SSPX0084

Comment

Comment by Strumelia on July 9, 2009 at 6:39am

I bet the escaping worms were headed for under the porch to get some cool shade. The bin has to stay in the shade.
Can you add some dry leaves to your bin? Worms LOVE old dried leaves, and they have lots of good minerals in them. It's possible that you have too much bleached/glossy/colored inky paper in your bedding and it might have chemicals in it. Try adding more brown cardboard and cardboard egg cartons, brown paper bags as bedding. just tear them in to pieces.

Comment by Susan Bolman on July 9, 2009 at 1:17am

It looks like you've got lots of bedding. I may be wrong because it's hard to tell, but I don't think your newspaper is moist enough. Some of it looked dry. You don't want water collecting at the bottom or a lot leaking out, but you do need everything to be moist. Worms don't tolerate dry conditions for very long.

Andy's right, holes at the bottom are really important. Put the bin up on those 2x4s so the air can get in underneath.

I'm thinking your bin is pretty new. Most of the times the worms take a week or two to adjust to their new environment. What they're looking for is that wonderful place they used to be where they were really familiar with the food/moisture/pH/familiar bacteria/smell..... It must be nearby. They were just there a few days ago and didn't move that far! (Or so they think.) Once they get used to the new conditions, they settle down. Many of us have LOTS of 1/2" holes (>50) on the bottom and no longer have more than one escapee a month, if that.

I use shredded newspaper just like yours and it works great. I just make sure I have about 4 inches above the food. Worms will hang out there when they're full and find someone to make babies with. The lid should help keep the moisture in, but others also place some wet cardboard over the top to make sure the bedding itself doesn't dry out.

Comment by Andy Hobbs on July 8, 2009 at 6:42pm

it's hard to tell but do you have plenty of holes in the bin for fresh air flow?
I keep mine indoors because it's way too hot outside for them.