#leech keeping

For the question on where I gotten my leeches I get them from North America BioPharma and Leeches.biz (Canada only now). I’ve tried contacting leech keepers/breeders for any available ones through their socials but I didn’t get any responses. I’ve occasionally seen on the ‘leech gang’ subreddit on people needing to give away their leeches. On facebook there’s a group of the same nature that would likely have keepers willing to give some away but since I dont got a facebook account I haven’t looked into it.

Next comment was about how even when people typically keep leeches fashioned in a mason jar I keep mine with hides and plants. I know leeches are a worm and won’t do as much as another animal but after many years of leech keeping it’s a lot of learning as to what’s good, what’s unnecessary, and what’s needed for them. They can grow big up to 7 inches at rest so a jar would get outgrown.

The thing they do of sticking their head out the water for the day is so then they can get oxygen not abundant in the water column. This can be supplemented by having a water current like from an airstone or sponge filter. If they keep their face rolled up and under rocks it’s because they’re light sensitive. Leeches have simple eyes all over them. Or are going to sleep and want to cover their eyes. if they had hides and things to go under they can rest easier.

I like keeping a planted tank cuz I like plant care in general and that includes aquatics. That would mean keeping a balance of things since it’s an unfiltered tank (well leeches poop once a month if I see it happen). So throughout the years I’ve seen all kinds of critters in the water like water mites which only had a small boom before disappearing as they only ate algae. I have brown hydra which people online worry a lot about seeing in a tank but I only see one every month so it’s not harmful as a tiny population, my ostracods would even try to sit on them if they aren’t hungry. I’d advise not keeping larger snails since they can apparently try to lick the skin off a leech which would give sores (from what i’ve seen from how a leechkeeper lost theirs), nerites are gentle and don’t touch them though. Having this whole ecosystem is nice in the long run for the immune system of a leech to not need more frequent water changes than if were a very simple tank of just rocks and hides. Leeches can get ‘cotton mouth’ fungal infections just like fish do which are caused by ill health or poor water quality.

I don’t even put many plastics or decor made for aquariums since leeches crawl on their bellies and are very soft bodied. I sand down wood and any textured rocks be round than spiky. It’s just very rewarding to see anything new be used or touched by a leech, curious beasts. I still would keep a leech in a simple carrier of water for a few days after eating (for no quick big poops) or if the tank is being changed with anything new.

My new baby, my pet leech Jane Prentiss (full name Jane Amherst Prentiss Mason). I love her already.

Hello and welcome to my blog! I wanted a place to gush about my children and the hobby of keeping leeches is so niche that it doesn't hurt to keep everything in the same place for others to see.

○ If you're a leech keeper yourself and want to gush about your kids, feel free to submit your pictures and they'll be tagged as #Dad's Wallet along with my own pics

○ Have a leech specific question? I'll try to answer as best I can! All leech-related care asks and posts will be under #Leech Care. All other asks will be under #Squigglin

○ Leech care is very hobbiest driven when it comes to non-medical uses, so we welcome corrections of information, personal anecdotes, and discoveries as far as care goes. Feel free to share!!

For the comprehensive Hirudo Verbana leech care guide click here!

Guide is regularly updated with new information as it becomes available

⚠️ This blog will contain blood just due to the nature of the parasitic leeches I keep. All posts containing it will be marked by #Blood

Meet my sons!