Question for those feeding nightcrawlers as a staple

[SwimminSteve]

I have 6 ACF in a 40 gallon breeder. The oldest frog is 8 years, the youngest ones are about 2.5. I've been feeding HBH frog and tadpole bites as my staple for 8 years. It's a sinking pellet. They love it, but it's getting harder to find in stores and can be a little messy. I've started offering more live food in the last few months, because I have to buy it for my African Bullfrog. My ACFs are thoroughly enjoying their nightcrawler treats. They've tried live crickets as well (which some frogs LOVED, and others spit out).
I'd like to start using the nightcrawlers (Canadians from walmart) as their staple. My two large females can easily devour a worm at each feeding, but my smaller males need the worms cut into pieces.
My Xenopus muelleri is especially hard because he needs such small pieces! I also have a piebald X. laevis male with a twisted spine who needs to be held and handfed. Basically they really enjoy the worms but it take me a lot longer than just throwing in the pellets, you know?

For those of you that do live earthworms as a staple: How often are you feeding? Would twice a week be frequent enough? I could do the HBH pellets between feedings.



Thanks

[mpmistr]

Once or twice a week.

[Felis]

Hi,

I also think that once or twice/week should suffice for adult ACFs. At least mine don´t look like they are starving

[Bombina Bob]

I usually feed my pacman frog 1/3 of a nightcrawler every other day with some small-medium size crickets. he's only 4 months old

[CJP32]

I was looking at the night crawlers at my local WM too. They are much too large for my juvenile ACFs. I did notice they had some "Big red worms" or something like that, they were much smaller than the NCs. They might be easier for your smaller frogs if they are a safe food. I would be curious to know if they are safe too because I would like to feed them to my frogs.

[SwimminSteve]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

As for the Big Red Worms at Walmart. They are red wigglers. They are safe to feed and my some of my frogs with eat them (they piggies will eat anything). Yes they are a more manageable size for ACF, but they produce an irritating mucous when disturbed. A lot of frogs will be put off by this. My African Bullfrog really hates it, so much that he refused all worms for a while. I finally got him back on nightcrawlers and will never buy the wigglers again.

So, yeah they are safe to feed, but you run the risk of deterring your frog from eating all worms if he doesn't like the irritant from the wigglers. You would be better off looking for smaller nightcrawlers or cutting them (it's gross but it works).

[Felis]

Hi,

are the red ones (so called) Dendrobenas? If yes, they are perfectly fine. You are right about the mucous, but the frogs seem to get kind of used to it- mine voraciously eat Dendrobenas on a regular basis, but they have grown to be somewhat hesitant about Lumbricus (i.e. nightcrawlers) of the same size Other frogs refuse to eat Dendrobenas- seems to be a matter of taste. I think both species are worth a try, at least none of them will harm your frogs. Also, I wouldn´t be afraid of deterring ACFs from eating- well, anything. Even if they don´t like the red wigglers, they will forget about it soon and still try to eat other worms.

[CJP32]

Thanks for the info, I will pick some of them up next time I'm there. If they eat them great, if not it's only around $3 I'm wasting.

[CJP32]

My frogs are four for four on the red worms. They all loved them and ate with no hesitation. The size seems just right for them too. Just thought I would share if anyone is thinking about trying them too.

[mpmistr]

My frogs are four for four on the red worms. They all loved them and ate with no hesitation. The size seems just right for them too. Just thought I would share if anyone is thinking about trying them too.

Not surprised about red worms. ACF will eat anything dead or alive without hesitation, mucous or no mucous I doubt it will deter them from eating it.

I always use nightcrawlers myself, but my frogs are mostly female and the size of my fists. For my male frog who is much smaller, I cut the worms in half. If he gets a large worm he will actually just rip it in half and eat it, another frog will come clean up the other half.

In my experience, ACF will never choke on worms, they will rip it apart or spit it out if too large to eat (if anyone was ever concerned about this). Of course you want to feed your frog food that actually is small enough to be easily eaten obviously.