Worm Box Questions

[azslabber]

I need to make a worm box.Seems like worms in Arizona are made of gold,lol.$3.99 for a dozen or two.here it gets very hot in the summer,maybe 115 degrees.I have a shed outside,and that is about it.I was wondering if I could use an old bigger icechest,and then put ice on top in the mornings to keep them alive during the day.Even if I had to ice them down a couple times a day.And what is the best to use for soil or bedding?I read about putting damp newspaper on top,one more question.Can you mix nightcrawlers and say earthworms together in the same container and keep them alive?Thanks

[fish_4_all]

Best advice, don't grow night crawlers. Grow Canadian redworms, they eat your garbage and grow like crazy. Can withstand much higher temps and you can sell/use the leftovers for gardening. They get prety big, not as huge as a big crawler but have some decent size to them.

Mealworms, Live crickets Red Worms at Worm Man's Worm and Crickets Farm will give you all you need for worms and raising your own. If it is not on the they have always been very helpful in getting you the answers you need.

[azslabber]

Hey Fish 4 All.I looked through the websire and could not find any Canadian Redworms.African Nightcrawlers hold up well in high temps.

[fish_4_all]

Sorry, I looked on there and it is the Euroworms that I was talking about. Should work well down there to grow lots and lots of them.

European Compost Worms

500/$44.34 delivered is 41 dozen which isn't bad, right about $1 dozen.
1000/$68.59 delivered is 83 dozen and $0.83 a dozen
They can be 6-8" long. Not a huge worm but if you can grow them yourself. They are shipped smaller but should grow fast if taken care of right. And the next generation is FREE as well as the next 100 generations if you keep them going.

http://www.wormman.com/pd_red.cfm

Those are smaller red worms but will produce more than one person should be able to use in a lifetime. If you don;t need big ones then these may be the way to go as they tolerate much more of a temperature range, if I remember right.

[cricket george]

The compost worms that you are referring to are red wigglers, I think. A 1,000 are around $25.00 or so. Just GOOGLE red wigglers and you will find more info than you could ever need. I have raised red wigglers for years in a old freezer and they have with stood 110 degs during Okla summers. I keep them in an old freezer with the lid propped up year round. The freezer is in an open air shed under a tin roof under an elm tree. They have served me well over the years for trout and sunfish.

[ejones1961]

I have a 55 gallon drum cut in half, using the top half I put 3 layers os window screen over thae bung holes and also cut a few more drain holes in it. I use peat moss in mine, my dad gave me a good start probably about a half gallon mixed red and black wigglers. I wet down the peat moss as needed, usually 2 or 3 times a week (don't let it dry out). I feed my chicken feed layer crumbles and keep a small light on over them all the time (if they see the light everything is ok, if it is dark they will leave on you)

[flycaster]

I purchased some "RED WIGGLERS" those with the red and yellow/orange rings around the body. I have an Styrofoam box from OMAHA STEAKS that I place some peat moss into, wet down enough that water did not drain out, placed worms on top of moss, covered with wet WALL STREET JOURNAL news paper, so they would be the smartest worms. The worms feed up in the mixture and will come up into the newspaper and consume it. You will have to keep the paper wet. I place a plastic soda bottle, three quarters full of water in the freezer, when solid I place it on top of the newspaper, this will keep the worms from crawling up and out of the container. DO NOT PLACE ICE CUBES directly on the surface and let them melt. THE CUBES CONTAIN CHLORINE from the drinking water and it will kill the worms, just like introducing ice cubes into your bucket of live minnows

["G"]

Well guys.....I have not bought any worms in years. I raise my own red worms. I took an old drink box and drilled some holes in the bottom, placed screen over the holes and added four inches of gravel. Then I filled the box two thirds of the way with peat moss and composted manure mixed together. I feed the worms once a week with cheap dry dog food and I pour ten gallons of water in. Works for me.

[fish_4_all]

Now that's the way to do it.

[azslabber]

Everything looks "Great".Gave me lots to read for a couple of days now.I have decided to try the African Black Nightcrawlers.I had a 55 gal Aquarium in my shed,with a stand.That is my starting point,$18.95 for 100 of them with the book that tells how to take care of them.They will be the best for the hot weather out here,and an 8" worm will be kinda cool for my friends that will be buying them,lol.Maybe I can crossbreed them and make a new "Bluegill Wonder Worm".Hey catchy name.