Red Wriggler?

[AJK Aquaria]

Good morning

My experience with red wriggler worms has been poor. When I was a kid and keeping locally caught herps, these worms were not preferred. Garter and Brown/DeKay's snakes found them distasteful, and would immediately drop them and rub their mouth on the substrate after grabbing one. Even toads disliked them. My aquatic turtles would still eat them, but other foods were taken with much more enthusiasm. I've avoided these as feeders for years. I believe the creamy, yellow secretions they produce when chomped make them taste bad for herps.

I've read they're an option for box turtles(and other species), here on the forum and elsewhere. But I've also read they should be avoided and considered a possible danger. Just looking for feedback on these worms from the forum.

Thanks
Adam

 

[lisa127]

I have fed them, and they do like them. With adults I prefer to feed nightcrawlers but red wigglers work also.

 

[Yvonne G]

I'm not sure, but I think it's the medium the worm folks raise them in. I put red wigglers in clean dirt and feed them good kitchen scraps for a week or so, then I use them as food for the turtles. I've noticed that my turtles won't eat them directly from the store, but they will eat them after they've been cleaned out for a week or so.

 

[ColleenT]

they are good for composting, but i have never had them. i have the euopean nightcrawlers and my boxies love them.

 

[AJK Aquaria]

Thanks for your input. I use crawlers exclusively for worms, but they're not ideal for young turtles. They're also expensive. I rounded up some outside boxes late yesterday afternoon to give them their weekly worm fix. Ran through a few dozen.

I'm not sure, but I think it's the medium the worm folks raise them in. I put red wigglers in clean dirt and feed them good kitchen scraps for a week or so, then I use them as food for the turtles. I've noticed that my turtles won't eat them directly from the store, but they will eat them after they've been cleaned out for a week or so.

I like this idea and I'm going to give it a try. I have some young Easterns that I'm hoping will enjoy them. And some preordered NA Woods from Chris Leone due to arrive in the fall that I'll try with if the Easterns take them readily.

Thanks again

 

[Loohan]

My 3-toeds seem less enthused about red wrigglers than nice fat earthworms out of the ground. And i grew the wrigglers out organically a while before offering.
Also, the way i see it, if you feed small worms, more of them have to suffer and die to make a meal, compared to one big fat one.

 

[Eric Phillips]

There has been reports the film the red wigglers give off can be toxic to other reptiles like snakes and they are not palatable. Not sure if true or not. My box turtles will the eat the Reds from my compost bin, however last year I took 2 of my bigger female 3 toeds and placed 1 red and 1 night crawler in front of them and both went for the night crawler first. Did the test 2 days later the same way and had the same result. Not sure it means anything but I prefer giving them night crawlers and keep the Reds for the composting.

 

[Loohan]

I'm inclined to believe it.

 

[AJK Aquaria]

Interesting stuff. I'm part of a cichlid forum and that's where I heard about their potential toxicity. Nothing more enticing to a turtle than a juicy crawler... Just looking to diversify a diet for young ones. How anyone is able to get their boxies eating greens on a regular basis is beyond me; especially young animals. I've never had success with greens over the years. Loads of fruit, loads of animal matter and some veggies is what is excepted.

 

[Turtle mom]

My turtles are still small and I feed them red wigglers. I also do like Yvonne and have them in a bin with compost and garden soil and feed them kitchen scraps. My turtles eat them, but I haven't given them crawlers yet. As for the greens I chop them very fine and put on top of the other food.

 

[CharlieM]

My box turtles (gulf coast, Florida and flavomarginta) loved Alabama jumpers. I raised them exactly like red wigglers. They are larger and move more which the boxies preferred.

 

[Eric Phillips]

My box turtles (gulf coast, Florida and flavomarginta) loved Alabama jumpers. I raised them exactly like red wigglers. They are larger and move more which the boxies preferred.

Hope you don't live in Wisconsin Where did you get your Jumpers?

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wiscon...-move-across-state-b99521664z1-309389371.html

 

[CharlieM]

Hope you don't live in Wisconsin Where did you get your Jumpers?

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wiscon...-move-across-state-b99521664z1-309389371.html

They are common here and I buy them in the bait section at a local gas station.
You can buy them online. Try eBay?