Question: What kind of earthworms do you feed your axies?

[tigmades]

I'm looking into getting a worm farm going for my axies as they're consuming wayyy too many bloodworms for my pocket to like

Please let me know what kind you feed yours and why, and whether or not you had any problems with any species in particular!


Also: for those that have their own worm bin, how many did you order to get set up? I have six ~6" sub adults, and around 30 that are 2.5-3". I was thinking of ordering ~2000 worms, so hopefully that'll be enough to get me started?

 

[peatea]

Hi,

We use tiger worms for our worm farm and started with 1000 for two juveniles. Our axolotls love them and now that the farm is up and running there are always plenty of worms available!

 

[tigmades]

Hi,

We use tiger worms for our worm farm and started with 1000 for two juveniles. Our axolotls love them and now that the farm is up and running there are always plenty of worms available!

Aren't tiger worms red wrigglers? I hope I don't need 500 worms per juvie I'm keeping, haha!

 

[Kerry M]

I got 2000 mature worms (European Nightcrawler, Red Wrigglers, Tiger Worms, Indian Worms (can't remember the name) and an Australian native earthworm). They are all enjoyed, none have been rejected. I only have 13 axies here now, if I had a lot more and more money I may have bought 4000 worms instead. Sometimes you can get compost bombs with the eggs, that way you can fill a tray with eggs and wait for them to mature. I have the worm cafe so have 3 trays that I can use, currently only 2 are being used.

 

[Niels D]

I'm breeding Dendrobaena veneta. They're a good food source, but most animals need to get use to the bitter taste. After they've started to eat them, there's no stopping them though.

 

[tigmades]

I'm breeding Dendrobaena veneta. They're a good food source, but most animals need to get use to the bitter taste. After they've started to eat them, there's no stopping them though.

For those interested, I just looked this up:
Eisenia hortensis = Dendrobaena veneta

It was just a change in scientific name (gotta love scientists!)

P.S. Thanks Niel for your response!

 

[tigmades]

I got 2000 mature worms ... I only have 13 axies here now

So 2000 worms are producing enough for your 13 axies and to keep the culture going? Do you suspect the culture is declining in population at all? And how big are your axies?

I'm now thinking of getting 5lbs of red wrigglers (which is 3000-5000 worms) instead of 5lbs of the red wriggler/european nightcrawler mix (which is 1500-2500 wrigglers + 750-875 europeans), but if I could get by with min. 2250 worms for my 6 juvies + at least 10 other hatchlings I'd probably like to give that a try, but if it won't be enough I'll just stick to the wrigglers

 

[Niels D]

Eisenia hortensis = Dendrobaena veneta

I didn't know that as well. :happy:

 

[Kerry M]

So 2000 worms are producing enough for your 13 axies and to keep the culture going? Do you suspect the culture is declining in population at all? And how big are your axies?

I'm now thinking of getting 5lbs of red wrigglers (which is 3000-5000 worms) instead of 5lbs of the red wriggler/european nightcrawler mix (which is 1500-2500 wrigglers + 750-875 europeans), but if I could get by with min. 2250 worms for my 6 juvies + at least 10 other hatchlings I'd probably like to give that a try, but if it won't be enough I'll just stick to the wrigglers

Sometimes I worry that the population is declining. If I had got 4000 in the first place I think that would have been better as I use quite a few each day. I did have red wrigglers only at first and they weren't loved by all. Perhaps they are used to them now. I do have eggs in the mix now so they are multiplying. I probably should just buy one of those compost bombs and get the third tray of my worm farm started.

To answer your question, 6 of my axies are about 24cm, one is about 28cm, and the rest are 22cm. One is an adult, the others are 7 months old. I feed them daily. Two worms a day.
Out of your options I would go for the second option, just so that you have the European Nightcrawlers in there.

Another thing to consider is that some suppliers sell 2000 worms but only a small amount are actually mature worms, the rest are mainly eggs. They don't last long at all.

 

[Kerry M]

The worms that I get from Kookaburra Worms have the following worms:

1. Tigers - Eisenia Fetida, 2. Blues - Perionix Excavatus/Spenceralia, 3. Reds - Eisenia Andrei,4. Gardeners Friend or Cod Worms - Amynthus Sp., 5. European Night Crawlers or Catchall Crawlers - Eisenia Hortensis or Dendrobaena Veneta

They are all loved. No refusals after a few days of getting them all used to them.

 

[peatea]

I got 2000 mature worms (European Nightcrawler, Red Wrigglers, Tiger Worms, Indian Worms (can't remember the name) and an Australian native earthworm). They are all enjoyed, none have been rejected. I only have 13 axies here now, if I had a lot more and more money I may have bought 4000 worms instead. Sometimes you can get compost bombs with the eggs, that way you can fill a tray with eggs and wait for them to mature. I have the worm cafe so have 3 trays that I can use, currently only 2 are being used.

'Only' 13, Kerry - makes me smile!! :happy:

 

[Kerry M]

'Only' 13, Kerry - makes me smile!! :happy:

I probably should have said 16 but my youngest 3 are so little, they are from Minniechild and they are adorable. I will post pictures soon. They have been offered earth worm and 2 have had a taste but they have a while to go before they will be chomping those ones down like the rest.

 

[Bellabelloo]

For those interested, I just looked this up:
Eisenia hortensis = Dendrobaena veneta

It was just a change in scientific name (gotta love scientists!)

P.S. Thanks Niel for your response!

I voted for 'other' as I use Dendrobaena in my worm bin, and to feed all my caudates..never had a problem with them not eating them. They also get the odd lobworm too.

 

[Nute]

Mine seem to like "Alabama jumpers" and refuse to eat "Red wigglers". Hope this helps.

Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk 2

 

[layna]

I dont know the type/name of worm but mine just gobble up worms from my garden

 

[auntiejude]

I'm sure mine would eat anything, but they regularly have dendrobaena and an occasional lobworm. They also have blood worms and mealworms.

 

[Loobylou]

I use European night-crawlers for my smaller lotls (though they're known as Dendrobaenas over here) and Canadian night-crawlers (lob worms) for my bigger monsters. Luckily I have a really good bait shop relatively near me who sell packs of worms pretty cheap

 

[Yucca Patrol]

"other" =worms I dig up in organic garden. I don't know what they are but I chose fat ones a out 2-3 wenches long.

In the short winter we have here, I feed bait worms labeled "Dillies"

 

[Frogs4ever]

I hope this doesn't seem like a stupid question, but where do you keep all those worms? Also, can you keep the smell down? This seems like a good alternative to buying them all the time. Thanks.

 

[CaptainScruffy]

any advice on weening a juvie onto earthworms? ive fed my juvie a few red wrigglers right before winter and then they were out of season until just recently. now when i try and feed her one she turns her nose! im really trying to get away from blood worms and krill. and advice is greatly appreciated!