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Worm Keeping · How To Guide
Thriving, Not just surviving
Everything you need to keep your feeder worms healthy, active, and breeding — so every worm your axolotl eats is worth eating.
The Short Version
Keeping feeder worms well is simpler than most people think. Four things matter above everything else:
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Temperature: Room temperature between 10 and 20°C is the sweet spot. Worms kept here stay active, eat well, and breed.
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Bedding: Coconut coir as a base, shredded cardboard mixed throughout. Loose, airy, never compacted.
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Moisture: Damp like a wrung-out sponge. Squeeze a handful and it should hold its shape without dripping.
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Feeding: A light sprinkle of worm chow once a week, covered with a thin layer of bedding. That is genuinely all they need.
Read on for the detail behind each one, plus a troubleshooting section if you want to fine-tune your setup.
Room temperature is where the magic happens
Ask most axolotl keepers where to store their worms, and they will say the fridge. It is the most common piece of advice on every forum, every Facebook group, every YouTube comment section. And honestly, it is easy to see why — it feels safe, controlled, contained. But it is actually working against you.
Here is what happens when you keep worms at room temperature instead. They stay active. They eat. They breathe. They move freely through the bedding. And within a couple of weeks, you will start spotting small lemon-shaped cocoons in there. That means they are breeding. You are getting the next generation for free, without lifting a finger.
More importantly, a worm that has been actively eating and moving is nutritionally full. A cold, dormant worm is a fraction of that. Every worm your axolotl eats from a room-temperature tub is delivering everything it should be.
The target range is 10 to 20°C. A cool room, a utility room, a garage in summer — all fine. You are not looking for warmth, just the absence of the fridge.
The welfare side of it
It is worth saying: worms are living creatures. Keeping them at room temperature rather than in near-dormancy is genuinely kinder. They go about their lives in the bedding, eating and moving normally, right up until they are needed. It costs nothing extra, and the nutritional payoff for your axolotl is real.
Get the bedding right
Bedding is not just filler. It is the environment your worms live in around the clock. Get it right and they will thrive almost without any intervention. The two things you need are coconut coir and shredded cardboard, and they work beautifully together.
Coconut coir as your base
Coconut coir is the best bedding for worms because of one key property: it holds its volume. Most materials compact down over time, slowly squeezing out the air pockets worms need to move and breathe freely. Coir does not do that. It stays open and airy even after weeks of use.
That airflow is the single most important factor in a healthy worm tub. Coir keeps it going without you having to do anything.
Cardboard: the more the better
Shredded cardboard goes alongside the coir, mixed throughout the tub. Worms eat it, move through it, and use it as structure. It adds extra airflow, soaks up any excess moisture, and gives the bedding a texture that worms actively prefer.
You genuinely cannot add too much cardboard. If in doubt, add more. More cardboard means better airflow, better moisture balance, and worms that are noticeably more active.
What about garden soil?
Garden soil is not a great choice for a feeder tub. It compacts quickly and does not give worms the loose structure they need. There is also the question of contamination; most people do not think they use pesticides, but slug pellets, lawn treatments, and even products used on pets can leach into the soil. Coir and cardboard sidestep all of that. Clean, simple, effective.
Moisture: the balance that makes or breaks it
Worms love moisture. They breathe through their skin, so keeping the bedding damp is genuinely important. The goal is not to keep things dry — it is to keep them consistently damp without tipping into waterlogged.
The best test is the squeeze test. Take a handful of bedding and squeeze it firmly. It should hold its shape like a lump of damp soil, with no water dripping out. That is the sweet spot. If it crumbles apart, add a light misting. If it drips, mix in some dry shredded cardboard to bring it back.
A quick check every few days is all you need, especially in warmer rooms where bedding dries out a little faster. In ten seconds, you will know exactly where you stand.
Feeding your worms
Worms are not demanding eaters. A light sprinkle of worm chow once a week is genuinely enough to keep them in great condition. After sprinkling, cover with a thin layer of bedding so it breaks down gently rather than sitting exposed on the surface. One feed a week. Quick cover. Done.
You can also use vegetable peelings and fruit scraps; worms love them. Chow has the advantage of being balanced and consistent, loading your worms with exactly the nutrients your axolotl needs. with the benefit of not adding excess moisture to the bedding. But a mix of both works well.
Less is more with feeding
The most common mistake with feeder worms is overfeeding them too often. Uneaten food in the bedding ferments, raising temperature, increasing moisture, and creating unpleasant smells. Once a week, a light sprinkle. Your worms will be healthier for it, and so will your tub.
Fine-tuning your setup
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Worms are gathering at the lid or sides
Worms exploring the top of the tub usually means the moisture level is a little high, or airflow is limited. Remove the lid for an hour, mix in some dry shredded cardboard, and check the next day again. Nine times out of ten, that is all it takes.
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The tub has developed a smell
A healthy tub smells like fresh earth — clean and earthy. If things smell off, it usually means there is uneaten food breaking down in the bedding. Hold off on feeding for a couple of weeks, mix in some dry cardboard to introduce fresh air, and let the tub settle. It will come right.
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Worms seem slow or less active than usual
Check the temperature first. Below around 5°C, worms slow right down and stop feeding. Move the tub to a warmer location and give them 24 hours. If the room is already warm, check the moisture, very dry bedding has a similar effect. A quick refresh of damp coir usually gets things moving again.
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The bedding feels dense and compacted
Over time, bedding can compress and lose its airy structure. If the tub feels heavy and solid when you squeeze it, it is time for a refresh. Tip everything out, mix in generous amounts of fresh coir and cardboard, and reintroduce your worms. They will be noticeably more active within a day or two.
Frequently asked questions
Should I keep feeder worms in the fridge?
Room temperature is better. Between 10 and 20°C, worms stay active, continue eating, and start breeding within a few weeks. A cool room or garage works perfectly. The fridge puts them into dormancy, which is fine for short-term storage but not ideal if you want to keep a thriving colony.
What is the best bedding for feeder worms?
Coconut coir as your base, with shredded cardboard mixed throughout. Coir holds its volume and never compacts, which keeps airflow going throughout the tub. Cardboard adds structure, soaks up excess moisture, and gives worms something to move through and eat. Together, they are everything a worm tub needs.
How moist should the bedding be?
Damp, like a wrung-out sponge. Squeeze a handful and it should hold its shape without dripping. Check it every few days and adjust with a light misting if needed. Worms do best in consistently damp bedding rather than dry or waterlogged extremes.
How often should I feed my feeder worms?
Once a week, with a light sprinkle of worm chow. That is enough. Less frequent, smaller feeds keep the tub clean and the worms in better condition than heavy feeding ever will.
What worms should I feed my axolotl?
Dendrobaena veneta, also sold as nightcrawlers, are the best choice. They are the right size, have an excellent nutritional profile, and the right texture for axolotls to handle comfortably. Lob worms also work but tend to be on the large side. Tiger worms are a smaller alternative if you need something a bit more manageable for younger axolotls.
My worms seem less active than when they arrived — is that normal?
Completely normal during the first day or two. Worms need a short settling-in period after being moved to a new environment. As long as the bedding is damp, the temperature is in range, and the tub has good airflow, they will be moving freely within 24 to 48 hours. If you are not sure about your setup, send us a photo — we can usually spot anything worth adjusting straight away.
Ready to stock up on feeder worms?
Our Dendrobaena worms are farm-raised in Huddersfield and dispatched Monday to Friday in breathable packaging, with a live-arrival guarantee. They arrive healthy and ready to feed.
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