Red Wigglers...

[Trier20]

Ok, so you have read ...... but have you done??

I'm saying that I have worm bins, use NO holes for ventilation since the rubbermaid tubs aren't airtight and the worms do quite well and multiply and have been doing so for quite some time. It's fine to do research and consider the information provided, but how does that compare with actually doing it and getting proof in the results?

I'm going to just throw this out there but it doesn't appear to matter if you have holes or not. I feed very moist food so the holes work well for my bin draining off excess moisture. Len doesn't have holes and his bins do well too. I guess holes or no holes is your choice.

[Second Hand Pat]

sorry boss but i have read on cathy website that we should use holes...here is the Quotations"*Note: To ensure your worm bin is fully ventilated, drill at least 10-20 - 3/16" holes in your bin".and here is the link
http://www.cathyscomposters.com/instructions.htm
pardon

Ok, so you have read ...... but have you done??

I'm saying that I have worm bins, use NO holes for ventilation since the rubbermaid tubs aren't airtight and the worms do quite well and multiply and have been doing so for quite some time. It's fine to do research and consider the information provided, but how does that compare with actually doing it and getting proof in the results?

Like Len I have not drilled holes either. The lids are not tightly closed and the worm are doing great. I have maintained my bins this way for almost two years now.

[arman]

in my opinion,even if the bin is made out of air-permeable materials like some kind of plastics or compressed pongs,it would be better to have holes to ventilate.yes sir i did use them before and there will be less stingy odors and better media conditions.well and i guess Cathy after thousands worm has cultured and grew ,can say:make holes!
simplyworms!

[musicmarn1]

And for white worms, where is the white worm bible? I'm failing to get them to multiply in potting soil, they are in a cool place and feeding cat food or bread with yogurt and failing miserably !

[dirtyplants]

OMG, I ordered some reds. I tried one on my discus who eats only when he has to. Well he eyed it, moved his little red eyes around and around and then quicker than I could blink, bingo, it was in his mouth I never saw him eat anything down so fast. Lightning quick and then asked for more! Sold me!

[musicmarn1]

wooohooooo !!! thats so awesome, i got mine going but not fed them yet, trying to read more and more about keeping them going and giving them things that are healthy for discus to eat, by eating them! cant wait to see my guys get their first worm feast, did you chop them up (eeep im a softie) or just throw them in whole? how much did you wash them first?

[joanstone]

I keep my white worms in with my red wrigglers in a big cement mixing tub. It is covered loosely with a couple of styrofoam tops. They multiply best at cool temps and I keep them in the section of our garage that is heated to 50 degrees in the winter. They were fine this summer, but didn't go crazy multiplying when it was warm. I used to keep them in smaller containers with prepared bread spread with yogurt with Brewer's yeast on top. I found it easier to keep them in with the wigglers and feed left overs like lettuce, carrots, corn, celery, etc. though. I have found that they go nuts for certain other foods. Avocado and melon seem to be two favorites. Putting in favorite foods like that make them easier to harvest. They like to be kept wetter than you might think too. This has worked for me for some time now, I have millions in the tub. They make for great food for almost every fish I have (kinda small for my hairy puffer, but he sure does love to suck down the red wrigglers). My discus love to suck them out of a feeding cone. It keeps them busy for quite a while.

[joanstone]

One way I harvest them is to put a clump of them into a wide container and add water to it. The white worms will crawl up the sides to get out of the water and it it leaves the dirt behind. Just scrape off and feed.

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Good advice Joan. They must be little guys to use a worm feeding cone?

[joanstone]

The worms I'm talking about for the cone are the white worms, so all sizes of white worms work.

[Len]

Marnie, for white worms, try using a mix of peat and potting soil. I just use peat and they are pretty easy to cultivate. Keep them at 60F ish and feed them bread dampened with water, some flake food, plain oats, dry baby cereal or even plain rice. I don't ofetn use yogurt because it seems to go bad quickly and starts to make the bedding smell. They multiply like crazy and I have to seperate some out and make new cultures or the culture becomes too overcrowded. Until they really get going feed them sparingly and increase the food gradually so that they eat it all with a day or two and you'll be amazed at the results. Hope that helps some.

[Len]

in my opinion,even if the bin is made out of air-permeable materials like some kind of plastics or compressed pongs,it would be better to have holes to ventilate.yes sir i did use them before and there will be less stingy odors and better media conditions.well and i guess Cathy after thousands worm has cultured and grew ,can say:make holes!
simplyworms!

I guess I better tell my worms that they aren't supposed to be multiplying as quickly and that they should smell bad then. It's going to be a disappointment to them finding out they have been doing it wrong for the past couple years lol. Seriously though if you want to use holes, theres no harm -- just use them. I choose not to because they haven't been necessary. Whatever feels best for you is what you should do.

[paulW]

Just a note.
I got a starter culture of red wigglers from a local source.
I had my bin of bedding and food, had let it start to decompose for about 3 weeks, all ready to go.
The bin started out clean.
I dumped my starter culture in, which contained some shredded paper and castings.
What a mistake.. my bin quickly became overrun with maggots and small flies from the starter culture.
I had hoped to keep these in the basement, but I really can't with flies.

So the lesson here is. When you get your starter culture, separate the worms. Maybe even wash them.
You don't want to get all the bugs and stuff from the other guy's culture

I'm hoping that after a month or so outside, I can pull a few red wigglers out and start them in a new bin and have a clean culture.
Really annoying. And the guy was expensive too.. That's what I get for trying to support a local business instead of mail ordering them, I guess.

[SnapScott]

Good Info, thanks everyone.

[paulW]

Good Info, thanks everyone.

I think I am going to abandon my worms
I tried twice, got overrun with fruit flies both times.
Now the bin is outside and doing fine. I might try to save the bin this fall by putting it in the garage with styrofoam around it to try to keep it warm.

But I guess here's the point.. after paying for the bin, starter culture , blender (optional, but really helps to blend their food).. man, that's a lot of frozen food I could've bought.

I know it works for other people, but I guess I would only recommend culturing these if you can keep them outside year round.