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Keeping Night crawlers #6541001
05/20/19 02:37 PM
05/20/19 02:37 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 425
Minnesota
S
shortliner16 Offline OP
trapper
shortliner16  Offline OP
trapper
S

Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 425
Minnesota
Alright, so I want to keep some crawlers in my basement for fishing. I have plenty in my yard and don't need to spend $3 a dozen. Thinking an old cooler or tote but wondering how. Does a guy need to add food for them other than the organic stuff in dirt? I don't need them reproducing just want to keep them alive for a couple months.

Re: Keeping Night crawlers [Re: shortliner16] #6541006
05/20/19 02:46 PM
05/20/19 02:46 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 16,261
Iowa
~ADC~ Offline
The Count
~ADC~  Offline
The Count

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 16,261
Iowa
Better find a cooler spot than the basement. Buy some commercial nightcrawler bedding, follow the directions, and keep them in the bait fridge.

Re: Keeping Night crawlers [Re: shortliner16] #6541009
05/20/19 02:49 PM
05/20/19 02:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,966
St. Louis Co, Mo
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BigBob Offline
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BigBob  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,966
St. Louis Co, Mo
As invertebrates they can crawl up the sides of a cooler and ooze out thru the lid joint, and you will have a basement full of worms. One way to keep them in is to hang a 40 watt bulb over the bed so they stay down.
Soak peat moss till it won't take any more water, but don't let it get too soggy, worms breath thru their skin, and use that for bedding. When they've got that about gone, replace with more and/or top feed cheap oatmeal, coffee grounds, tea bag powder etc, and NEVER use city tap water, the chemicals will kill them, catch rain water and use that.


Every kid needs a Dog and a Curmudgeon.

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Re: Keeping Night crawlers [Re: shortliner16] #6541018
05/20/19 03:26 PM
05/20/19 03:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
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snowy Offline
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snowy  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
Get yourself some good crawler bedding, mix in coffee grounds and small pieces of banana peels, keep it moist and in a fridge. They will keep a long, long time that way. JM2¢ it works for me.


Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: Keeping Night crawlers [Re: shortliner16] #6541026
05/20/19 03:41 PM
05/20/19 03:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,761
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline
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Law Dog  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,761
Central, SD
Find a old med shipping Styrofoam container smaller and well made!

Last edited by Law Dog; 05/20/19 03:41 PM.

Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
Re: Keeping Night crawlers [Re: shortliner16] #6541030
05/20/19 03:43 PM
05/20/19 03:43 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132
SWMo.
T
tjm Offline
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132
SWMo.
I used Buss bedding about 10" deep and kept the cellar floor about <60F Kept crawlers year round for about three years. Add/change bedding to keep feeding them, watch for mold and keep any dead worms picked out. As ADC said follow package directions. Most of what people say is good for worms will cause problems later, including some things posted above.
If you keep rabbits, the waste under the hutches is good worm farm dirt/feed.

If you are serious about keeping worms and don't want failure/frustration, do your own research, There are books on it.
Stacks of cardboard can be effective if you do it right.

Re: Keeping Night crawlers [Re: shortliner16] #6541045
05/20/19 04:56 PM
05/20/19 04:56 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,112
Three Lakes,WI 72
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corky Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,112
Three Lakes,WI 72
Wet down some newspaper and keep the container in the refrigerator. They will eat cornmeal if you keep them a real long time. Check frequently and pick out dead ones immediately or you will quickly have a smelly mess.

Re: Keeping Night crawlers [Re: shortliner16] #6541057
05/20/19 05:25 PM
05/20/19 05:25 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
trapperkeck Offline
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trapperkeck  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 9,780
St. Cloud, MN
An old fridge set at about 42 degrees, a couple styrofoam coolers with tight fitting lids and some commercial worm bedding will accomplish what you want. Check them at least once a week and remove any sick/dead worms. If they start to die off, buy new bedding and transfer to a clean styrofoam cooler. If you need a fridge, I have an extra one in my garage. wink


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