Buying nightcrawlers in canada

[bcreps]

So apparently nightcrawlers are a big business here... I was disappointed when I was told that if I buy night crawlers in Canada chances are they where caught in the wild then where distributed through the country to bait shops. I want to buy captive bred feeder and quality... I think Im done feeding bait shop nightcrawlers until I can start my own setup with captive worms. I don't want to risk any unnecessary vet visits. Any suggestions for what to do or maybe a site that's reliable and good priced? thanks.

[Cap10Squirty]

So apparently nightcrawlers are a big business here... I was disappointed when I was told that if I buy night crawlers in Canada chances are they where caught in the wild then where distributed through the country to bait shops. I want to buy captive bred feeder and quality... I think Im done feeding bait shop nightcrawlers until I can start my own setup with captive worms. I don't want to risk any unnecessary vet visits. Any suggestions for what to do or maybe a site that's reliable and good priced? thanks.

I read somewhere that more than likely the one's that you buy will be wild-caught because it is real difficult to get Canadian nightcrawlers to breed in captivity. You can look around online for info on raising canadian nightcrawlers but you are better off trying to raise African or European if you want there to be any success. Now, that being said, you can keep Canadian nightcrawlers in your fridge and keep them alive for a long time - perhaps to fatten them up, or whatever you wanted. I've been able to do that myself but I don't think there's a good chance of them reproducing.

[NialR35]

I buy them from my local bait shop that gets them from here https://www.canadiannightcrawlers.com/shop/

I have been feeding those for months, they are dye/pesticide free, long and FAT. Very good company, come packed with dirt and container is ready to be refrigerated and you live in Canada so shipping should not be a problem. When my frogs are full grown adults, I will probably just buy them straight from the website since the will eat enough to make up for the large order.

[bcreps]

I buy them from my local bait shop that gets them from here https://www.canadiannightcrawlers.com/shop/

I have been feeding those for months, they are dye/pesticide free, long and FAT. Very good company, come packed with dirt and container is ready to be refrigerated and you live in Canada so shipping should not be a problem. When my frogs are full grown adults, I will probably just buy them straight from the website since the will eat enough to make up for the large order.

So those stacks of containers of dirt and nightcrawlers are where theyre bred? About Us - Canadian Nightcrawlers Wholesale Bait they really change all that dirt every few weeks?

[Lija]

Not sure what is a problem here, I buy from that company when I need a lot, otherwise it is better just to go to Canadian tire or wholesale sports ( outdoor outfitters? Forgot the name) and get them, always big and juicy
When buying big quantities like from that website you don't need to change anything every few weeks, when you see worms are a bit drowsy ( didn't happen to me in 3 month) then you need to replace part of dirt or just add some.
according to people whom I asked ( from that website) worms can go in that big box for 7-8 month and may need dirt added 2-4 times.
It is not make sense to order small quantities from them because of the shipping charged but when you need more , then they are people to go to. Usually I buy 500 at a time.

about WC and so on, I read it too, total bs if you ask me can you imagine company who operate quantities like that one to collect WC? Not physically possible. Economically it would make much more sense to farm them, yeah they grow for up to 2 years, so what, you just rotate production. My 2 cents

[Cap10Squirty]

Not sure what is a problem here, I buy from that company when I need a lot, otherwise it is better just to go to Canadian tire or wholesale sports ( outdoor outfitters? Forgot the name) and get them, always big and juicy
When buying big quantities like from that website you don't need to change anything every few weeks, when you see worms are a bit drowsy ( didn't happen to me in 3 month) then you need to replace part of dirt or just add some.
according to people whom I asked ( from that website) worms can go in that big box for 7-8 month and may need dirt added 2-4 times.
It is not make sense to order small quantities from them because of the shipping charged but when you need more , then they are people to go to. Usually I buy 500 at a time.

about WC and so on, I read it too, total bs if you ask me can you imagine company who operate quantities like that one to collect WC? Not physically possible. Economically it would make much more sense to farm them, yeah they grow for up to 2 years, so what, you just rotate production. My 2 cents

Lija, since you have quite a few on hand, what color would be indicative of a healthy Canadian nightcrawler? Also, what kind of dirt are you replacing the worm's cups with?

[Lija]

healthy one will wiggle, pinkish in colour. Dirt - anything that I have around, but without fertilizers.

[NialR35]

A healthy night crawler is fat, even shape all around, no sores nor bumps and pink in color with a darker head.

[bcreps]

Not sure what is a problem here, I buy from that company when I need a lot, otherwise it is better just to go to Canadian tire or wholesale sports ( outdoor outfitters? Forgot the name) and get them, always big and juicy
When buying big quantities like from that website you don't need to change anything every few weeks, when you see worms are a bit drowsy ( didn't happen to me in 3 month) then you need to replace part of dirt or just add some.
according to people whom I asked ( from that website) worms can go in that big box for 7-8 month and may need dirt added 2-4 times.
It is not make sense to order small quantities from them because of the shipping charged but when you need more , then they are people to go to. Usually I buy 500 at a time.

about WC and so on, I read it too, total bs if you ask me can you imagine company who operate quantities like that one to collect WC? Not physically possible. Economically it would make much more sense to farm them, yeah they grow for up to 2 years, so what, you just rotate production. My 2 cents

Thanks. I know I cant see any company doing that it was just told that on another forum. Its good to hear of someone who uses them as feeders, I trust that site. I just didn't want to order and have paid for something I was avoiding. Thanks lija

[Cap10Squirty]

Thanks. I know I cant see any company doing that it was just told that on another forum. Its good to hear of someone who uses them as feeders, I trust that site. I just didn't want to order and have paid for something I was avoiding. Thanks lija

If you are referring to the reptilescanada thread, that's what I came across too in addition to info on a gardening site suggesting most were wild caught due to difficulties in breeding. I guess it would be best to just email/call the company selling the worms to find out about their business practices.


To the OP: I buy the DMF branded worms here in the Southern USA. Whatever their situation is, they offer big hearty worms that I'm sure your frog will love. Not sure if DMF branded worms are available in your region.

[bcreps]

If you are referring to the reptilescanada thread, that's what I came across too in addition to info on a gardening site suggesting most were wild caught due to difficulties in breeding. I guess it would be best to just email/call the company selling the worms to find out about their business practices.


To the OP: I buy the DMF branded worms here in the Southern USA. Whatever their situation is, they offer big hearty worms that I'm sure your frog will love. Not sure if DMF branded worms are available in your region.

haha yea Im bcreps there too. Ive never heard of dfm before. Is that just a company there or is it likely something in Canada too? And yes before ordering im going to email some questions. Thanks

[Lija]

oh please, what difficulties in cultivating nightcrawlers might possibly be, the only downside if long maturing process, other then that it is same as earthworms. easily done even at home, if one can ensure proper temps.
bcreps - you can always ask, but if i were you I'd just go and get from fishing supply stores do you really need to get 500+ worms? and to ship just a few cups it is gonna be very expensive, they offer free shipping to US, but charge tons to ship to Canada.
in stores they are also called dew worms. everybody with frogs are getting from fish bait supply stores and nobody had ever any problems the only reason i ordered from internet was because i needed big amounts.

[bcreps]

oh please, what difficulties in cultivating nightcrawlers might possibly be, the only downside if long maturing process, other then that it is same as earthworms. easily done even at home, if one can ensure proper temps.
bcreps - you can always ask, but if i were you I'd just go and get from fishing supply stores do you really need to get 500+ worms? and to ship just a few cups it is gonna be very expensive, they offer free shipping to US, but charge tons to ship to Canada.
in stores they are also called dew worms. everybody with frogs are getting from fish bait supply stores and nobody had ever any problems the only reason i ordered from internet was because i needed big amounts.

its very incontinent to get them constantly so I want to start curturing them in a plastic kids toy box or a styrofoam cooler. and theres a gas station near me that always has small worms and there way too expensive I always use other feeders over them. Im going to check out Canadian tire pretty soon too ive never checked there.

[Cap10Squirty]

I have 75 canadian nightcrawlers in my fridge right now, temperatures are at 45 degrees Fahrenheit. I've had them for a little over 2 months in one bin with a mix of dirt and peat with a few other organics thrown in. Everytime I check they are all alive and seemingly healthy...no sightings on worm cocoons yet. I actually recorded the average weight over a period of a week when first introducing them to the container (to account for dehydrated weight and hydrated weight changes) and I plan on weighing the 75 worms again in a month to see if much growth has occurred. This is not the bin that I feed from, so these are simply an attempt at breeding.

I never said it was difficult, only reporting what others have suggested. My attempts so far have been very successful at least in keeping them alive

[bcreps]

yea id like to hear how that works out. I want to start feeding more nightcrawlers over the winter and if what your doing can work for breeding id love to buy a box and keep it at temps and have them breed in there... that would be perfect. I even have a mini fridge I could use just for that.