Feeding axolotl dead worms?

[BrooklynD]

I had Canadian night crawlers, and they lived in their little container they come in for a while which I know probably isn't the best but I was feeding them to my axolotl anyways, and they were kept in the fridge. My axolotl stopped eating them for some reason so I quit using them for a couple months and was feeding my axolotl bloodworms and then I recently checked on them and they are still alive.

Fast forward to a couple weeks ago, I felt bad they were sitting in there with no food. They seemed fine though.. soil was a little dry and felt more like drying mud and I was gonna spray it but never got around to it. I fed them some veggies that were starting to decompose and so I stuck some small pieces of broccoli, carrots and cauliflower in the container.

Well I figured they ate some of it, but I came back a few days later and they were all dead! Do they get sick if they eat something with a tiny bit of mold on it? I wouldn't think they would die of moisture coincidentally a few days after I feed them?

Anyways long story short, I fed my axolotl one dead worm without even thinking (dumb on my part I know) and so I was wondering if I can feed dead worms to my axolotl? Probably no, but just asking they're in the fridge and aren't moldy or anything.

Last question, what you feed your worms won't affect your axolotl will it? say you feed your worms say moldy veggies, that won't harm the axolotl will it? Like it won't get to the axolotl?

 

[EggAndSausage]

I am not a worm expert. Worms tend to eat decomposing food as it is a natural instinct. I honestly don't feed my worms. If the worms have been dead for like 2 days, it's probably bad. If the worm is preagneat( One time my axie ate it and all the babies came out and were squirming every where) or looks sick or off, don't feed it. Worms that eat decomposing food will not hurt your axie.

 

[Bellabelloo]

I personally wouldn't feed a dead worm to your axolotl, chuck the remainder away. Below is a link to quite an old post on some ideas on looking after earthworms.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...hworms-nightcrawlers-etc/52600-wormeries.html

p.s EggAndSausage , I am pretty sure earthworm young emerge from a cocoon type thing, laid in the soil, that holds a number of eggs. I've noticed sometimes that my worms will come from the soil with a few white worm attached ( which are harmless).

 

[EggAndSausage]

Thanks for correcting me Julia. I have been wondering why that night crawler has so many things in it. I though it was its babies. Anyway, if you just kill the worm before you feed it, it's not really an issue except your axie might not want it since axolotls are more of a hunter animal and like moving prey(not people at church praying and moving, worms and other bugs.

 

[Bellabelloo]

This may come across as pretty gruesome to some, but we feed worms live, they will wriggle for quite some time in the water. Even if you cut up the worms, the portions still move for long enough to be eaten by a hungry animal.

 

[BrooklynD]

Thank you for all the advice. I will chuck those worms out and buy new ones. Just wondering, at what age/length did your axies eat a full worm without needing to be cut up? Mine is roughly 7 - 7 1/2 in and I cut up that dead worm I was talking about (into roughly 1/2 in pieces) and I waved it in front of her face and she swallowed the small piece really fast and easily. Just wondering! Thanks

 

[EggAndSausage]

I fed mine whole red wiggled worms at 5 inches.

 

[Otterwoman]

Worms in containers are very delicate. I have sprayed them thinking they were too dry and then boom, they are dead.
Also if one dies, they all soon die from the toxins the dead worm releases. If one is dead and the others don't look good, it's not worth the risk feeding them to my animals. Newts are delicate enough, if one of mine got sick because I fed them a substandard worm, I would be kicking myself down the street.