Raising Red Worms..
01-29-2011, 03:18 AM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
Raising Red Worms..
Hi Guys,
We sold the rabbits last summer. Buy 2000 red worms is cheap..Does anyone know how to raise them..I uae to raise nightrawlers up noth..trust me ..red worms are different..they will try and get out of the box ..they are also different from wigglers.
Anyone raise red worms before.?
BLuegill season will be coming up in May..want to be ready.
We sold the rabbits last summer. Buy 2000 red worms is cheap..Does anyone know how to raise them..I uae to raise nightrawlers up noth..trust me ..red worms are different..they will try and get out of the box ..they are also different from wigglers.
Anyone raise red worms before.?
BLuegill season will be coming up in May..want to be ready.
01-29-2011, 06:31 AM
#2
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
<LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Prepare your worm bin. Purchase a large Rubbermaid tote and cut tiny holes in the bottom for drainage and air flow. Set your red worm bin up on blocks of some sort so the air flow is not impeded.
<LI id=jsArticleStep2 itxtvisited="1">2
Place a piece of cardboard at the bottom of your bin. This will help retain the moisture while still allowing sufficient drainage.
<LI id=jsArticleStep3 itxtvisited="1">3
Fill your red worm bin with worm bedding and mix in a few handfuls of potting soil. Peat moss or shredding paper both work fine as bedding. Peat moss is nicer to deal with as its light but shredded paper has more nutritional value for your worms, believe it or not. Commercial worm bedding is also available, some with worm food mixed right in.
<LI id=jsArticleStep4 itxtvisited="1">4
Add your red worms to the top of your bedding and place a piece of cardboard on top for a lid.
<LI id=jsArticleStep5 itxtvisited="1">5
Wait about 3-4 days before adding feed to a new container of red worms. At that time, feed them in spots - do not cover the entire surface of your worm bin. Larger feed should go to the edges and smaller bits in the center. This is because the adult red worms prefer the outside edges while the young worms prefer to congregate at the center of the worm bin.
<LI id=jsArticleStep6 itxtvisited="1">6
Feed your worms things which will naturally compost. Paper and cardboard (wet it first), coffee grounds, manure, rabbit pellets, vegetable matter, grass clippings... you get the idea. Avoid meats, dairy products and onions. If you do give them meat or dairy, be certain to remove it from your worm bin after 3 days and keep it limited. They may get some beneficial protein from it but you will also be introducing bacteria that could be harmful. Do not overfeed your worms. The food can get quite hot. Only add fresh when the other is gone or nearly gone.
<LI id=jsArticleStep7 itxtvisited="1">7
Water your worm bin. Keep it moist at ALL TIMES but not soggy. Your red worms take a lot of water but they can also be easily drowned.
<LI id=jsArticleStep8 sizset="50" sizcache="10" itxtvisited="1">8
Red worms will double in population numbers every 60 - 90 days. Overpopulation can be a serious issue for their health so you must remove worms regularly. Sell them, start a new worm bin or take some along on a fishing trip.
<LI id=jsArticleStep2 itxtvisited="1">2
Place a piece of cardboard at the bottom of your bin. This will help retain the moisture while still allowing sufficient drainage.
<LI id=jsArticleStep3 itxtvisited="1">3
Fill your red worm bin with worm bedding and mix in a few handfuls of potting soil. Peat moss or shredding paper both work fine as bedding. Peat moss is nicer to deal with as its light but shredded paper has more nutritional value for your worms, believe it or not. Commercial worm bedding is also available, some with worm food mixed right in.
<LI id=jsArticleStep4 itxtvisited="1">4
Add your red worms to the top of your bedding and place a piece of cardboard on top for a lid.
<LI id=jsArticleStep5 itxtvisited="1">5
Wait about 3-4 days before adding feed to a new container of red worms. At that time, feed them in spots - do not cover the entire surface of your worm bin. Larger feed should go to the edges and smaller bits in the center. This is because the adult red worms prefer the outside edges while the young worms prefer to congregate at the center of the worm bin.
<LI id=jsArticleStep6 itxtvisited="1">6
Feed your worms things which will naturally compost. Paper and cardboard (wet it first), coffee grounds, manure, rabbit pellets, vegetable matter, grass clippings... you get the idea. Avoid meats, dairy products and onions. If you do give them meat or dairy, be certain to remove it from your worm bin after 3 days and keep it limited. They may get some beneficial protein from it but you will also be introducing bacteria that could be harmful. Do not overfeed your worms. The food can get quite hot. Only add fresh when the other is gone or nearly gone.
<LI id=jsArticleStep7 itxtvisited="1">7
Water your worm bin. Keep it moist at ALL TIMES but not soggy. Your red worms take a lot of water but they can also be easily drowned.
<LI id=jsArticleStep8 sizset="50" sizcache="10" itxtvisited="1">8
Red worms will double in population numbers every 60 - 90 days. Overpopulation can be a serious issue for their health so you must remove worms regularly. Sell them, start a new worm bin or take some along on a fishing trip.
01-29-2011, 06:34 AM
#3
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
OK...finally ..here is how to keep them from getting out....
"and a strip of insect screen as well as the red worms. "
I'd make a lid and cut out a big rectangular hole and staple the screen in it..
"and a strip of insect screen as well as the red worms. "
I'd make a lid and cut out a big rectangular hole and staple the screen in it..
01-29-2011, 06:43 AM
#4
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
OK ....here's an excellent video and very inexpensive and very easy to make..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rFxSeMXGoU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rFxSeMXGoU
01-29-2011, 12:36 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: in the woods or on the water...
Posts: 4,832
Good luck Chuck, I've always wanted to raise demirsted (spelling?) bettles. If I would have been the first to raise them years ago when I thought of the idea I would be a wealthy man.
They sure make it easy European mounting animals.
They sure make it easy European mounting animals.
01-29-2011, 01:19 PM
#6
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
Thanks Buck,
I may have enough from where the rabbits used to be to get started...they breed pretty good.Theirs very fat and plumpy ..I beleive they were an African varity I got the last time..Hopefully I can find enough that I don't even have to buy any ..To buy enough to fish with here in Fl is over 6 .00 and they are tiny..need 2 per hook.
I may have enough from where the rabbits used to be to get started...they breed pretty good.Theirs very fat and plumpy ..I beleive they were an African varity I got the last time..Hopefully I can find enough that I don't even have to buy any ..To buy enough to fish with here in Fl is over 6 .00 and they are tiny..need 2 per hook.
02-04-2011, 07:58 AM
#7
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 25,116
Decided to go with lures this year for bluegills..
One that works great is slowly wourking a tiny grub on the bottom
Also..trolling slowly with Panther Martin spinners is effective
In shallow water...poppers on fly rods are great.
trying to save money...we are in a rescession...also plan to smoke bluegills this year..Peanut oil is very expensive..also, bass are tasty smoked..Crappie..having some tonight..still deep frying in buttermilk soaked batter ..need to firm up those fillets.[ -;
I don't plan to keep more than 6 bass all year..6 chunky 14 1/2 inchers is what I will keep..nice size for smoking...should be 3 meals
One that works great is slowly wourking a tiny grub on the bottom
Also..trolling slowly with Panther Martin spinners is effective
In shallow water...poppers on fly rods are great.
trying to save money...we are in a rescession...also plan to smoke bluegills this year..Peanut oil is very expensive..also, bass are tasty smoked..Crappie..having some tonight..still deep frying in buttermilk soaked batter ..need to firm up those fillets.[ -;
I don't plan to keep more than 6 bass all year..6 chunky 14 1/2 inchers is what I will keep..nice size for smoking...should be 3 meals
Last edited by Chuck7; 02-04-2011 at 08:01 AM.
