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Thread: Nightcrawlers safe to feed or not safe?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    94

    Default Nightcrawlers safe to feed or not safe?

    I have heard mixed views on nightcrawlers some people say they are safe and others say they have pesticides and parasites and bacteria in them any info would be appreciatted as to where to get them and where not to or if it even matters Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Posts
    1,362

    Default

    in NY you can buy them from Bait Shops (because NY law says all bait as to be 100% cemical/paracite free)

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    1,210

    Default

    Nightcrawlers and earthworms generally eat dirt or detritous (sp?), and it's not like they have strong digestive tracts to "cook" or purify whatever they consume. If their dirt is full of bacteria, they carry some of that bacteria; but not all bacteria is harmful to your pet.

    The big concern in my back yard is that our neighborhood is infested with squirrels, raccoons, 'possum, rats and skunks. These critters carry roundworm and other very serious parasites that lay durable little eggs that survive in the soil sometimes for years. It's very frustrating to me to see these fat, handsome worms when I work in my garden, or masses of nutritious red worms in my compost bin, and yet I have to pay good money for anything I feed my pets.

    That is a pretty admirable law in the state of NY, but I cannot imagine how they enforce it on the nightcrawler level. Honestly, I'd love to have a handful of "clean" worms to start a colony. I don't really believe that those I buy at our pet stores are free of parasites; I only hope they are an improvement over my back yard.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Finger Lakes, NY
    Posts
    1,362

    Default

    NY is real hard on it bait shops have to order them from "approved" dealers that are state inspected.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Central FL
    Posts
    4,349

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    I feed nightcrawlers purchased from my bait shop and have not any issues. I know that's not very scientific, lol, but it's all I can offer. I would not feed anything from my backyard because of the risk of pesticides, chemicals, parasites from wild animals, etc.
    Laura R (FL)
    1.0.0 Colombian Tegu
    1.4.0 Argentine B&W Tegu
    1.2.0 Red Tegu
    1.2.0 B/WxRed Tegu
    1.0.0 Green Ameiva (yet another teiid)
    7 other lizards
    1 little gator
    3 FL box turtle
    1 Sulcata tortoise
    16 snakes
    5 fuzzy pets
    4 little frogs
    a bunch of creepy bugs
    and a partridge in a pear tree

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