Canada Ontario. Found this dude swimming around and I've never seen this species before any ideas?

I want to have some other aquatic creatures with my leeches but I want to make sure it’s safe and won’t cause any stress to the other animals. I’ve heard maybe certain kinds of snails and shrimp? Also, if there is a small aquatic creature I can keep with them could you send me a link to a good care guide for the species?

Making blood sausages with pig intestines and human blood doesn't really do it for me. Could I solidify the blood with agar and feed leeches the cubes?

So, I will be updating my leech setup soon, from a techless 10l setup to a 52l setup with a filter and a light. I'm planning on creating a blackwater tank with lots of botanicals, wood and plants (of course a few stones). This got me thinking about some tankmates.... so I own 5 very big H.verbana leeches and I've been thinking about adding a few tiny snails as a clean up crew. Maybe even some neon tetras, as they love blackwater and are very timid and peaceful.(I don't think my leeches would try to feed on them, they are way too small and quick) Does anyone have experience with tankmates for leeches?

(Also, yes I do feed them on myself and I am very aware that this kinda tank setup very much increases the infection risk. I'm just gonna quarantine the leeches for like a week before feeding, no risk no fun.)

So I’m thinking of breeding and selling my leeches, but I’m not so sure what container I would use to ship them. More importantly what material would I use to put in the containers to keep the leeches moist but make sure they don’t slosh around during shipping? And also how would I ensure that they’re treated with care during shipping.

I’m new to this sub and am somewhat considering getting leeches now that I know you can keep them as pets without permits and I’m a huge fan of weird somewhat creepy pets.

1. How common do leech allergies develop?

2. Do wild caught leeches have parasites?

3. Can you feed them cow’s blood and if so, how?

4. I take two antidepressants, a blood pressure medication, an antibiotic, birth control, an antipsychotic, and an amphetamine for various mental health reasons. Would medications make me unable to feed them in any way?

5. Does feeding them hurt?

6. Do leeches have any diseases?

I used to have some and I'd like to get back into em

I’ve been trying to find one for months now with no luck. I’ve always wanted to keep leeches so I’ve been looking for a source for a while now but I couldn’t even find anything locally.

my little guy has been hanging to one spot on his enclosure's wall, basically unmoving, for the past 3 days now, i was a little worried at first but he seems to be like. totally fine? i poked him a bit today and he swam away to hide in his log for a little while but i checked again just now and he's... doing it again... 😭

he was shedding his skin the first couple days but he seems to just like be hanging out there

it's pretty endearing to be honest but definitely a curious behavior. he's clinging right at the surface of the water, barely partially out. anyone know why he does this? i saw a similar-ish post and read about leech barometers.. it is rainy around this season where i live, so could he actually be doing this because of the predicted rain in over the next couple days??

Hello everyone! I have about 30 baby Hirudo verbana babies that are ready to go to new homes 😊

Located in WA, US but am able to ship

I've never owned a leech, never met a leech owner, or even seen a leech in person. I, however, have become hyperfixated on them and am determined to someday own a leech/group of leeches.

I've created a long list of questions I have. However, please comment about anything I need to know about!

Questions:

1. What species are generally considered begginer friendly?

2. What species should a beginner aim to avoid? Are any species illegal, controversial, or dangerous to keep?

3. What species could be appropriate for a beginner that are also flashier/more colorful than most?

4. Do leeches prefer social groups/pairs? If so, do any species prefer solitude?

5. What are the biggest pros and cons that you wish you knew sooner about leech ownership?

6. What is something unexpected, but not necessarily bad, that you wish you knew before getting into owning a leech?

7. Is there such thing as too big or too small in leech habitats?

8. I have a 10 gallon tank with live/silk plants, pebbles, larger decor rocms, marimo, adjustable heater, and HOB filter w/adjustable flow housing "pest" snails and a betta. Could this tank house a leech, given the fish and probably snails were removed?"

9. What goes into feeding a leech? How often? How long/much? Do they ever need to be cut off, or do they stop when needed? Above all, does it hurt?

10. Are leeches able to be handled, and if so, can they enjoy it? Extending that, do they have the mental capabilities to remember and attach experiences and/or emotions to their caretakers?

11. Are there any proven medicinal benefits leeches provide, even if you own only a few?

12. Can you send me pics of your enclosures with (if you don't mind explaining) the logistics and key components as a visual guide? Pics of your leeches would also be cool :)

i just want to make sure my buddy will be OK, so i dropped a few alder cones in his tank a few hours ago. he's not lumpy or anything i just wanted to be sure.. the water is already colored - how long should i leave them in there?

Use this post to (respectfully) ask all your burning questions! Us leech owners will do our best to to answer.

Hi, I have a question... So I do like to smoke a little bit of weed from time to time. Usually a few times a year, but the last smoke was two days ago. Today I cleaned my leech tank and one of them is clearly hungry, he even latched onto my glove. So, does anyone know how long I should wait to feed him after smoking weed? I would really like to feed him today, but I'm worried it might harm him....

Hey, so I wanna keep leeches but I live in Florida. Air con is everywhere, so they won't be boiling in 90 degrees, but they will be at like 70-73 degrees room temperature. Is that a problem? I hate AC and my tarantulas need it above 70, so turning the temperature down isn't really an option.

Also, is there anywhere in Florida to get leeches? Leech .com seems decent but I just want like three leeches, not just one or 400.

I'm brand new to keeping leeches, I just got some yesterday. I noticed they like to lay together in a huddle, which is really cute lol but these ones were twisted together 😂 what did I witness?

How do biopharma companies keep their leeches fed and sterile?

How have you guys been dealing with algae?

I used to have a snail in with my ribbon leech that cleaned the tank, but now with my verbanas I can't. I'm noticing a buildup of algae on the rocks and glass even after a thorough cleaning and water change.

Any recommendations for how to get rid of it?

I bought some medical leeche and I didn't expect them to be so adorable! I'll probably try feeding them this weekend. How often should I feed them? I found quite different time frames in literature (from weekly to twice a year).

I want a leech that is big & easy to care for. I've never had a pet leech before. What species should I get & where should I buy it? The leech having pretty colours would also be cool.