"Walt's Crawlers" red wigglers safe for Pacman?

[mintyfresh]

I want to vary my Pacman Frog's diet (inch away from chitinous foods like crickets), and I read Red Wigglers are great. The only places that sell them (that I know of) are gas stations, and they are produced by a company called Walt's Crawlers. I want to make absolutely sure the soil isn't toxic. Does anyone have any information?

[DVirginiana]

I would try and stay away from red wigglers. The worms themselves actually excrete a toxic substance that smells and tastes horrible. They can be highly poisonous to some reptiles. I don't think they're quite that bad for pacs, but knowing the problems they cause in other reptiles it'd probably be better to stay away from those. Plus, I've heard pacs don't usually like the taste and it's harder to get them to take them.
Nightcrawlers are bigger, about the same price, and none of those issues to worry about.

idk about the brand you mentioned, but you can get both wigglers and nightcrawlers "DMF" brand from WalMart fishing section. Those are definitely safe.
There was actually a thread on another forum I'm on where someone had a conversation with a DMF representative and got official statements about how they do soil and raise their worms. If I can find it again I'll put the statement up here.

[Lija]

DVirginiana got you covered - stay away from red wigglers get nightcrawlers instead.

[MatthewM1]

Night crawlers are def the way to go. If you are worried they would be too big for your frog you cut appropriate sized chunks starting from the tail and working your way up to the head, just use tongs to wiggle the pieces and make them seem like a lively prey item.

[mintyfresh]

Thanks for all the responses. I thought someone said red wigglers are better because they don't burrow/are very healthy...I guess I should do some research before taking someone's word for it!
My Pacman is pretty young, and about 2 inches long (I'm estimating, as I haven't actually measured). The size of the nightcrawlers is what worried me, but I guess I could cut them.
I think I'm just going to hold out until the reptile show on Saturday (crickets until then, of course). I saw roaches there last time I went, and I'm sure they have other food items as well. Speaking of roaches, are they very good? If so, what types of roaches would be best?

[MatthewM1]

Start with cutting the nightcrawlers into 3 or 4 pieces and every couple feedings make the pieces bigger and bigger untill you have him up to whole ones. As for roaches people typically use B. Dubia Roaches. They can be a good feeder for your frog if he likes them, some frogs(like mine) are picky and don't care for them, and I've heard it's most likely due to their spikey legs, some frogs don't like them but some get over it and gobble them up. Also just like crickets roaches should be gut loaded before feeding them to your frog

[GrifTheGreat]

Thanks for all the responses. I thought someone said red wigglers are better because they don't burrow/are very healthy...I guess I should do some research before taking someone's word for it!
My Pacman is pretty young, and about 2 inches long (I'm estimating, as I haven't actually measured). The size of the nightcrawlers is what worried me, but I guess I could cut them.
I think I'm just going to hold out until the reptile show on Saturday (crickets until then, of course). I saw roaches there last time I went, and I'm sure they have other food items as well. Speaking of roaches, are they very good? If so, what types of roaches would be best?

Most earthworms make a nutritious meal, but some have developed defense mechanisms to prevent them from being eaten. Red Wigglers are one such worm. They are safe for frogs, but some will not eat them after tasting the secretion they release. Others will just eat them anyway. The key to prevent the worm from releasing the noxious secretion is to rinse them, dry them with paper towel, and then offer them whole. They usually release the defense if they're injured like being cut.

[unkempt1]

Thanks for all the responses. I thought someone said red wigglers are better because they don't burrow/are very healthy...I guess I should do some research before taking someone's word for it!
My Pacman is pretty young, and about 2 inches long (I'm estimating, as I haven't actually measured). The size of the nightcrawlers is what worried me, but I guess I could cut them.
I think I'm just going to hold out until the reptile show on Saturday (crickets until then, of course). I saw roaches there last time I went, and I'm sure they have other food items as well. Speaking of roaches, are they very good? If so, what types of roaches would be best?

My pacman LOVES dubia roaches. I'd been feeding him crickets exclusively since getting him in September, but last month started up a roach colony. He literally lunges through the air to get them from my tongs, whereas with crickets I usually have to be patient with him unless he's really hungry.

The only thing I have noticed is its easier to tong-feed with crickets because you can pinch them from behind easier. Seems I have to get the roach by one of its legs, which is a little trickier. But having access to a self-sustaining feeder makes it worthwhile in the end. It's also less of a pain having them around, as they are near-indestructible and don't smell like buttcheeks!

[MatthewM1]

My pacman LOVES dubia roaches. I'd been feeding him crickets exclusively since getting him in September, but last month started up a roach colony. He literally lunges through the air to get them from my tongs, whereas with crickets I usually have to be patient with him unless he's really hungry.

The only thing I have noticed is its easier to tong-feed with crickets because you can pinch them from behind easier. Seems I have to get the roach by one of its legs, which is a little trickier. But having access to a self-sustaining feeder makes it worthwhile in the end. It's also less of a pain having them around, as they are near-indestructible and don't smell like buttcheeks!

grabbing the roaches by the edge of the plating on their back works really well too. After you snag one by the leg hold its abdomen with your fingers and you can really get a good hold with the tongs. I wish my frog would start to chow down on em, I've got a a bunch and I can get him to eat about 1 a week lol.

[mintyfresh]

Ugh...tong feeding. I wish I could do it! I've tried time and time again with crickets, but the little buggers always evade me. I have a pretty weak stomach, so I always go out of my way to not squish them...I would be seriously disgusted if I did!
I've had success with phoenix worms and superworms, but I can't figure any way to catch crickets, etc. Any tips? My tongs are pretty long (I didn't know they were that long when I bought them on Amazon), so that might have something to do with it. The crickets seem to escape before I can get a good grip.

[MatthewM1]

Crickets can be a pain to catch with the tongs, just aim for the rear end, the even if you do squish them a bit nothing will ooze out of them or anything gross like that

[MatthewM1]

Oh and avoid the super worms, their chitin is much harder than crickets or dubia nymphs and can cause impaction

[mintyfresh]

Yeah, I bought the superworms before I had the impaction scare. He didn't like them anyway; he refused to eat them.

[MatthewM1]

Yeah, I bought the superworms before I had the impaction scare. He didn't like them anyway; he refused to eat them.

He new better =p I know it is a myth that they can chew through the stomach, but I have heard it's very rare but they could be able to deliver a single bite to the stomach lining and give your frog an ulcer. Has anyone else ever heard of that?

[GrifTheGreat]

He new better =p I know it is a myth that they can chew through the stomach, but I have heard it's very rare but they could be able to deliver a single bite to the stomach lining and give your frog an ulcer. Has anyone else ever heard of that?

I've heard of it, but have never seen a case where it has actually happned.

[motiszm]

Ugh...tong feeding. I wish I could do it! I've tried time and time again with crickets, but the little buggers always evade me. I have a pretty weak stomach, so I always go out of my way to not squish them...I would be seriously disgusted if I did!
I've had success with phoenix worms and superworms, but I can't figure any way to catch crickets, etc. Any tips? My tongs are pretty long (I didn't know they were that long when I bought them on Amazon), so that might have something to do with it. The crickets seem to escape before I can get a good grip.

If you don't like tong feeding then dubias are probably not the roach for you. If you use coco fiber bedding they are a real pain to feed to your pacs. As soon as they hit the bedding they dig right in. I really like Blatta lateralis, the turkish roach. They don't climb or dig much, and they are about the same size as a cricket. Oriental roaches are also a good choice, but I failed at starting a colony of them. They are half again the size of a cricket and also do not climb. Going to try to start up a colony again soon.