Wild Earthworms and Snails

[Snickers :)]

Hi Everybody
Where do you get your earthworms and snails from? Is it safe to just pick them out of the garden, or should I worry about parasites and such? I was also wondering if the earthworms you can buy at tackle shops would be safe, or canned escargot. I haven't tried feeding Snickers either of these items yet but from what I've read here they seem to be a huge hit with many skinks, so I'd love to try. Thanks for the advice!

[WanderingChai]

If your garden has no pesticides(and hasn't for 5+ years) then I think it would be safe to feed if they are more than 20ft from the house. I've been feeding Tea Cup this way for a long while.

[Linnea]

as there is always a risk for parasites with these too, "detoxing" the snails gives, even if just a little, lower risk. though i havent heard from anyone on this forum that their blueys have been affected, i think.
it also helps rinse out the food the snail has eaten that might be bad for the bluey.....but im not sure if thats just over thinking it. probably is.

either way i just caught a lot of snails and im keeping them in a mini terrarium with dirt and some good salad, misting it once every day. in ~4 days they will all have pooped out the old and eaten some of the new....and then ill wash them properly in some water and serve

[LarissaLurid]

I'd never feed wild snails, worms, bugs even if you don't use pesticides in your yard because animals travel and will go into other yards with fertilizer, pesticides, etc. and always have the risk of carrying parasites as well. I've been looking at breeding my own earth worms and snails recently. They don't need much care or a big space and if you use a few wild caughts as breeders and feed their babies to the lizards it will be fine.

also just read what linnea said about detoxing, very interesting although i'd still maybe be scared about if they are carrying something. Such a hard topic bc I definitely want to be safe and make sure my lizards are not going to get sick or poisoned or anything, but i do want to feed them snails and worms as part of their diet too.

[Richard.C]

if they have parasites,keeping them for a few days or what ever wont let them dispose of the parasites,also using wild caughts to breed,if they have parasites,when they breed and have babies,those babies will get the parasites to

keeping wild caughts for a week or so is good to make sure they havnt been poisoned,i sometimes feed wild caught snails,hasnt affected any of mine

[skeetersmom]

Definately don't use earthworms that come from a tackle shop - they add chemicals to keep the worms alive that are not healthy.

I have also considered using wild caught worms and snails - but decided that since there are other protein sources that are safer - and there are purchased sources available (although few, and more expensive) such can-o (snails, worms) to skip that source.

But that is me

[Leigh]

I'd never feed wild snails, worms, bugs even if you don't use pesticides in your yard because animals travel and will go into other yards with fertilizer, pesticides, etc.[/size] and always have the risk of carrying parasites as well. I've been looking at breeding my own earth worms and snails recently. They don't need much care or a big space and if you use a few wild caughts as breeders and feed their babies to the lizards it will be fine.

also just read what linnea said about detoxing, very interesting although i'd still maybe be scared about if they are carrying something. Such a hard topic bc I definitely want to be safe and make sure my lizards are not going to get sick or poisoned or anything, but i do want to feed them snails and worms as part of their diet too.

Yes the common snail travels at a very rapid metre an hour, they do net need to travel far because they tend to stay (live and breed) where food,dark and damp are, so if they're already in your pesticide free garden I wouldn't worry too much.

To detox snails, get a bucket or container with a lid and breathing holes, put a couple of inches of moist soil in the bottom, add some vege scraps, keep outta bright sun and damp for a week, if still alive they're good to go, you can make a larger home with soft peat a couple of inches deeper if you fancy trying to breed them.

to detox worms do the same but use sand, a good compost heap will breed both usually, it'll depend on where you are in the world as to what results can be achieved.