/r/leeches

Photograph via snooOG

A subreddit for general discussion, media, ID requests, and questions pertaining to leeches (subclass Hirudinea).

This is a subreddit for general discussion, media, ID requests, and questions pertaining to leeches (subclass Hirudinea).


Subreddit Rules

  1. Be civil.
  2. Avoid misinfo and alarmist claims.
  3. Do not seek or provide medical advice.
  4. Content depicting blood or injuries must be appropriately flagged.
  5. ID requests for wildlife require a geographic location in the title.

Resources

Care Sheets

  • Hirudo: 1, 2 (de)

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Header image licensed royalty-free by NNehring

/r/leeches

989 Subscribers

3

Anti-Depressants and Adderall while feeding leeches

Just what the title says, I'm on Adderall and Celexa for adhd and depression I was wondering if this would effect feeding if I intend to let my leeches feed from me.

1 Comment
2024/12/02
00:14 UTC

10

What are some specifics for first time keeping

Hi, I’ve never kept a leech before and I would like to know some things to see if they would be logistically blocking for me or not. One thing is water, what kind tap, bottled, boiled, etc. also, any specific websites for Canada, link if possible (I’m lazy) and for note I want to get Hirudo Medicinalis. That’s all for now I think, thank you.

12 Comments
2024/11/26
16:07 UTC

3

How to get some H.Verbana (or maybe H.Medicinalis)

So how can i get some H.Verbana (or maybe H.Medicinalis) in Asia (VietNam)? In my country, we can get punch of buffalos by putting legs in the river but I dont think i want to risk my life with wild leeches from polluted river which may contains dangerous bacteria and i heard that those giant take 22ml blud per meal (a bit too much).

1 Comment
2024/11/26
04:14 UTC

3

Leech missing

Hello friends!

I am a new hirudo medicinalis owner after inheriting them from a friend. I keep mine in a jar with a cheesecloth rubberbanded over top and am currently working on making a better tank for them.

Here's my issue: i was gifted 5 leeches. last week I left my apartment for 3 days and when I came back there were only 4. There is no evidence of a body, nor is there evidence of escape. From what i've read, this species only cannibalizes each other by blood sucking until death, not flesh eating. Their water seemed to get dirty faster than it has in the past, but I also wonder if that has to do with me using different types of water (tap water left out for over 24 hours instead of purified spring water from a gallon jug).

Does anyone have any idea what could have happened?

10 Comments
2024/11/25
19:39 UTC

16

My leeche don’t eat

Hey guys I have leeches and or stopped eating. He hasn’t been fed with blood for almost 1 year now. I used him one time and he was happy in his enclosure. But now 1 year later I thought it’s time for a another feed. Well I tried several times during a month but he just don’t like it.

Do you have any tips?

12 Comments
2024/11/24
08:41 UTC

96

non-leechian here, why do you guys love leeches so much?

especially interested in why you let them feed on you

(im not judging, just intrigued, im guessing its the same type of care one would show to any other pet)

39 Comments
2024/11/23
17:10 UTC

73

repost bc it didnt show the pic on the og one :’)

hi here are my leech drawings What do you think :o

1 Comment
2024/11/21
16:29 UTC

46

first time unexpected owner: what's that?

my cat has been having leeches therapy and I got to carry them home afterwards. I tried reading up as much as possible but there's not a lot of info about them (especially not in german, which is my mother tongue). I woke up today and saw the water being yellow. I changed waters 4 days ago. Usually do it once a week. So, when I saw it being yellow, I changed it. A few seconds later after being done, it changed colors again. It looked as if one of them took a poop, so I looked it up if that's possible. The therapy was about 3 (almost 4) weeks ago. I saw someone else here once asking about it but the user is deleted and I can no longer view pictures etc to check if that's similar to my "issue". someone suggested it was tannin. I have no plants in their glas, however. I usually have one rose quartz and two rock crystals inside the glas for them to better skin

8 Comments
2024/11/20
09:43 UTC

20

Leeches keep dying after feeding

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.

13 Comments
2024/11/15
17:50 UTC

5

Hirudo salt

I don’t have a scale with me. I calculated that I need to add 8.7 grams of Hirudo salt for my tank. Does anybody know how much that is? How precise do I need to be? I have table spoons as my guide. I realize now that mixing in the salt with the water before I put it in the tank would have been easier, but alas. Please help

3 Comments
2024/11/13
03:49 UTC

9

Could I feed leeches while on Vraylar?

I want to own a leech in the near future, but I just got put on Vraylar. I know some meds are incompatible with leeches but I dont know why. Would Vraylar be okay or should I try and get on something else?

5 Comments
2024/11/09
13:34 UTC

20

Leeches question part 2

Because I couldn't figure out how to post the video as a comment in my last post. Trying to ID these guys and make sure they're not a threat to my snails. They don't seem to be harming my snails at this point.

4 Comments
2024/11/08
02:59 UTC

5

Leech question

Hi all, I don't keep pet leeches, at least not intentionally. I'm hoping someone can help me identify the leeches in my 29 gallon snail tank- freshwater. I'm sorry I haven't been able to get pictures or video of them, so I hope I can describe them well enough. I only get occasional glimpses of them, but I've seen how they suction the one end of themselves to stuff and move around that way. They are a dark color. Sometimes they look like worms, but it seems like they can widen themselves and appear wider and flatter. They poke their little heads (?) Up through the gravel and dance around like there's a little rave going on in there. They're kind of funny, tbh. But they must have somehow hitchhiked their way in. It is a dirted tank capped with gravel. I used organic topsoil. I'm guessing maybe there were eggs or tiny baby leeches in the soil or they came in on plants. I'm just concerned if they can possibly harm my snails? If they're not a threat to the snails, I would prefer to just let them be to live their best lives in my tank. I enjoy diversity. And there seems to be a lot of them. I would have to do a complete tank tear down and reset and that's not even a guarantee that they'll be gone. Any ideas are appreciated!

2 Comments
2024/11/07
15:31 UTC

4

mating questions.

I've been researching leech keeping for about a year now with the intention of getting a few, and I finally found a trustworthy website to order from. I plan to keep 3, all in the same tank, as I recall reading somewhere that they enjoy company and are generally more healthy and happy when kept in pairs/groups. Breeding is an issue though. I'd like to give them a land area even though it encourages laying, since I read that it's stressful for them to not have an area to lay eggs on if they mate. I don't want to take care of any more than 3 leeches though, and I don't think I'd be able to sell them. Any ways I could prevent mating/laying without stressing them out? If there aren't any ways to stop it, how do I go about getting rid of the cocoons before they hatch? tips would be appreciated :)

4 Comments
2024/11/04
18:34 UTC

15

does weed have any negative effects on them ?

i smoke a ton of delta 8 and i mean its most likely **fine** , but im still concerned. i guess im ultimately asking if other people on this sub also use marijuana and if theyve noticed an effect on their leeches ? im also curious about legal shroom edibles from head shops. this isnt me seeking medical advice at least not from my perspective ? as its about my leeches and not me.

14 Comments
2024/11/01
20:58 UTC

7

Modding a Fluval Flex 9.5 gal for leeches

https://preview.redd.it/0lyttu3ekeud1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6aaee62b0f0e7b9e3a834d3cd16c5f992d1e7f7

https://preview.redd.it/cdv8zv3ekeud1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f48eece2017e281766aa45628703f99a698583a9

https://preview.redd.it/pccpaw3ekeud1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1d04f17c6cb9e1be02daccfe7c83dd66a67c6d15

The Gap™

Feeding slot

First-time poster here and potential first-time leech keeper

So a few days ago, I finally set up my planted hollow log aquascape. It's my first time keeping live plants and using natural materials, and it's not entirely finished yet as I plan to add a little more greenery so it's not so bare. The hollow log made me think, I've considered keeping leeches in the past, and it would be perfect for them, as it provides a dark space to hide and a bit of dry land to crawl out on.

The only problem is that the aquarium model I have has a few potential routes for escape or getting stuck; the feeding slot in the lid and the gap between the living space and the hardware (filter sponge, pump and heater). I'd love to be able to use what I've got, as everything works and I'm already on a pretty limited budget.

One solution I've considered for sealing the gap is getting a firm plastic mesh covered in a carpeting plant (such as moss or baby tears) and gluing it in place with silicone, so that there's a "hedge" between the hardware and the tank. The feeding slot I'll probably just get a removable cover for.

Could my idea work, or is there something else I should do to seal the gap?

1 Comment
2024/10/12
22:40 UTC

49

NEED ADVICE! I guess it is a leech, need to confirm.

Yesterday I found out that I was bleeding from my ankle and saw this creature in crawling in the car near my feet.

I was bleeding continuously at regular intervals even after cleaning the infected area. It stopped bleeding after good 5+ hours.

Was this a leech who would have caused it? If so, do I require any medical treatment?

Thank you!

23 Comments
2024/10/06
07:13 UTC

8

My baby leech has a kink in his side

Terrible photo and that’s not the leech with the kink but I got some alders done to help:) they come tomorrow, I’m also gonna put some in my crayfish tank

14 Comments
2024/10/02
00:07 UTC

4

Loose substrate

Is loose susbtrate like sand or mud safe for a naturalistic leech enclosure? Just wondering. I see the environments leeches live in around their natural environments and I want to recreate that with a land area.

5 Comments
2024/09/30
17:36 UTC

11

Do newborn leeches feed on humans? (Bebe leechies just hatched!)

J

5 Comments
2024/09/27
06:26 UTC

3

Newish to this (idk if this is the right flair)

Hello! I've been wanting to purchase a leech or leeches for almost 3 years now, but I've come up empty handed on where to buy some from. I've read that leeches . com is unreliable/has major issues and other sites I've looked at don't ship to the US or aren't medical-safe. I can't purchase one at the moment but any advice on where to buy some would be greatly appreciated. I am more than willing to feed them with my own blood but I'm not sure what's safe or not with my medication, the leech gang FB group will not accept me either 😭

13 Comments
2024/09/26
03:03 UTC

19

Are other annelids allowed here? One of my clamworms feeding on fish flakes.

5 Comments
2024/09/24
01:11 UTC

13

I read somewhere that leeches die after breeding. Does anyone know which part of the breeding process kills them? Sex? Laying? Parenting?

Looking for a loophole that will allow Noodle and Vlad to have conjugal visits without risk to their longevity.

10 Comments
2024/09/21
23:23 UTC

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