Earthworms

[Elohi]

I bought some earthworms for my ornate but she won't touch them. Any ideas as to why she is so disinterested? She will devour superworms and crickets the instant she sees one but won't give earthworms a second look. She is from western Oklahoma, maybe their weren't a lot of earthworms in the red Oklahoma clay? If this is the case, what other live food feeding options do I have?


Elohi(Earth)[TURTLE]

 

[Yvonne G]

Sometimes the medium commercial worms are kept in is distasteful. Put the worms into some clean dirt from your backyard...with leaves, maybe some coffee grounds and egg shells, some newspaper, keep it moist and try feeding them to your turtles after they are cleaned out.

 

[Elohi]

Thanks Yvonne, you always have great suggestions! I can't use my yard dirt at the moment. Our yard is treated every other month with organic bug stuff
Which is one reason I haven't started her outdoor habitat. Our contract with the Ecoshield ends next June, but the area I plan to use for her area, I'm going to request that they stop spraying and granulating anywhere near it so it has plenty of time to cleanse.

What about organic garden soil? I have that and coconut coir in her indoor habitat now. Can I use that blend or is the coconut coir not earthworm friendly? If it's not would just the organic garden soil work ok by itself? I always have coffee grounds around because we are heavy coffee drinkers hahaha! It's even organic. Should I grind the egg shells or is crushed good enough? Sorry for so many questions. Lylah has stolen my heart so I want her life to be as perfect as I can make it.


Elohi(Earth)[TURTLE]

 

[CharlieM]

You can use coffee grinds, shredded newspaper, mulch, peat moss, coco coir or any other substrate.

 

[Elohi]

Thanks! I just dumped the chunky stuff they were in and replaced it with moist garden soil, coconut coir, a crutches egg and a couple of spoonfuls of used coffee grounds. Hopefully they will smell better to her now. Haha


Elohi(Earth)[TURTLE]