Ugh, they won't eat

[tcbemis]

Our spotteds don't seem to be eating red wigglers. If I put them in whole, they get lose and the soil is a regular old worm farm now. They won't touch cut up reds and the chopped night crawlers didn't go over well either. Does anyone have any ideas, thoughts or advice before I lose my mind? We even took them out and put them back in their "cribs" last night on paper towels so the worms couldn't get away. They ate none of the worms.
I know they'd readily eat garden worms that we got them all summer, but we have several inches of snow, and for the life of me can't find anything online besides reds/night crawlers.
They are healthy looking and don't seem to have lost weight, and are still pooping like crazy. So maybe I don't need to worry? Just assume they're getting enough when they want it?

Thanks so much... Again. You guys are awesome.

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[Asevernnnn]

A lot of salamanders refuse to eat Red Wigglers because they secrete a foul substance, even when its not cut up I can still smell it something foul that other worms don't have.

 

[tcbemis]

Yeah... I know....

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[tcbemis]

Am I right that Eisenia Hortensis is what I've found in my garden that they like (Western New York)?

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[tcbemis]

Does anyone know..? (above question) I'd like to order some, but I don't want 500 more worms that won't get eaten.. Thoughts?

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[Bette]

Am I right that Eisenia Hortensis is what I've found in my garden that they like (Western New York)?

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E. Hortensis are also called European nightcrawlers. As far as I know, we don't have them around here... Maybe someone else knows?
I suspect that your garden worms are the typical earthworms which are probably the invasive L. terrestris.

 

[tcbemis]

@Bette thank you! I'll research that a bit.

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[tcbemis]

Here's a pic of what we have in our garden, the only worms, so far, that they'll eat. They're pretty small, I really don't think any kind of nightcrawlers, unless they're all babies. I think the biggest we've ever found was about 4 inches.... Any thoughts? I was only able to find 6 note, seeing how it's December and we're by Lake Ontario lol.

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[tcbemis]

Any thoughts?

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[Bette]

Hmmm... well, it looks like either a young Octolasion tyrtaeum, or an adult Dendrobaena octaedra. Try to culture them, or you could try a couple other types of worms to see if they will accept them.

 

[Bette]

Check out this link for more info: Great Lakes Worm Watch

 

[tcbemis]

Thanks Bette... That's actually the best article I've seen (they're ALL invasive?! Wow). It's hard to tell. The largest we've found in our garden is one gigantic night crawler, but everything else is this size, maybe slightly smaller. We'd put reds in a few years ago, do you think a hybrid? Tomorrow night we're going to try blanching the reds, then Thursday we have reptiworns coming. They're REALLY loving medium (calcium loaded) crickets, but obviously we don't want that as a staple.

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[Bette]

Your welcome!
I doubt that one is a hybrid. Let me know how the blanching goes! The things we do for our sallys....

 

[tcbemis]

I'll keep you posted... I don't have high hopes... ??

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[tcbemis]

Ok... Blanched worms are pathetic #1. And 2...apparently they're even yucky to salamanders. I left it in front of one that showed a little interest, so I'll give it awhile. But that would be too easy, right? ?
Fingers crossed the reptiworns do well shipping during this snow storm we're getting while they're on their way... and of course that the little dudes love them.

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[tcbemis]

So the reptiworns got here today, cold but alive. After they thawed out and perked up a bit I started offering them around. 4 of the 6 took them no problem! They've become accustomed to seeing the hemostats we feed them the crickets with, and snapped at them right away. I got the largest size, and honestly, they're pretty big for these guys, but after some thrashing around, they went down fine. The two that refused them each got a cricket this time, but I'm guessing they'll take the reptiworns effectually. JUST when my kids start eating like normal people... I end up with finicky salamanders. ?

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[tcbemis]

So the reptiworns got here today, cold but alive. After they thawed out and perked up a bit I started offering them around. 4 of the 6 took them no problem! They've become accustomed to seeing the hemostats we feed them the crickets with, and snapped at them right away. I got the largest size, and honestly, they're pretty big for these guys, but after some thrashing around, they went down fine. The two that refused them each got a cricket this time, but I'm guessing they'll take the reptiworns eventually. JUST when my kids start eating like normal people... I end up with finicky salamanders. ?

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[Bette]

What are reptiworns?

 

[tcbemis]

They also go be calciworms, Phoenix worms. I guess they're the larvae of soldier flies (which I've never heard of). From what I've read, they're incredibly healthy and loaded with calcium. (they aren't wax worms)

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