Comments on: Why Are My Worms Trying To Escape?? http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:17:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sonia http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-24607 Sonia Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:35:34 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-24607 I just got mine two days ago and have been checking on them several times a day. Found about 10-20 stretched around the top. Thought I was going to kill the lot of them until I read this. Will add more shredded newspaper at the top and see what happens. Fingers crossed! I just got mine two days ago and have been checking on them several times a day. Found about 10-20 stretched around the top. Thought I was going to kill the lot of them until I read this. Will add more shredded newspaper at the top and see what happens. Fingers crossed!

]]> By: Natalie http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-24210 Natalie Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:15:57 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-24210 Ok thanks! It has been getting better and now I only have like 2 worms in the handles every day... it'll get better :) Thank you! :D Ok thanks! It has been getting better and now I only have like 2 worms in the handles every day… it’ll get better :) Thank you! :D

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-24180 Bentley Tue, 19 Jan 2010 17:33:05 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-24180 Hi Natalie - sorry for the delay! Make sure first of all that there is enough of the moist bedding down below (ie that they have enough "habitat") as well. Also, keeping the lid off and shining a light directly over top can be a good way to get them settled in - sometimes it's just a matter of having them spend a bit more time down below before it seems a bit more like "home" for them. Hi Natalie – sorry for the delay!
Make sure first of all that there is enough of the moist bedding down below (ie that they have enough “habitat”) as well.
Also, keeping the lid off and shining a light directly over top can be a good way to get them settled in – sometimes it’s just a matter of having them spend a bit more time down below before it seems a bit more like “home” for them.

]]> By: Natalie http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-24097 Natalie Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:18:31 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-24097 yeah I just found this post and I got a pound of worms a few days ago. So far, one was on the floor (not dried up, so I put him back) and around ten are found balled up in the rubbermaid handles every day! What do I do? I tried putting dry newspaper to restrict them, but that didn't seem to work... :/ Do you have any advice for me? yeah I just found this post and I got a pound of worms a few days ago. So far, one was on the floor (not dried up, so I put him back) and around ten are found balled up in the rubbermaid handles every day! What do I do? I tried putting dry newspaper to restrict them, but that didn’t seem to work… :/ Do you have any advice for me?

]]> By: Monica http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-21580 Monica Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:48:06 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-21580 I got my worms (1 lb) yesterday and I was much more squeamish than I thought I would be. Thankfully my son and nephew were not. Anyway, I did not get a chance to start my bin early and let it settle. We put paper towel and tissue cardboard, newspaper, 4 cups expired spinach, strawberry tops (the green part), 6 crunched egg shells and about 3 used tea bags in the bin. We did notice worms crawling to the top yesterday so I added a layer of newspaper strips. I turned the lights off and when I woke up about 6:30 am, I found about 10 escapees in different areas. The majority were dried up. To my sons delight, I woke him up. lol When he lifted the top bin, there were 20-30 in the bottom of the bottom bin. He put them back in the top bin. I added more newspaper strips and put a lamp over them. I understand that working for the worms crawling to the top. But, what do I do with the worms that get out of the 8 holes at the bottom. Should I leave them there? Should I put tape over the holes? How soon should I add more food? TIA I got my worms (1 lb) yesterday and I was much more squeamish than I thought I would be. Thankfully my son and nephew were not. Anyway, I did not get a chance to start my bin early and let it settle. We put paper towel and tissue cardboard, newspaper, 4 cups expired spinach, strawberry tops (the green part), 6 crunched egg shells and about 3 used tea bags in the bin. We did notice worms crawling to the top yesterday so I added a layer of newspaper strips. I turned the lights off and when I woke up about 6:30 am, I found about 10 escapees in different areas. The majority were dried up. To my sons delight, I woke him up. lol When he lifted the top bin, there were 20-30 in the bottom of the bottom bin. He put them back in the top bin. I added more newspaper strips and put a lamp over them. I understand that working for the worms crawling to the top. But, what do I do with the worms that get out of the 8 holes at the bottom. Should I leave them there? Should I put tape over the holes? How soon should I add more food? TIA

]]> By: Sarah http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-21555 Sarah Sat, 30 May 2009 03:02:13 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-21555 first off,... Bentley Thanks so much for the amazing website and the great customer service! I just received the lil buggers yesterday, and was a little less prepared than I like to be. I followed the directions from the excellent you tube videos (all were yours), the only deviation from the Rubbermaid bin setup was that i didn't have it set up in advance,... I had some food scraps that were sitting out in my compost bucket that I added to the bin on the same day as their arrival. Now, for the second night in a row, they are migrating en masse out of the bin. I think it may be b/c of a few factors. 1. the food scraps are not well aerated,.. they were a gross stinky sludge that was in a bucket... and now i notice that they also had a few maggots in them,... yes maggots... yikes. I did add some freshly blended apples coffee grounds and eggshells to the mix as well... I added the "aged" food goo, b/c I thought the worms would be able to eat it sooner than the apples and such. this presumption comes from my understanding that worms are actually eating the bacteria involved in decomposition, and not the food itself. so food with bacteria is good... that was my logic... but maggots... oh no! ok also, ... 2. the food scraps are producing heat... this may be too much for them?? I lift up the top layer of bedding and there is a remarkable amount of heat below.... nothing like an active compost pile... but still pretty intense. (and i wondered, ... could this somehow be heat from the worm activity???.. or is this heat from decomposition ) is heat normal?... 3. In our set up we are unable to have a light shining on the bin at night. so in conclusion. I believe i have made a mess of this project. I truly hope i am over reacting.... but i am thinking maybe i should start over...?... What should I do? first off,… Bentley Thanks so much for the amazing website and the great customer service!

I just received the lil buggers yesterday, and was a little less prepared than I like to be. I followed the directions from the excellent you tube videos (all were yours), the only deviation from the Rubbermaid bin setup was that i didn’t have it set up in advance,… I had some food scraps that were sitting out in my compost bucket that I added to the bin on the same day as their arrival. Now, for the second night in a row, they are migrating en masse out of the bin.

I think it may be b/c of a few factors.

1. the food scraps are not well aerated,.. they were a gross stinky sludge that was in a bucket… and now i notice that they also had a few maggots in them,… yes maggots… yikes.
I did add some freshly blended apples coffee grounds and eggshells to the mix as well… I added the “aged” food goo, b/c I thought the worms would be able to eat it sooner than the apples and such. this presumption comes from my understanding that worms are actually eating the bacteria involved in decomposition, and not the food itself. so food with bacteria is good… that was my logic… but maggots… oh no!

ok also, …
2. the food scraps are producing heat… this may be too much for them?? I lift up the top layer of bedding and there is a remarkable amount of heat below…. nothing like an active compost pile… but still pretty intense. (and i wondered, … could this somehow be heat from the worm activity???.. or is this heat from decomposition ) is heat normal?…

3. In our set up we are unable to have a light shining on the bin at night.

so in conclusion. I believe i have made a mess of this project. I truly hope i am over reacting…. but i am thinking maybe i should start over…?…

What should I do?

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-21135 Bentley Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:18:38 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-21135 No problemo <strong>Trisha</strong> - glad to help! 8) <strong>Wanda</strong> - based on the numbers you mentioned, I would suggest adding more bedding materials and simply leave the bin to sit for a number of days. Keep an eye on it and see if the worms settle down for you. No problemo Trisha – glad to help!
8)

Wanda – based on the numbers you mentioned, I would suggest adding more bedding materials and simply leave the bin to sit for a number of days. Keep an eye on it and see if the worms settle down for you.

]]> By: Wanda http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-21051 Wanda Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:51:47 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-21051 Finally, an answer for my worms balling up. I have a huge bin (rubbermaid type) and I only have a few worms doing this. I just discovered a few in the handle like you said and another 10-12 worms balled up under the burlap cover. With only a few doing this in a bed of 1000 or so, is it a problem and what should I do? Thanks for the information. Finally, an answer for my worms balling up. I have a huge bin (rubbermaid type) and I only have a few worms doing this. I just discovered a few in the handle like you said and another 10-12 worms balled up under the burlap cover. With only a few doing this in a bed of 1000 or so, is it a problem and what should I do?

Thanks for the information.

]]> By: trisha http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-21018 trisha Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:34:16 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-21018 ha! if only i had found this post before i emailed you in a panic! thanks again for the great advice. ha! if only i had found this post before i emailed you in a panic! thanks again for the great advice.

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/general-questions/why-are-my-worms-trying-to-escape/comment-page-1/#comment-20972 Bentley Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:33:22 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=455#comment-20972 Sounds good, Richard! Thanks again. I'm sure others would love to see your set up as well, if you don't mind me posting some pics on the blog! 8) Sounds good, Richard! Thanks again. I’m sure others would love to see your set up as well, if you don’t mind me posting some pics on the blog!
8)

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