Last Updated on September 8, 2024 by Sara Rose
Wondering where to buy Red Wigglers worms? Stay with us and find out.
Red Wigglers worms are a great way to improve the health of your aquarium tank. They serve two purposes: they provide food for your aquarium pets, and act as excellent biological filters. This type of worm is a great addition to any aquarium tank (especially in planted ones), as they eat up a lot of fish waste and control algae.
Now that you are interested in these little crawling creatures, find out where to buy Red Wigglers worms.
Table of Contents
Introduction To The Red Wigglers Worms
Before we give you an answer to the question “where to buy Red Wigglers worms”, we would like to introduce you to them first. The red wiggler, or as scientists call it eisenia fetida, is the most common composting worm in the world.
Since it is a member of the epigeic lass of composting worms, it can be found less frequently in soil, and somewhat more often in leaf litter, manure, decomposing vegetation, and other organic matter. The red wiggler worm is native to Europe and is not classified as an invasive species in North America. Accordingly, it doesn’t have a negative environmental impact in the wild.
In addition to Red Wigglers, you will often hear some of the following names related to this type of worm: tiger worms, brandling worms, manure worms, panfish worms, and trout worms. Finally, one fun fact; the “fetid” part of the binomial name refers to the foul-smelling secretion that this worm uses to defend itself from predators.
Let’s move on now to the main part of this article to find out where to buy Red Wigglers worms.
Related article: How To Do Black Worms Aquaponics!
What You Need To Know About Ordering
For all those wondering where to buy Red Wigglers worms, they can be ordered from most online worm retailers.
There’s nothing cosmic about ordering worms online, but there are some recommendations you should follow. Experts advise you to either build a DIY bin or assemble purchased commercial worm bin, preferably even before you make a purchase.
Namely, you can never know with 100% certainty what problems or delays you may encounter with your worm bin, but following this advice guarantees that you will have a good start.
As far as ordering and delivery are concerned, it is common practice among worm shippers to avoid the risk of worms sitting in hot or cold storage over the weekend. Namely, they are not storing worms in a situation where they are ready to ship. The worms must be harvested from their habitat first, and accordingly, breeders will often set a little later, the weekend deadline in order to harvest in time for a Monday shipment.
Furthermore, did you know that you need a special permit to ship live animals? Accordingly, almost all worm sellers ship via USPS Priority. Furthermore, Red Wigglers worms are typically packed in dry peat moss, not in a living habitat. This is done for practical reasons, as it reduces weight as well as the risk of microbial activity raising the temperatures to deadly levels while your new pets are still in transit.
In addition, it is interesting to us that significantly longer distances do not necessarily mean significantly longer transit times. For instance, Monday deliveries from one of Georgia-based suppliers often reach California customers on Wednesday. However, it all depends on the efficiency of the US Postal Service in your area.
In addition, keep in mind that your delivery boxes are usually too large to fit in your mailbox, so contact your courier and suggest that you leave your shipment in a shaded, protected environment, in case you won’t be home to receive your worms.
Where To Buy Red Wigglers Worms
As we have already mentioned, you can order your Red Wigglers worms from a number of online resellers. In case you are ordering from PetSmart, PetCo, Walmart, or another large company that is not directly related to the vermicomposting world, we recommend that you to be careful.
Namely, worms bought in such stores are mainly:
- Expensive and in small quantities,
- Not Eisenia fetida or composting worms at all.
These are the best places to make a purchase:
Red Worm Composting – they offer a variety of packages depending on your needs.
Garden Worms – They sell worms as well as various accessories including books, kits, and gardening items.
Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm – is a country-style site that offers plenty of information but also among other worms for sale.
Worm Man’s Worm Farm – In short, this place has all kinds of worms you can imagine. Surely everyone can find one for their needs.
The Worm Dude – Complicated site (difficult to navigate), but has good prices and resources.
Find Worms – This is your refuge when everything else fails. It’s a worm locator with a catalog for almost all parts of the world.
Additionally, you can click on some of the following: Mother Earth’s Farm, The Worm Dude
Unfortunately, lately many places like Acme Worm Farm have stopped working.
Abstract
Red Wigglers (Eisenia fetida) are the most common composting worms that can be found on the market today. Although small, they can eat from 25% to 33% of their body weight a day. Amazing, isn’t it?
That would be it, now you know where to buy Red Wigglers worms.
We hope you found this article useful. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comments below.
Read more: How Many Worms Per Square Foot In Your Aquaponics System?
FAQs
Can Red Wigglers Live In Water?
They cannot live, but they can survive in water for a short period.
What Do Aquaponics Worms Eat?
Aquaponic worms feed on small decomposing organic particles. Namely, they break down the fecal bits, dead roots, and other solid materials, reducing the likelihood that your growing bed will become clogged.
How Long Can Red Wigglers Survive In Water?
They can live up to two weeks underwater, but it all depends on the oxygen supply.
Do I Need Worms In Aquaponics?
In short, every successful aquaponics system needs water, plants, fish, nutrients, but also worms.
