Introducing composting worms into your viv.

[Bamboozoo]

I got a couple of messages about help with creating living soils.

Composting Worms are a Healthy Addition


My first one pound order of composting worms I killed within 2 months... My second pound I also killed.

Having already invested 150.00 to the process with zilch to show, but not ready to give up and avoiding being hung by the o/h I ordered a very small kit that was being sold on the classifieds for 20.00.( And put my 120 dollar investment in a 5 layered hand made wooden worm box shipped a 1000 miles in the basement.) And worked with a dollar store plastic bin that came with the kit.

Though supposed to be 250 worms there were maybe 10 that could be seen without a microscope! pfft!

Took an entire year for me to get it even near going. But we did have success finally. There is one type of composting worm that survives very warm temperatures and mine are kept under my kitchen sink. If anyone knows the specific name please include it in the post.

I was very concerned for my little colony of maybe 80 worms. I took 20 and I introduced them into the tank by putting them in a margarine container with some food and newspaper strips. I buried it to a half inch from the top. (Fork holes). The container had small holes in the bottom to allow moisture from the surrounding soil to penetrate and air holes in the top of the container. I covered it over with a rock and some foliage.

Within 3 months I began to notice them in the surrounding 3 to 4 inch area. It did a great job of protecting a young colony just starting off. I had very large spaces to convert. Every 2 to 3 months I would gather another 20 worms from the kitchen and start another tank.

The composting worms are a huge addition helping to keep the soil turned and debris cleared. Worm castings are very healthy for the soil which in turn will eventually create a great soil for your plants.

To feed the worms in the tank I will often bury veggie leftovers just under the composting leaf litter. It does not take alot.

The worms were much more effective at breeding and spreading than in the worm box and once established maintain a decent population. Heavily watering will bring them closer to the surface for your nocturnals to eat.
I only do this once every couple of months as a treat. My wood turtle will dig his own up but also almost gallops over if I start to dig......my frillie dives for the ground and gets on the other side and my water dragons behave the same.

Generally what I do these days.......is just steal a little soil from here and from there to start a new one and a few of my compost kitchen ones...these days I use about 50 scattered in the soil to start.

I have managed to populate tanks. 5 x 2.5, 6 by 1.5, 4 ft and a 70 gallon as well as a couple of the smaller ones.

Local dew worms may work for a few months. I have brought some in when gardening and added and have found a couple of survivors up to a year later but our own need a cooling period and not getting it kills them.

[exboyz04]

Great information and thanks for shareing it with us, i would love to find out what kind of worm you have that can servive constant warmer temperatures, thanks for the info, i would love to try out this ideah in my vivs.

[Spikebrit]

I have normal uk garden worms in my tanks and they have always surrived. they were initially added by accident as i normally just use tropical and grey woodlice along with springtails and the odd panchoda grub.

But i noticed there were a small groups of maybe 5 large uk worms in my community tanks and they must have been iun there for at least 3 years as that was the last time i added any new substraite to the tank.

Jay

[exboyz04]

Thanks Jay, im going to have a go with our uk garden worms,

Originally Posted by Spikebrit

I have normal uk garden worms in my tanks and they have always surrived. they were initially added by accident as i normally just use tropical and grey woodlice along with springtails and the odd panchoda grub.

But i noticed there were a small groups of maybe 5 large uk worms in my community tanks and they must have been iun there for at least 3 years as that was the last time i added any new substraite to the tank.

Jay

[Bamboozoo]

OH! now you got me kicking my darn Canadian worms!!!!!! phhht!