X-Message-Number: 2929
Date: 21 Jul 94 22:30:15 EDT
From: Mike Darwin <>
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS Siberian Salamanders Need Earthworms


---------- Forwarded Message ----------

> From:	Greg Fahy, 72124,1173
> TO:	Mike Darwin, 75120,575
> DATE:	7/21/94 12:25 AM

RE:	Earthworms

To: Mike Darwin
  Dear Mike,
   Do you know of anyone anywhere in the United States who
sells earthworms?  I don't mean night crawlers, blood worms,
blackworms, or tubifex worms, but common ordinary worms that
one finds in the garden or under the lawn or on the pavement
after it rains.  Surprisingly, all of the above-mentioned "exotic"
worms appear to be on the market and readily available, but not
the plain old ordinary earthworm everyone is familiar with.
   I believe your last set of messages may have mentioned how to
post something to cryonet, but, while I have time to cope with that
information, would it be possible to enlist your aid in posting a
message to the net to anyone who might know of a worm supplier?  
I've been hand-feeding Siberian salamanders for over a year now
and I'm not only tired of it but I fear that my inability to baby
these beasts is responsible in part for 80% of them dying, the last
one dying for no clear reason other than refusal to eat just a few
days ago.  These salamanders will eat earthworms all by themselves
without any investment of my time, but earthworms are impossible to
come by unless it rains or I spend vast times digging in the dirt.
     I've learned so far that Siberian salamanders do survive freezing and
do learn.  If I did not have to spend every waking moment feeding them
by hand, we would know already whether they remember things after 
freezing and thawing.  If nothing changes, they may all be dead in a 
couple of weeks and a year's worth of my time and over $1000 of Alcor's
research money will be down the drain.   All for want of some ordinary,
common, everyday earthworms.  IT is an astonishing situation.
    No, Carolina Biological Supply does NOT sell earthworms.  They sell
something they represented to be earthworms, but they are not.
     Thanks in advance for any help you can muster.
       ---- Greg

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