Nightcrawlers are soil-dwellers, thus they like to burrow several feet below the surface. By burrowing, the nightcrawlers mix different layers of the soil, while creating tunnels which aerate the soil. Red wigglers are often found among the fallen leaves of the forest floor, as well as in manure piles. Worms do not have teeth, therefore they cannot bite you. Do not be afraid to hold a worm.
Most people find that the worms are soft and ticklish.
The yellow liquid is not urine, which many people first guess. The yellow liquid, called coelomic fluid, is released when the worm is stressed, which often happens when students touch the worm. When a worm is placed on a student's dry hand, the worm's body will begin to dry out. The worm will start wiggling, trying to find its' way back to the soil or bin, then release a yellow liquid in order to make its' body moist again. Exposure to light also triggers the release of the coelomic fluid.