers in a bin in my shed. I feed them poo from my pet rabbit and old kitchen scraps. They do very well and produce more than enough worms for my collection.

I also breed white worms in a smaller tub indoors. These are excellent food for smaller amphibians and are full of essential fats and amino acids. They wriggle like crazy in the water too.

 

[auntiejude]

If you just want to feed worms any type will do, ther is very little difference nutritionally. If you want to start a worm farm eisenia are best - easy to keep and breed.

 

[Boomsloth]

If you just want to feed worms any type will do, ther is very little difference nutritionally. If you want to start a worm farm eisenia are best - easy to keep and breed.

100% agree I have had my red wigglers for about a week now and I'm already noticing most of them swollen with babies.

 

[dennis]

My lil lotls have been eating wigglers I culture in my compost projects all winter. They do not mind the funny taste and wiggles after a week or so of no garden worms. But they really enjoy the regular worms n night crawlers from my garden.......Although the wiggler biologically is more nutritious, regular old earth worms have always been my first choice for my lotls.

I just began to turn n work my garden soil for the season and there is a lot a worms up already here in Colo. Must be a sign spring is coming soon.

 

[scorpio110684]

I have tried several types of worms but my Axies seem to like the Canadian nightcrawlers the best, so I'll be sticking with those.

 

[chaimdov]

I found that the medium they are grown in, is more important than the species. Rotting leaves, newspaper, chicken scraps mix is best.

 

[michael]

Lots of vermiculture instructions recommend against feeding them meat and fruit. I feed mine mostly vegetables and newspaper.

 

[GlowingFauxPas]

Lots of vermiculture instructions recommend against feeding them meat and fruit. I feed mine mostly vegetables and newspaper.

Which newspaper?

 

[michael]

Which newspaper?

Usually the Lancaster New Era. Shredded paper is good to dry out the bed a little and the worms will eat it. I try to avoid paper with to much colored dye.

 

[velasco13000]

I feed my newts Canadian night crawlers. They love them.

 

[willowcat]

Canadians are seasonal. Euros and Reds are accessible year round. Canadians have to be cut up. I do have some huge Watedogs that can take Canadians, though. But I do not think that most people have animals this big. Euros do not have have to be cut up for sub-adults and adults. I am going to be offering for sale small Euros for smaller newts. I am trying to iron out all the details. The grower that I am getting them from grows nothing but this species worm. I have read that there are 300 Euros to the pound. I am getting feedback from him with counts so I can half way know what to communicate to potential buyers. I will be offering the adult worms for sale, also. But I am focusing on the small ones. Per average estimated counts, there are 2000 mini worms to the pound. So that should give us some idea of what size they are. I guess that I could call them Minnies? Or Minnie Euros? Is there anything out there called Minnies? And also, does this size intrigue any one? Would love to get feed back.
Thank you,
Trace

 

[Coastal Groovin]

I use what I believe to be Alabama jumpers for adult newts and larger salamanders. We call them Leaf worms here. They are easy to collect because they are normally at the suface eating dead leaves. If it isn't dry I can collect 200 in 20 mins they are so numerous. They have draw backs. They lose their tails many times just like a lizard does. They are tough, tough to chew that is. You have to cut them up into very small chucks. They are also always full of waste but you can squeeze it out of them. I used them because they are free and nothing refuses them.

 

[UglytheAxolotl]

The random ones from my organic garden, not sure what kind, but they love 'em.

 

[LetThemEatWorms]

I am not sure what the healthiest worm is for them, but I do know that African Nightcrawlers reproduce VERY quickly. Faster than wigglers. They also grow twice the size. But, they need hot weather. I believe somewhere in 80s or 90s, so you'd probably need an infrared reptile bulb to raise them. Good luck finding your answer!

 

[Peyote]

When Bob was adolescent he sometimes regurgitated Eisenia foetida/fetida but never Lumbricus terrestris. Now he is 11 inches long and eats anything that moves and shows no preferences. He follows people around his tank as they walk by, has a go at fingers etc.

For variety I also feed lots of woodlice (mostly Oniscus asellus and Porcellio scaber). Interestingly the only living thing I have seen Bob spit out is Armadilidium vulgare - presumably he mistakes them for stones or seeds which is of course just what this type of woodlouse intends!

By the way I only use Eisenia when I can't find any adult Lumbricus (eg. dry or very cold weather) because I have an endless supply from the worm bin - but these are not organic due to supermarket kitchen waste, paper and cardboard with ink etc that the worms eat. Incidentally when they were tiny I fed Bob and his siblings lots of the tiny white Enchytraeus buchholzi or E. albidus from the worm bin + baby woodlice. I assumed that the reputation for these as fatty food came from the commercially produced ones which I think are fed on milk and white bread?? but I don't know for sure - does anyone here know the nutritional value of wild Enchytraeus.