Worm vs Tortoise

[Momof4]

Ok, a few months back I gave Dusty a red wiggler. He seemed to have choked on it so I wanted to wait until he got bigger.

Well 5 months later I buy more wigglers and he went after it. Then the worm started whipping him in the face and he was trying to tear it apart. Then Dusty dropped that sucker and took off in a run and hid. I spied on him and he was moving his tongue around like it had bit him or something.

Does this sounds normal? It was the weirdest thing. Plus, I have never seen him run before. Was he just having a tantrum?

 

[ascott]

Maybe a vegan.....? May have creeped him out with whipping around....poor little guy...give em another and coach him in......lol

 

[dmarcus]

I always worry about that when I see my box turtles eating a worm, but they just keep at it until they rip it apart and then its gone. I agree that it may have creeped him out the food was not going down so willingly...

 

[dmmj]

You know some red foots don't seem to like worms of any type. My RF does not like them he avoids them whenever I put them in there, he does like slugs and snails though.

 

[wellington]

Next time have a video camera ready. Sounds pretty funny Probably hurt his ego, he could't beat a worm

 

[DixieParadise]

Mine go in cycles...sometimes they like them and then the next time they will ignore them.

 

[hlester22]

Try a smaller worm next time. That one may have just been to big for him

 

[Momof4]

I guess I can ask my kids to cut them for me! Eewwww! I can handle a lot but I cannot cut a worm.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you smell that container of worms I'll bet they have a bit of an acrid smell to them. It has been my experience that the red wigglers don't seem to taste good to the turtles (I feed box turtles), and I have to set the worms up in clean potting soil for a couple weeks to get them cleaned out. After that my turtles will eat them.

 

[revdrlon]

I have been wondering about worms for my sulcata. I have heard they are really good for hydration but little else.

 

[SulcataSquirt]

I would not feed worms to a sulcata, Their are many better ways for the tortoise to get hydrated.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have been wondering about worms for my sulcata. I have heard they are really good for hydration but little else.

No, sulcatas should be fed grasses, weeds and dark, leafy greens. They are vegetarians.

 

[Angi]

Kathy,
Did you buy the worms or dig them up in your yard? You should have plenty in your yard right now if you just lay some cinder block or something in a moist area. This is how I have been getting several a day for my boxies. Even the babies will eat the red wigglers and night crawlers without choking.

 

[Ivyna J. Spyder]

Red wigglers/red worms produce a foul-tasting liquid when bitten... Many animals don't like it.

Try regular earthworms or nightcrawlers (Canadian or European) instead, many bait shops carry them.