One of the most common questions I get from customers is, "How do I keep the leeches alive?" These little suckers can be sensitive to certain changes in their environment, but in reality, they are pretty hearty. As long as you take care of them, it is no different than having another aquatic pet. This blog post will depict how to care for your leeches, keep them alive, and make sure they stay out of your casserole)
Here are the big No No's when it comes to leech care:
1. Do not use city/tap water that has any chlorine or fluoride in it.
2. Do not shock leeches by transferring them to water that is drastically warmer or cooler than their present temp.
3. If you have a water softener, the water needs to sit for at least 24 hours before using it on leeches (even if it comes from a well).
When your leeches arrive from Jewell Outdoors, they will be in a box, that has a cooler in it. The leeches are in a plastic bag, filled mostly with oxygen, and just enough water to keep them wet. They were kept as cool as possible during their journey from our house to yours by an ice bottle or two. However, they have probably warmed up a bit since leaving the shop.
(Remember - all of our shipping materials are 100% Recyclable. Please help us out by recycling and conserving our environment. Nothing ticks me off like seeing an empty bait container laying on the bank of the river or lake!)
Remove the bag from the box, and leaving it sealed shut by the rubber band, place it in the refrigerator for a couple hours. This cools the leeches gradually. (Shocking them into cold temps can kill them) After a couple hours, remove the leeches from the plastic bag, and place them in which ever container you plan to use for storage in your refrigerator. Use just enough water to cover the tops of them. Be sure the water is close to the same temperature as that of your refrigerator, or around 40 Degrees Fahrenheit. Put the lid on your container because sometimes they crawl out...and nobody wants leeches in their casserole.
I recommend changing the water every day if possible, although you can skate by on every two days. You do not have to feed leeches to keep them alive. Some leeches can go weeks, months, or even up to a year and a half without eating (after having a big meal of course). Ribbon leeches have a natural diet of microscopic organisms and invertebrates - and they're really not all that interested in your left over fish fillets. (Should you decide to keep them for months at a time, then you might toss them a fish carcass, or a slice of liver)
More questions about leech care? Simply leave a comment on our blog, or shoot an email to mark@jewelloutdoors.com, or just visit us at www.jewelloutdoors.com!
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