Worms Questions

[d_virginiana]

Dont mean to thread rob here but another quick question on worms, can they be frozen/thawed without effect to their nutritional value? Or anything else I should know about doing that? I know if certain things are frozen they will break down.

This has been an ongoing problem for me as there are no locally available earthworms (not even outside in the garden- its called permafrost for a reason lol) in the winter and likelihood of receiving live ie non frozen solid feeders in dead winter is well.... unlikely in my area. But I would like to be able to keep worms in my garters feed rotation during the winter for once (I have not been able to do so since 2009).

The only way I think this could be accomplished is to buy in bulk and see if some survive the trip up, and even at that it only gives me 5 weeks or so a batch with massive die off and a considerable expense. But this problem could be solved if I could store worms frozen like I would do with fish or pinks... and get the snakes to eat them thawed of course.. Thoughts?

If you freeze/thaw a worm you will end up with goo. I've never heard of anyone successfully feeding f/t worms.

Is there any way you can order some and then breed your own? All it takes is soil, powdered worm food, and a tupperware container. The upside is that it doesn't take a lot of space and you can keep them indoors. As long as they aren't frozen solid they don't need to be kept warm to stay alive.

[guidofatherof5]

I use them too quickly to ever breed them.

[Light of Dae]

You can keep them in a fridge, they last quite some time in there. Or keep them at room temp in lots of soil and pick at them when needed. Little cooler then warm is better.

[RedSidedSPR]

Do. Not. Freeze. Worms. Ever.

I tried it. Out of curiousity.

It didn't work.

[RedSidedSPR]

Is Walmart really a safe place? I want to buy larger amounts but Im not sure where is a good place to buy. Petsmart is just too expensive cause Im buying them as food...Im sure bait shops would be cheaper but Im afraid of what the worms have been feed or kept in. Is there anything to be concerned about?

Sorry I never got back to that. Yes, I consider Walmart a safe place to get them. It's not Walmart doing the breeding, it's the DMF Bait company.

Never had any problems with Walmart as a source.

Except for the problem of them only containing 20 worms.. I'd breed, but I'd end up feeding all the breeders

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry I never got back to that. Yes, I confided Walmart a safe place to get them. It's not Walmart doing the breeding, it's the DMF Bait company.

Never had any problems with Walmart as a source.

Except for the problem of them only containing 20 worms.. I'd breed, but I'd end up feeding all the breeders

DMF doesn't breed them.

[RedSidedSPR]

Oh.


.. Who does?

[guidofatherof5]

Oh.


.. Who does?

No Idea. DMF buys them from Canada and has them shipped into the U.S. I don't know if they are W/C or C/B.

[RedSidedSPR]

I see.. You haven't had any problems with DMF though, right? You use them don't you?

[guidofatherof5]

Been using them for the last 3 years with little to no trouble.