So I run a family home childcare and we have had nothing but rain for the last 5 days! So after this much rain the worms are just all over the place. The kids in the daycare of course have seen me feed my rays a hundred times and they know the rays LOVE worms!! So of course they are seeing all of the worms outside and they want to give them to the rays. Is there any reason why my rays couldn't have regular worms from outside? We fertilized our yard over 2 months ago and even then we fertilize lightly because of all the kids. And they are finding most of the worms under bricks not even in the yard. I can't think of anything else that could possible be in the dirt outside. My female is pretty big pregnant with her first litter so I don't want to do anything that may cause her any harm. Any thoughts on this???
Any reason why I shouldn't????
- Thread starter grapedinox
- Start date
Well all I can say is I have feed my ray earthworms from right outside and no harm came from it. I would just be concerned about the fertilizer? Wait till more people chime in on this. But good to see a local WA member!
i would be concerned with pestisides, insectisides.... and fertilizer to mention a few.. Even if you are not using it yourself your neighbors could be... birds bring it too.. the only safe worms are the ones you raise yourself.. and although you may get away with it and everything works out once...sooner or later you can run into trouble.. and the risk is not worth losing your ray babies....Its easy to cultivate them yourself.. that way you know they are 100% safe.. have the kids share the project..
cultivating Earthworms
Earthworms are some of the most complete sources of food in nature. These worms are full of vitamins, roughage and calcium. They have rich supplies of proteins too. Fish that are fed on earthworms grow at a very fast rate. Large fish like the Cichlids will eat the adult earthworm in whole, while medium size fish will eat worms that are an inch or less in length. The very small fish species will need the worms chopped or shredded.
Earthworms are blind, but light sensitive. They will burrow into the soil to avoid light. They are also temperature sensitive, and will drown if their home is flooded. Earthworms prefer a rich, clay free soil. You can feed them with decaying vegetables and eggshells. Do not over-feed the worms, as this will turn the soil sour. The simplest way to culture a small quantity of worms is to gather some very heavy sacking on the ground.{i would use a large wooden box} This should be in a shady spot. The area should be kept moist. Some scraps of vegetables should be placed in between the sack and the ground to encourage the growth of the worms. When you need the worms, just lift up the sack and remove the worms that cling to the sack.
cultivating Earthworms
Earthworms are some of the most complete sources of food in nature. These worms are full of vitamins, roughage and calcium. They have rich supplies of proteins too. Fish that are fed on earthworms grow at a very fast rate. Large fish like the Cichlids will eat the adult earthworm in whole, while medium size fish will eat worms that are an inch or less in length. The very small fish species will need the worms chopped or shredded.
Earthworms are blind, but light sensitive. They will burrow into the soil to avoid light. They are also temperature sensitive, and will drown if their home is flooded. Earthworms prefer a rich, clay free soil. You can feed them with decaying vegetables and eggshells. Do not over-feed the worms, as this will turn the soil sour. The simplest way to culture a small quantity of worms is to gather some very heavy sacking on the ground.{i would use a large wooden box} This should be in a shady spot. The area should be kept moist. Some scraps of vegetables should be placed in between the sack and the ground to encourage the growth of the worms. When you need the worms, just lift up the sack and remove the worms that cling to the sack.
I agree, just because you do not use chemicals to treat your lawn, your neighbors might. Best just to stick to bought or grown worms IMO.
I live kind of out of the way. I only have 2 neighbors any where near my property and even then they are a ways away. I have thought several times about starting my own worm farm. My rays and fish are both huge fans of nightcrawlers I buy them at walmart at least 8 containers a month. And then I am lucky enough that my BF is a seafood distributor and needless to say my fish eat VERY well. So I can pretty much assure that there isn't much fertilizer if any left in the yard. I live in Spokane Washington and we have had rain nearly every day for the last 2 months. It has been the wettest spring/summer in history! But yeah I don't want to push my luck either. Could I use the worms that the kids found today to start a worm colony? Thanks everybody for your input it is greatly appreciated. And it is great to see another Washingtonian ESPECIALLY another girl!!!
I read somewhere that you should not feed worms from the garden is pesticides or fertilizers have been used within 5 YEARS????
I buy mine from a shop and you can buy them mail order or you can buy a commercial breeding farm but I think the rays would outstrip the supply of this.
Thanks for all the info from RED DEVIL it was good to read!
I buy mine from a shop and you can buy them mail order or you can buy a commercial breeding farm but I think the rays would outstrip the supply of this.
Thanks for all the info from RED DEVIL it was good to read!
I am the only person to have lived in this house it was built 3 years ago and before that it was just vacant field, so no fertilizer of pesticides ever used.....
