Feeding Worms.

[TommyZ]

Hi All,

I recently switched to a soil substrate. A mix of topsoil and sphagnum peat moss. I have heard alot about watching for an impaction in torts, from them nom'ing on their substrate.

I have noticed now that i switched to soil, that when i feed a night crawler, they obviously fight to live, so they squirm about and coat themselves in dirt. Is there any risk of impaction from this? (i know in nature, worms are in dirt, but i thought best to ask).

Also, in walmart they have both canadian night crawlers and redworms. Is one more beneficial for feeding over the other? Also, is one more or less beneficial to leave to live in the substrate? I havent placed any yet to live in the soil. Any insight is greatly appreciated.

Tom

---

A few pics, so you all can see the soil content.

 

[mikeh]

Canadian nightcrawler needs very low temp to live. It will not survive.

sent from mobile device using TFO app

---

You will also need to balance the acidity of moss and add mix of pulverized lime. This balancing effect takes some time from what I read.

sent from mobile device using TFO app

---

European nightcrawlers would have higher chances of surviving in warmer soil.

sent from mobile device using TFO app

---

Limestone*

sent from mobile device using TFO app

 

[TommyZ]

Thanks Mik

Sent from my SCH-I535 using TortForum mobile app

---

Fail

Thanks Mike,

Is it acidic from the sphagnum? Or is peat moss itself acidic? If its the sphagnum, maybe i can find peat moss with out sphagnum in it. Also, so my mixing of 50/50 with topsoil is not enough to cut the acidity? Should i do 25% peat moss 75% top soil?.....FYI, i stink at chemsitry, lol...

 

[mikeh]

Peat is the partially decomposed remains of plants, most commonly sphagnum moss. It forms over many millennia in bogs, marshes, and swamps—known as peatlands or peat bogs—often gaining less than a millimeter in depth every year. The process is simple but very slow.

As sphagnum moss grows on the surface of a bog, the older parts of the plant are submerged in oxygen-poor water. The lack of oxygen slows decomposition dramatically, preserving the moss and anything else that falls into the bog. Given enough time, submerged sphagnum moss forms the dense, absorbent material known as peat moss. Left alone, the process won’t stop there. Although the transformation requires eons, undisturbed peat will eventually form coal. Peat is essentially young coal—a baby fossil fuel. And, like all fossil fuels, it is rich in carbon
sent from mobile device using TFO app

---

I dont recall correct ratios of soil/peat/moss/limestone at the moment. I'll let you Google that one and please post it as I will be doing the same.

As for RFTs eating soil with the worms. I will be putting some forest floor litter (dry leaves, dry needles, tiny twings etc) on top of the soil exactly for the reason of minimizing dirt ingestion, and even better moisture control.

sent from mobile device using TFO app

 

[TommyZ]

Hmph...ok im gonna need to tinker then, probably gonna kill some worms tryin lol. As for the worms, is there any impaction risk from the torts eating the worms with the dirt stuck to them?