Keeping Crawlers

[uptracker]

I bought one of those worm farms at Walmart this year and set it up a while back. I just deposited a few dozen in there since I'm having bad luck with dirt from stores and the back yard. My question is what to put in it for food? The local places don't sell the "worm food". Just FYI, the bedding I have is brown and looks like dry compost. It is not the fluffy gray stuff like similar to dryer lint.

Figured I'd try it this year to save some money and keep it stocked from the yard instead of buying them all the time.

Thanks in advance

[Westlakedrive]

The worm bedding I used was the grey dryer lint looking stuff you are talking about. I never fed my worms and they lived fine. Just go with nothing for a few weeks then ask them if they are getting hungry.:lol:

[uptracker]

K....thanks

:lol:

[multibeard]

Last years "dead" brown maple leaves make great bedding.

[joecarrr]

put damp newspaper in there. Keeps just enough moisture and they eat the newspaper. I guess it's something in the ink they like.

[wally-eye]

Every week mix in a big cup of used coffee grounds. They thrive on it.

[FishDaddy09]

A lot of people use corn meal as food.

[fractureman]

both the bedding and food can be purchased at bass pro shop!!:corkysm55

[uptracker]

A lot of people use corn meal as food.

I looked into this last night and some sources said not to use corn meal because it causes some type of protein overload.

[UNCLE AL]

I've got a friend that keeps worms in his basement year round. shreads news paper soaks it in water, then squeeses out what water he can, and covers them. Once a week he puts corn meal in, and once a month changes the Michigan peat. He's been doing this for years.

[deathfromabove]

interesting........is he raising canadian nightcrawlers(big ns found inyour backyard when it rains).......or is he raising the red worm variety....?????

[alex-v]

I use the "gray lint stuff" which is shredded and pulverized newspaper (doing our bit for recycling stuff). The reason they like the newspaper is that it is made out of wood fiber. I have containers of crawlers that have been in the fridge for a year or more and they are perfectly happy eating the gray lint.

The coffee grounds is a long time favorite and I have used it but did not notice any special results.

Shred up the newspaper yourself and use that. It should do the trick. Just keep them very cool around 32 to 38 degrees and keep the bedding moist. They will be happy and last for months.

[Natlight]

I've got a friend that keeps worms in his basement year round. shreads news paper soaks it in water, then squeeses out what water he can, and covers them. Once a week he puts corn meal in, and once a month changes the Michigan peat. He's been doing this for years.

I do the same here in my basement. Have had worms for 1.5 years and they are thriving, baby worms are so cute.:) I use shredded newspaper and spray it with water. I do this about once every 2 weeks or when I remember too. I also feed them, lettuce, stale bread, old salads, tomatoes, celery whatever is in the fridge that's going bad. Everything except meat, meat is not good for worms and crawlers. I started with 50 worms and now must have thousands. The problem I have found is nightcrawlers are very hard to keep around. I fill the bucket with dozens in the spring with all the rain and pick them out when I need them. I never seem to pick out as much as I put in. But to combat this, I just keep filling it throughout the summer with new crawlers after it rains.

[UNCLE AL]

My buddy raises redworms, but crawlers will work the same way. I've done it with only shredded newspaper,feeding them occasionally, and changing the paper. Natlight you're finding out how nasty the containers get when you don't change the paper on occasion. Sundays black and white paper shredded will last until you get next sundays to do it again. The colored paper won't work.

[Natlight]

My buddy raises redworms, but crawlers will work the same way. I've done it with only shredded newspaper,feeding them occasionally, and changing the paper. Natlight you're finding out how nasty the containers get when you don't change the paper on occasion. Sundays black and white paper shredded will last until you get next sundays to do it again. The colored paper won't work.

I don't have to change the paper. Every time I open it up there's no paper left, they keep devouring it. I use black and white paper and also color paper, these worms don't care. I have about 50 lbs of worm compost built up in the container that needs to be extracted. :yikes:

Here's the book I used to learn about composting:

https://www2089.ssldomain.com/grassrootsenvironmentalproducts/productimages/W395-LRG.jpg

This lady is supposed to be THE expert on worm composting. It's funny though, in the book she states she has never had luck raising nightcrawlers, some expert.:lol:

[UNCLE AL]

I don't have to change the paper. Every time I open it up there's no paper left, they keep devouring it. I use black and white paper and also color paper, these worms don't care. I have about 50 lbs of worm compost built up in the container that needs to be extracted. :yikes:

Here's the book I used to learn about composting:

https://www2089.ssldomain.com/grassrootsenvironmentalproducts/productimages/W395-LRG.jpg

This lady is supposed to be THE expert on worm composting. It's funny though, in the book she states she has never had luck raising nightcrawlers, some expert.:lol:
you must have one hell of a big container if there's 50 lbs of compost in it.

[Natlight]

you must have one hell of a big container if there's 50 lbs of compost in it.

It's actually a 20 gallon rubbermade tote. It put it on the bathroom scale and she read 43 lbs, so not quite 50 yet. The things over half full of compost. If I can find some motivation tomorrow, I will take some photos.:p

[shalegac]

Throw in some old pieces of bread. I got the idea from watching Dirty Jobs when they were on a worm farm. Those things would come straight to the top to get the bread.

[ted stehney]

I also use the "grey lint stuff" it gets changed about once a month and the crawlers last forever. If the bedding is too wet the crawlers loose their plumpness and will die. I don't feed them because they eat the bedding. I am going to have to try some bread to see if that fattens them up. I am concerned that putting food into the bedding will rot and ruin the bedding?? My buddy shreds newspaper with his bill shredder and that works really well also.