Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Raising European Night Crawlers

I keep mine in the garage and never had ants but if they become a problem you could do something like this. Get a tray and fill it with a little oil then put a few bricks in the tray to set the worm bin on.

Yea, I got my European nightcrawlers today! Until this thread, I'd never even heard of them. My experience is that things are always a lot easier to buy than to raise them. Thank you everyone for your imput.

Norm let us know how things go. A worm raising story from A to Z to add to Lou's would be good.

I have been experimenting with differt foods and hit the jackpot I think.Get some corn dust off the haresters or the mill where they are storing grain when they harvest if you can.My european worms LOVE it.Im also triing canadians.Ive gotton a couple up to about 14" long and fatter than a cigg but they wont reproduce.I triied putting them in the fridge,bottom drawer and they seemed to like that,until the compressor kicked on.Worms do NOT like vibration guys,they are outta there.
Will try to post pics later today
Tom G

Well that's a nice success story.

I'm trying to decide on what live bait to raise. We used to go back in the woods and rake back the leaves, and find lots of big old night crawlers. Now all I can find are skinny little garden worms.

I'm considering crickets, earth worms, and meal worms. Looks like the earth worms have the best possibilities, with lowest maintenance.

Update on eropean worms.Put them outside in the breezeway for the winter in 2 seperate bins and both seem to be reproducing and growing just fine.Will try to get some pics shortly.

I have always heard that it is too hot in Texas to raise any kind of night crawler.

OTOH you can buy live nightcrawlers anywhere down there - the video store, the supermarket, the bank.

Dave,I got mine last spring and didnt have any problems at all.I asked about the heat when I bought em and was told just keep em in the shade,which I did.
I put a carrot in the blender&fed it to em sat and they laid eggs all over it!The worm farms looking good for this summer.Ive already started a second bed and am going to start 2-3 more shortly.Might even start selling em

Next week I will be redoing my worms with new bedding. I have plenty in there. If someone wants a handfull to start your own worm bin. Figure you pay shipping which is about 10 bucks and I will send some to you priority mail. If you want to either email me private or write here. I can tell you what to have ready etc. It really is pretty simple. There eropean night crawlers.

I have a great setup for euros and wrigglers. I have 3 old bathtubs I buried ground level with my backhoe and raise rabbits. The rabbit poo drops into the tubs and the worms take care of it. If anything I have too many worms with this system...not my idea but sure works good but you have to have rabbits. The sunken tubs keeps the temp stable winter and summer.

Anyone ever try this with crickets or grasshoppers? You always hear of the nutritional values of insects and I know it is very easy to breed crickets. Petstores sell crickets really cheap and it doesn't take many to get going. just a thought...

I know nothing about raising crickets but every summer, I have zillions of grasshoppers.

Tom, are your night crawlers still making it?

Tom, are your night crawlers still making it?

No,I started the during a cold spell and they got really big and fat for about a week.(I had them in the veggie drwer in the fridge.)When it warmed up and the frige started running again,they did too!They dont like vibration AT ALL,so when the compressor started running they booked.They were all over the fridge,but most were just gone.My europeans,however,are doing just fine.I just started my 3rd bin last week.

I'll bet your Wife kicked your butt.

A word of advice. Don't eat the left over spagetti out of Tom's fridge.