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).