Breeding earthworms

[MartinBr]

My axolotls just love earthworms! But it don't know of anyone that sells them around here, and due to the dry periods of summer their awfull hard to find.

what i was wondering about was if i did get 100-200 worms, would it be hard to start breeding them? How long does it take before eggs transforms into good sized worms?

 

[Jennewt]

The important thing is to get the type of worms that can be cultured. I would recommend doing a google search for "vermiculture" or "worm farm" and do some reading. If you start with the right kind of worms, and keep them at the right temperature, etc., you could have enough to harvest within 2-3 months, and then a steady supply forever. Also read some of the old threads on this forum about growing worms.

 

[Mac Myers]

She's right of course. If you CAN get 150 or so of the easy to culture worms then it's a cake walk. I set mine up and began feeding the larger worms from the culture the next day. I always have a variety of sizes and am still going strong months later. :happy:

 

[MartinBr]

I found a seller that could sell me 100 worms of the type Lumbricus terrestris. Is this something that can be bred and kept? If so, anyone with experience that can tell me the best way to keep theese worms?

 

[Nathan]

Lumbricus terrestris (common earthworm or Canadian nightcrawler) is not usually cultured in home worm farms, though I don't know if there are good reasons for that beyond its poor heat tolerance. Eisenia species, such as Eisenia foetida (red wiggler) and E. hortensis (European nightcrawler) are the typical cultured species.

 

[Azhael]

L.terrestris is excellent for feeding, but is a very poor choice for small scale or indoor culturing. You probably won´t have any luck breeding them. If you can store them and buy them regularly, then they are a great choice.

If what you want is a culture, try a Eisenia/Dendrobaena species.

 

[MartinBr]

Is it possible to do anything with L.terrestris? Its way to expensive buying loads of them because of shipping. Ill try look around any shops that might sell Dendrobaena veneta and see if they have anything. How many do i need to have a steady supply and how should i build my vermiculture? Thank you for your answer :happy:

 

[Nathan]

Eudrilus eugeniae is another good candidate.

 

[Mac Myers]

How many do i need to have a steady supply and how should i build my vermiculture? Thank you for your answer :happy:

2-3 hundred would be more than enough.
You can look up "worm bins" on the Internet and get lots of info.
I raise mine in shoebox sized plastic storage containers. For a growing medium I use (clean) topsoil mixed with shredded paper, cardboard, sphagnum moss and I sometimes mix in a small amount fish flakes.
I keep the mixture moist, but not wet. If it gets too wet I add and mix paper or cardboard to dry it out. I "till" this daily by turning it over with my hands once daily to aerate it and keep it from clumping. :happy:

 

[Nathan]

Is it possible to do anything with L.terrestris? Its way to expensive buying loads of them because of shipping. Ill try look around any shops that might sell Dendrobaena veneta and see if they have anything. How many do i need to have a steady supply and how should i build my vermiculture? Thank you for your answer :happy:

You might be able to raise L. terrestris outdoors in your climate. They don't do well in indoor cultures simply because most homes are kept too hot for them. Raising Canadian Nightcrawlers

 

[MartinBr]

I raise mine in shoebox sized plastic storage containers. For a growing medium I use (clean) topsoil mixed with shredded paper, cardboard, sphagnum moss and I sometimes mix in a small amount fish flakes.
I keep the mixture moist, but not wet. If it gets too wet I add and mix paper or cardboard to dry it out. I "till" this daily by turning it over with my hands once daily to aerate it and keep it from clumping. :happy:

First of all, thanks for all the answers.
Second. @Mac: I found another dealer right by me that sells Eisenia fetida i think. How would you go about raising theese? Should i use the same mix as you? do you have it in layers, or just throw it all in?

 

[Mac Myers]

I found another dealer right by me that sells Eisenia fetida i think. How would you go about raising theese? Should i use the same mix as you? do you have it in layers, or just throw it all in?

I raise Eisenia foetida myself. Unless you are going large scale you can raise several hundred in a small container like mine. No layers. No cover save for a moist paper towel. Be sure to aerate it daily. I always have eggs and worms from a little over 2cm to 10-11cm.
I keep the bin in a slightly open drawer.
If you keep the substrate level about 3" below the rim with some light nearby they stay in the bin. :happy:

 

[MartinBr]

Can i have them utside, or will it be too cold sometimes? Could maybe move it inside when the weather gets colder. "No cover save for a moist paper towel." my english is not to well but i assume this means that im supposed to have a moist paper towel ontop of the mix?

Thanks for all your help!

 

[Mac Myers]

Eisenia do better at room temperatures than at cooler (think 10-13°) or hotter (Think 35°+) temperatures. 28° is good.

And yes. Pardon MY English. I should have used the word "except" instead of "save".
I cover mine with a 2 layers of moist paper towels. :happy:

 

[MartinBr]

Thanks for all your help mac! I was out digging som topsoil from the forrest earlier today that im going to use. Is it a problem that it have some roots and decomposed leafs and stuff in it? Think it have some clay in it too... Is it good to use this or should i go buy regular flower soil? Going to set it up tomorrow, i have about 250 worms now. I think that will do fine

 

[grius]

Hi.
Hope it is ok if i borrow your thread for a minute.

Im also planing on start a cultivation with worms. One probleme is just that my Tiger salamanders will not eat the common fish bate worm, they just hate it. So i have to get my hand on a more tempting species..

I have tried to reach dartfrog.co.uk to order some lumbricus terrestris but wihtout any luck. Do someone knows if he is hard to reach most of the time?

I can keep them outside.

 

[Mac Myers]

Thanks for all your help mac! I was out digging som topsoil from the forrest earlier today that im going to use. Is it a problem that it have some roots and decomposed leafs and stuff in it? Think it have some clay in it too... Is it good to use this or should i go buy regular flower soil? Going to set it up tomorrow, i have about 250 worms now. I think that will do fine

As long as you are sure that the topsoil hasn't been sprayed with pesticides it will be fine a few small roots and leaves are great too. I'd probably avoid as much clay as I could.
250 should work out well. Use the medium they come in as well. Often you will get some worm eggs in there already close to hatching. Each egg can have 1-7 or so worms in it. :happy:

 

[Mac Myers]

Hi.
Im also planing on start a cultivation with worms. One probleme is just that my Tiger salamanders will not eat the common fish bate worm, they just hate it. So i have to get my hand on a more tempting species..

Often of you soak the worms in cold water for an hour or so and then rinse with treated water that removes enough of the foul flavor they release as a defense mechanism. :happy:

 

[grius]

Often of you soak the worms in cold water for an hour or so and then rinse with treated water that removes enough of the foul flavor they release as a defense mechanism. :happy:

Hi.
I feel that im going of topic here.

I have tried everything with all my three tigers. The fist one did not ate worms at the former owner(nothing bad with his care) But he ate time to time when i had him. So one method was to put worms in HOT tapwater for about 10seconds and direclyt after into coold water, that way he ate.
I have tried this with my two other tigers and only one have eaten worms, the other one refuse. They usually rub there snout in the substrat after some contact with a worm. Another odd thing. All my 3st tiger seem to have enormous probleme with swollow live worm, they just keep crawl out.

I Know this dont have with my care to do? even the one my friend had did this. And the only method that works is to put worms in hot water. The worms have not been in bad shape either.

I dont give my tigers worms anymore, not so strange as it dont work. I so want them to eat worms, i know it is the best food for newt and salamanders.

 

[MartinBr]

I usually hand feed my worms to my axolotl, that way im sure that its easier for them to eat it
If you feed them with the head first (the darker end) it obviously will have a harder time crawling out, aye?

With the slime you could soaking them in cold water for an hour. Then put them into a jam jar and flush them with water. Preferably the highest pressure on your water tap. Try fill the jar halfways, put a lid on and shake it. I did this and made the worms release their slime, just wash them quick after this and im sure they should be fine