Problems with earthworms

[Silver]

I'd been feeding Leviathan blood worms, but after learning earthworms are the preferred food, I went off to Petsmart to procure some. They came in a foam container and when he opened it, they all looked alive and wriggly. I stuck them in my fridge when I got home (because I read they liked the cold), but when I went to get one this morning, they were all frozen.

Completely frozen. Even the dirt. I know my fridge is not that cold- Levi was in there for a few days and there was no ice in the water. Could the dirt have been that hard when I originally got it? Any suggestions on how to keep worms alive outside of the fridge? I can feed him the dead ones until I get more- I've also got frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms .

 

[KingCanon]

From what I've observed the best thing about worms is that they wriggle. Mine nip at anything silly enough to wriggle in the tank... be it a plant a worm or a rogue piece of airline.
Having said that I had a Fridge incident with the first lot of worms I had.

Upon getting them I took the precaution of putting them in another container before refrigerating them. The worms were not in any way put off by this and escaped and managed to get into every crack and crevice they could find.

I now keep them in a screw top container with small (really small) holes in the top. It makes a ultra mini wormery. I have to take extra special care to clean the worms of soil but They stay fresh and happy for a couple of weeks.

Well...l as happy as a worm can be knowing dicing and consumption are in their future.

 

[Chicabelle]

Mine died in the fridge so I keep them in a plastic container in the garage. I keep them in the soil I get them in with a bit of damp newspaper on top. Seems to do the trick although my two aren't that taken with worms to tell the truth!

 

[Jennewt]

Some spots in a refrigerator are colder than others. In most fridges, there is a cold air outlet where the cold air comes from the freezer compartment. Anything near this is more likely to freeze. Get a fridge thermometer, adjust the appliance, and try again.

Next issue is what kind of worms are they? If they are nightcrawlers, they need to be in the fridge. If they are red wigglers (and this is what I've seen at Petsmart), then they will do best at room temp.

 

[Silver]

They were earthworms. Thanks for your help, guys!

 

[memojo1979]

Mine are dendrobena, from the local bait shop, as I had disasters with a mini wormery. It stops them from breeding, but keeps them alive - I use the door of my fridge, because doors are generally less cool than the shelves. But, I queried the bait shop keeping them in the fridge + was told it's best, as long as it's not too cold - if too cold, then room temperature is best - this is because they don't need feeding while stored in the fridge + I've noticed that when I swap worms (I've had some from Zoe + had some from the previous owners of the white axies currently in the sanctuary), the axies can be detered + I think this is because the worms will be somewhat flavoured by what they eat - so different people feed their worms slightly different things + the axolotls don't expect their worms to taste different
My fridge needs replacing though - it's only just keeping at a decent temperature to keep foods fresh, so that's probably why the worms are fine in my fridge

 

[ACEPHONECHIC]

worms neither like to be too cold or too hot.
I have 4 tubs full of worms and I would not dream of keeping them in the fridge.
If you an outbuilding or shed i find that is perfect. They are all plastic fishtanks with fitted lids in a mixture of soil and compost and fed chopped jacket potatoes to eat and they do fine and even breed in there.

 

[lollypop]

For the past 4+ years I have kept both dendros and lob worms in the fridge for months on end the only problem is if they get pushed to the back of the shelf as then they freeze.

For a few months now I have been keeping a mini wormery out at room temp it again has both dendros and lobs in. There doing great, the dendros are feeding on plant scraps, and breeding and the lobs seem happy. I presume there either feeding on the scraps or the waste from the dendros, either way they are doing really well and getting fed to the axii's regularly