Raising earthworms as pets: proper bedding for African Nightcrawlers

In a previous post, I have discussed the benefits of raising the African Nightcrawler earthworms as household pets. This post is the second installment on raising ANC worms as pets.

Proper bedding. The bedding is any material that provides a livable environment for earthworms. It must have the following characteristics: water retentiveness, good bulking potential (porosity and looseness), and high carbon and low nitrogen (low protein) content.

The bedding must be able to retain water. The African Nightcrawler earthworm breathes through its skin and needs moisture to do so. An earthworm dies if its skin dries up.

The bedding must be porous and loose. Earthworms require air to breathe and a dense bedding severely limits air flow.

The bedding should have a high carbon and low nitrogen (low protein) content. The bedding is eaten by earthworms as it breaks down. High protein materials need to undergo a thermophilic decomposition before being fed to earthworms. High protein (high nitrogen) materials like meat and dairy products heat up considerably while decomposing. The heat generated is fatal to the African Nightcrawler.

In urban settings, newspaper and brown carton boxes are the best primary bedding material to use. Apart from ease of sourcing, there is nothing in newsprint (or brown carton boxes) that is harmful to worms. DO NOT use glossy paper since it contains substances toxic to earthworms.

To make a newspaper bedding, shred newspaper (and/or carton boxes) to one-inch strips. Fluff the newspaper strips by working your hands into the bedding. Broadcast some soil over the paper strips. The soil provides grit to the worms' intestines and is a good source of microorganisms that break down food scraps. Spray with water until 50% - 80% moist but not wet.

Once the bedding is finished, you can introduce the worms and allow the worms to work its way into the bedding. For every kilogram of bedding, I add about ten (10) adult African Nightcrawler earthworms.

My next post is about earthworm food.

SOURCE:"Manual of On-Farm Vermicomposting and Vermiculture", by Glenn Munroe, Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada