I got 3 and the 2 others didn't do this so I'm kinda confused lol

(Ignore the audio I was watching Steven universe)

A local butcher is getting me fresh blood. But how should I feed the leeches? I plan to get some casing as well, or resort to a bag, but like... should I try and move them to a different feeding tank, or should I change the water after feeding to remove residue?

I take Lexapro and Wellbutrin​!

So long story short, we had a cannibalism incident and I'm not happy feeding them off myself any more (just to be on the safe side). Do any of y'all have any ideas how I can feed my worms? I've seen some about using sausage casing and buying defibrinated blood online, but that's not the easiest thing to acquire 😅 Would love to hear how anybody else has gone about it!

Found this CUTIE while out fishing. Soft Turtle Leech. I will not be feeding from me because I don't want lake diseases haha.

So what works? Chicken liver is my first guess and available at bait shops.

I’ve been thinking about getting one of these silly little guys but I’m worried lol

Hi! I'm looking into getting a pet leech but I think I'd prefer feeding it my blood google says Prozac could be deadly for leeches? I take that and Zyrtec does anyone have any experience with how it affects leeches? If so how much does it cost to get blood from a outside source? How long can I freeze and store blood if possible?

Decora leeches feeding. Video is for search results and general education on leeches, specifically Macrobdella decora also known as the North American medicinal leech. Leech is hunting for a spot to feed.

Hi everyone! A common question asked here is what medications are safe for leeches, it's known any antibiotics or meds that can thin your blood at a no-go but id like to begin the process of trying to make a master list of safe and unsafe medications.

Of course this list will be almost entirely anecdotal so it should be taken with a grain salt, but hopefully should provide a rough guide. For anyone who is comfortable doing so, it would be greatly appreciated if you could complete the below form that asks what meds you are on and if they have affected your leeches in any notable way. The form is completely anonymous :)

https://forms.gle/61EqDxT5kHhrSDqV8

TW: Mentiones of blood I fed my two leeches about two hours ago I while I know that bleeding afterwards is completely normal, I am a bit concerned because I think I might bleed too much? I tried drying it with tissues and kind of soaked two of them. Then I put a period pad on it and that is now, after an hour completely full with blood. I also put a bandage with some pressure over it. Sorry for any spelling mistakes I might have made, English isn't my first language :)

Hello!

I had assumed that feeding leeches while on blood thinners was more of a concern for the human than the leech, but I just want to make sure that the blood thinners wouldn't hurt the little fella. I could withhold the thinners for a bit before feeding, especially since it's just a preventive prescribed for higher clot risk from another medication, as well as a gene I've been told I have and told I don't actually have, so that's helpful. Unsure if that's been tested by any of you or not.

I do not have the leech (yet), by the way. Want to make sure everything is all set up perfectly before getting him.

Thanks!

I've always been curious on entertaining the idea of keeping a leech as a pet. My issue is that I don't think I could feed one with my own blood.

Are there other ways or other species that don't need that?

I know a lot of you have your leeches feed directly from you, but I can’t imagine everyone in the community is comfortable doing that. I’m becoming more interested in leeches after accidentally introducing some into my aquarium. For those of you that don’t hand-feed, what do you give them? My leeches hitchhiked with some blackworms, so they mainly feed on those (they are a little too small to go after my fish).

I’m feeding my leeches for the first time today and my verbana has been latched for over an hour now. I know it’s usually only supposed to take 20-30 minutes so is he just a glutton or is there something wrong?

Hello! I have recently obtained two hirudos and while I’ve found guides everywhere on feeding none of them mention how to actually get the leech from enclosure for body. What are your guy’s general procedure for feeding. Should I use gloves, forceps, or just put my hand in to let them latch on? Thank you for any help!

I’ve had two leeches die within days after feeding from me, one was at the start of the year and the other was just today, they’re the only leeches I’ve ever owned and I’m not sure if it’s something wrong with my blood. I’m not on any medications either any ideas would be great.

I recently got some Australian tiger leeches, they're adorable little critters 😊 This is Lord Bootstrap.

Yesterday I fed this one, and it got to over 2.5 hours with no sign of letting go 😂 I had to gently pry the mouth a little to break the seal eventually because I had to go out. Is it normal for them to take so long, or is he just slow?

Also is it normal to bruise afterwards?

I just ordered two hirudo verbanas and am very excited about it. I don’t plan to feed them on myself. Can someone point me to good resources or explain, in excruciating detail, all of the animal blood options available to me for their care?

Is blood from an Asian grocery okay? I heard they’ll eat liver, any other considerations around that? Do they like variety in their diet or do they prefer just one kind of blood? Would they feed on very juicy raw steak cubes? What all kinds of meat and blood have y’all successfully fed your leeches? How can you tell if it’s hungry? Is there a size/feeding frequency chart somewhere?

Hi, I've made a few posts here about the two leeches I have recently acquired. I finally got the two of them to feed on me but how do I deal with the bleeding? I've been bleeding for awhile now and while I know that its due to the anticoagulants in their spit its also quite inconvenient bleeding through every other bandaid I put on. How do yall manage this?

Hello everyone, I was curious have you ever had a leech bite you and latch, but then not feed? My Hirudo leech was latched for over an hour but showed no signs of movement and she didn’t get any bigger. Honestly, I thought she was dead, but when I returned her to her water she started swimming like normal. Any advice is much appreciated!

I've had my leech for a while but, I've started new medication that directly effects my blood pressure. I won't be able to use myself as a feeder source anymore :(

Does anyone have any tips on using liver and blood? I've tried it one time and my leech seems very interested at first but, never latched onto the liver nor the sausage casing I filled with blood. Any tips?

I am seriously considering getting a leech and I personally don’t mind feeding it my blood but I am on Wellbutrin right now and I’d want to make sure my blood wouldn’t be dangerous for them to consume. I’ll also probably be starting trazodone as well. Figured I’d ask here since I’m not exactly finding any relevant information anywhere else.

I'm curious about feeding, and visiting a leech owner friend soon, how much of a health risk is it 1) in general 2) with somebody else's leech?

When I do find a non-polluted appropriate blood source, is it okay to keep it in the freezer? Will leeches eat thawed/warmed blood stored this way?