Obsessed with finding and eating dried earthworms! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Tink04 · 05-04-2015, 08:22 AM

I am just curious, does any one else have this issue with their Yorkie? Tink has always been a scavenger - putting anything in her mouth (much to my avail) but she has recently became OBSESSED with tying to find nasty dried worms to gobble down. I make sure they aren't on the concrete patio (usually where she could find her yummy worm-jerky) but she is going out into the grass and finding them. This weekend I pulled two 3 inch long dried worms from her mouth - ewww. Tink was not pleased when I took away her worm-jerky.
I've read online that they can harbor bacteria and parasites, so I am watching her like a hawk when she's outside trying to prevent her from finding any, but she is so darn fast, and I can't even see how she is finding them in the yard!
I do not think she is hungry... she has to be fed every 4 hours to combat her insulinoma/blood sugar, so I think she just thinks they are a yummy treat. She acts like she needs to "potty" all the time, but instead does nothing but try to find them outside.
Are there any other owners who have this problem?

ladyjane · 05-04-2015, 08:25 AM

This is very common!!! I have a couple of pups who DIG for worms. LOL

Tink04 · 05-04-2015, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ladyjane

This is very common!!! I have a couple of pups who DIG for worms. LOL

She hasn't resorted to digging yet!

How funny...
I tell her, "Tink, fancy yorkies with hair barrettes do not eat worms"... she disagrees.

anny31 · 05-04-2015, 08:49 AM

My Finster scavenges for rabbit poop.. Earthworms i wouldn't mind. We used to feed those to our hamsters. Finster was digging to Australia yesterday, not sure what he was looking for.

Nancy1999 · 05-04-2015, 08:55 AM

Worms are pure protein, so it's not a bad snack, and they can handle bacteria that would throw a human in the hospital. If she becomes too obsessed with it, you might want to look at her dog food and find something with a little higher protein. Joey went through something similar, he found a slug once and anxiously looked for more. We usually only can find them after a rain.

Magnus · 05-04-2015, 09:12 AM

I've seen Zoey roll/rub against some dried up worm. -_- It was kinda gross....

margaritaville · 05-04-2015, 09:23 AM

Sissy is a worm eater, roller and the stink that comes with it is unbearable!

Zeus is Loved · 05-04-2015, 10:23 AM

Our Zeus doesn't really like to eat anything weird. His thing is when he's home alone, he likes to play with/carry his poop -- literally. It's all there -- believe me, scattered. He only does it every once in a while. He has brought us a piece of poop to get a treat before -- brought it in the den and dropped it out of his mouth. I guess we didn't go check the pad fast enough for his liking.

Cherie6446 · 05-04-2015, 10:35 AM

Eeek! Yuck! Thank goodness Zoey doesn't eat worms but she vacuums the grass for rabbit poop.

Nancy1999 · 05-04-2015, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cherie6446

Eeek! Yuck! Thank goodness Zoey doesn't eat worms but she vacuums the grass for rabbit poop.

Ha ha, I guess Tink has something to be grateful for!

Tink04 · 05-04-2015, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeus is Loved

Our Zeus doesn't really like to eat anything weird. His thing is when he's home alone, he likes to play with/carry his poop -- literally. It's all there -- believe me, scattered. He only does it every once in a while. He has brought us a piece of poop to get a treat before -- brought it in the den and dropped it out of his mouth. I guess we didn't go check the pad fast enough for his liking.

OMG This made me crack up... "Here, here is my poop as a gift to you, please give me a treat..." lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cherie6446

Eeek! Yuck! Thank goodness Zoey doesn't eat worms but she vacuums the grass for rabbit poop.

When we first moved into our house we had tons of bunnies, who Tink eagerly would try to find their pellets. Too many times she ran them off by being her big bad self, and they never came back after that first Spring.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Ha ha, I guess Tink has something to be grateful for!

She is QUITE grateful to find any type of worm-jerky. lol

Tink04 · 05-04-2015, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magnus

I've seen Zoey roll/rub against some dried up worm. -_- It was kinda gross....

Quote:

Originally Posted by margaritaville

Sissy is a worm eater, roller and the stink that comes with it is unbearable!

Oh, Tink very much loves to roll in a nice, nasty, dried worm, even bird poop... (really...?). This is usually after she has had a bath within 24 hours. lol. But, I guess for now, they are more appetizing than her wanting to have her "worm-perfume"

wigglewomyn · 05-04-2015, 11:11 AM

My puppies had such a blast this weekend playing out in our new fenced in yard. They ran and rolled around in the grass and dirt. The two of them love to dig in the dirt with their noses. I don't know what they are looking for, but they dig and dig and get so dirty. On Saturday night, we had to wash them three times because the dirt just kept streaming out of them! I commented to my partner on Saturday afternoon while we were watching them dig in the dirt that they are definitely NOT the type that like to have barrettes in their hair and dresses on them

Before I got these two, that was my idea of a yorkie, a lap dog that loved to get their hair done up and like to be dressed up.

Shicks · 05-04-2015, 11:22 AM

Omg my Ruger loves them. I can't get to them fast enough either. After a rain they are all over place. Ruger will grab a mouth full and take off running pulling the leash. Trying to open his mouth I need a jack hammer. I hope dried worms aren't too bad for them.

Nancy1999 · 05-04-2015, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shicks

Omg my Ruger loves them. I can't get to them fast enough either. After a rain they are all over place. Ruger will grab a mouth full and take off running pulling the leash. Trying to open his mouth I need a jack hammer. I hope dried worms aren't too bad for them.

I'm sure in the past, that's what a lot of dogs lived on. Probably healthier than a lot of store bought dog foods!

05-04-2015, 08:22 AM	#1
Tink04 YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Illinois Posts: 328 Blog Entries: 1	Obsessed with finding and eating dried earthworms! I am just curious, does any one else have this issue with their Yorkie? Tink has always been a scavenger - putting anything in her mouth (much to my avail) but she has recently became OBSESSED with tying to find nasty dried worms to gobble down. I make sure they aren't on the concrete patio (usually where she could find her yummy worm-jerky) but she is going out into the grass and finding them. This weekend I pulled two 3 inch long dried worms from her mouth - ewww. Tink was not pleased when I took away her worm-jerky. I've read online that they can harbor bacteria and parasites, so I am watching her like a hawk when she's outside trying to prevent her from finding any, but she is so darn fast, and I can't even see how she is finding them in the yard! I do not think she is hungry... she has to be fed every 4 hours to combat her insulinoma/blood sugar, so I think she just thinks they are a yummy treat. She acts like she needs to "potty" all the time, but instead does nothing but try to find them outside. Are there any other owners who have this problem?

05-04-2015, 08:25 AM	#2
ladyjane Resident Yorkie Nut Donating YT 20K Club Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 27,490	This is very common!!! I have a couple of pups who DIG for worms. LOL __________________ CLOUD NINE BEDS--YORKIE HAVEN RESCUE MY ETSY SHOP

05-04-2015, 08:55 AM	#5
Nancy1999 I ♥ Joey & Ralphie! Donating Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 25,396 Blog Entries: 2	Worms are pure protein, so it's not a bad snack, and they can handle bacteria that would throw a human in the hospital. If she becomes too obsessed with it, you might want to look at her dog food and find something with a little higher protein. Joey went through something similar, he found a slug once and anxiously looked for more. We usually only can find them after a rain. __________________ NancyJoey Proud members of the CrAzYcLuB and YAP! ** Just Say No to Puppymills – Join YAP! Yorkshire Terrier Club of America – Breeder Referrals

05-04-2015, 09:23 AM	#7
margaritaville Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: west long branch, n.j. Posts: 4,457	Sissy is a worm eater, roller and the stink that comes with it is unbearable! __________________ Joan, Bubba and Sissy-BEWARE OF PUPPY MILLS breathe in, breathe out, move on -jb

05-04-2015, 10:23 AM	#8
Zeus is Loved YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Columbus, MS Posts: 361	Nope, but I would take that! Our Zeus doesn't really like to eat anything weird. His thing is when he's home alone, he likes to play with/carry his poop -- literally. It's all there -- believe me, scattered. He only does it every once in a while. He has brought us a piece of poop to get a treat before -- brought it in the den and dropped it out of his mouth. I guess we didn't go check the pad fast enough for his liking.

05-04-2015, 08:49 AM	#4
anny31 Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Elverson, pa, USA Posts: 28	My Finster scavenges for rabbit poop.. Earthworms i wouldn't mind. We used to feed those to our hamsters. Finster was digging to Australia yesterday, not sure what he was looking for.

05-04-2015, 09:12 AM	#6
Magnus Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Northern VA Posts: 3,192	I've seen Zoey roll/rub against some dried up worm. -_- It was kinda gross....

05-04-2015, 10:35 AM	#9
Cherie6446 YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: SoCA Posts: 1,895	Eeek! Yuck! Thank goodness Zoey doesn't eat worms but she vacuums the grass for rabbit poop. __________________ RIP my darling little Gina

05-04-2015, 11:11 AM	#13
wigglewomyn YT Addict Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Syracuse Posts: 404	My puppies had such a blast this weekend playing out in our new fenced in yard. They ran and rolled around in the grass and dirt. The two of them love to dig in the dirt with their noses. I don't know what they are looking for, but they dig and dig and get so dirty. On Saturday night, we had to wash them three times because the dirt just kept streaming out of them! I commented to my partner on Saturday afternoon while we were watching them dig in the dirt that they are definitely NOT the type that like to have barrettes in their hair and dresses on them Before I got these two, that was my idea of a yorkie, a lap dog that loved to get their hair done up and like to be dressed up. __________________ Mommy to Duncan and Little Miss Elliot - RIP Tuki and Anya

05-04-2015, 11:22 AM	#14
Shicks YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Friendsville Tn. Posts: 879 Blog Entries: 1	Worms Omg my Ruger loves them. I can't get to them fast enough either. After a rain they are all over place. Ruger will grab a mouth full and take off running pulling the leash. Trying to open his mouth I need a jack hammer. I hope dried worms aren't too bad for them.