Sorry for the leech spam, but can you feed Medicinal Leeches dead pinky mice?

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

Since H. Medicinalis feeds exclusively on mammals, could I theoretically open up a small wound on a DEAD pinky mice (thawed) and the Leeches would feed off of it? Feeding them with my own blood gives me the willies.

 

[The Snark]

You mean, does H Medicinalis eat meat. I'll bite. Does it? It won't be getting blood unless you explain to the leech to feed from the bottom up.

 

[schmiggle]

Not unless you heat it up to body temperature first. But I think they would be smart enough to go for an open wound.

 

[beetleman]

when i had my medicinals in the past i tried that,they did not even budge on the frozen/thawed pinkies,they will definitly feed on live frogs though,mine did,didn't like doing it,but they had to feed,and i wasn't on the menu.

 

[spookyvibes]

I can't be for sure since I have no experience with leeches whatsoever, but I think you can get away with using raw liver from the grocery store. Only reason I know that is because awhile back I was curious what leeches eat in captivity, so I googled it. Again, I have no experience with leeches, I'm just going off what google said. Leeches seem like a very interesting pet to have, how big are the leeches you're getting?

 

[MTA]

Theres a guy on instagram who fed his buffalo leeches a thawed dead rabbit i think. So pinky mice might work although it would be a very small meal larger leeches. Also medicinal leeches only feed on blood, no meat. Imo them off yourself is the best food source for the leech as it is the freshest provided your leeches are clean(not from the wild or fed off other people) and you are not taking any medicines as that could harm the leech. Leech bites don't really hurt amd you only need to feed Hirudo every 6 months, don't go anymore than that. Other ways to feed I have seen is simply placing the leech in warm blood and leaving it there for like hours, I've never done this but this works for others. The alternative way I have done it is filling up a sausage casing with blood, placing it in hot water then placing leeches in a container and then offering it to them(don't feed them in their tank it gets very messy). Also don't keep fed and hungry leeches together ot the hungry one will drain the other leech of its blood and leave it with a wound open for infection.

 

[Godzillaalienfan1979]

I can't be for sure since I have no experience with leeches whatsoever, but I think you can get away with using raw liver from the grocery store. Only reason I know that is because awhile back I was curious what leeches eat in captivity, so I googled it. Again, I have no experience with leeches, I'm just going off what google said. Leeches seem like a very interesting pet to have, how big are the leeches you're getting?

Probably around 2-3 inches. I'm not sure. I read somewhere that H. Medicinalis can live in water of up to 80 degrees, making it an ideal candidate for a group aquarium with other warm-water animals. I did also read from another poster, however, that they need colder water. If that is so, then I will likely get Buffalo leeches, which can reach a colossal 12" in length.

 

[agep4]

I feed 3 of my leeches off myself because I know they are from a clean source and it’s only me to have fed them, however two of them I have never fed as I don’t know where they cane from other than being sold on eBay as fishing bait, Iv heard fresh liver can work but it’s not common, I was speaking to a nice chap at the northern invert show the other day and he was telling me that he gets pigs blood from the abbatoire because it lasts longer than cattle and sheep but it’s whether or not they would give it to you, I tried my local butcher and they wouldn’t give me any. I have tried frozen thawed mice before without success however after reading this and about the frozen thawed rabbit I will be trying a latge frozen thawed rat at some point to see if the body size can help so it could be worth a try

 

[agep4]

Also medicinal leeches should ideally be kept at a cold temperature, I keep mine at room temperature but Iv been told by people in the past that sometimes it’s best to keep them in the fridge, some people say it extends their life but I think the general consensus is that all it actually does is lower their activity level and so let’s them go longer between feeds

 

[The Snark]

As I mentioned in the past, and I still wonder.... A friend did a trek in Nepal.
1. Leeches don't mind it down below freezing 6 months out of the year and almost always below freezing at night?
2. What do those 155,000,003 leeches per acre dine on when they can't find an animal?

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

I feed 3 of my leeches off myself because I know they are from a clean source and it’s only me to have fed them, however two of them I have never fed as I don’t know where they cane from other than being sold on eBay as fishing bait, Iv heard fresh liver can work but it’s not common, I was speaking to a nice chap at the northern invert show the other day and he was telling me that he gets pigs blood from the abbatoire because it lasts longer than cattle and sheep but it’s whether or not they would give it to you, I tried my local butcher and they wouldn’t give me any. I have tried frozen thawed mice before without success however after reading this and about the frozen thawed rabbit I will be trying a latge frozen thawed rat at some point to see if the body size can help so it could be worth a try

You actually keep them for some type of medicinal purpose or you're just nuts?

 

[agep4]

You actually keep them for some type of medicinal purpose or you're just nuts?

I use them for educational purposes, I’m part of a university of biological science and I use them to show students going on expeditions and field courses how to correctly and safely remove leeches and treat the wounds. I only use them on myself though as it’s a pretty simple purpose. That and I find them extremely interesting and they get a good feed out of it!