Sounds like they are leaving because the bed you prepared is bad. What did you put in it? May be heating up.

I used the coir that came with the set. My COW is in the garage. It has been raining since I put it together and I read that they react to the change in pressure; but thought they would go to lid - but I am confused about them going down to the base.

What food did you add? How many worms?
It sounds like something may have heated up inside that bedding.

I added some egg shells, banana peels, onion skins, bell pepper innards, etc... nothing out of the ordinary. The temperature hasn't gotten above 70 yet or below 50. Will they really climd back up the cone to the lower bin?

Worms don't like onion or garlic. Maybe you should remove the onion from your bin.

Marshall

The only time I had escape/suicide attempts was during a weekend of thunderstorms - but it was only a few. I just shot them with my water bottle (they wiggled back into the cast) and then I put in a lot more bedding (shredded newsprint & torn up packing corrugated/egg containers), DAMP and put on top.

I think it was the weather. We had a beautiful day today. I went to feed them and put the strays back under their bedding, and only found about 20 out place. I just checked them and only 3 or 4 were not under the bedding. Thanks, everyone!

I have a Can o' Worms set up also. Mine is outside and I didn't look in the base at all until a friend who also has one suggested that I take a look. There were a LOT of casings and worms. The spigot was completely clogged up with casings - I had thought that there just wasn't any liquid, DUH! I just scooped the casings and the worms and moved them up to the third tray - the penthouse suite. I also put in some vegetable scraps and shredded newspaper and they seem to be very happy.

Now I'm wondering about harvesting the casings in a Can o' Worms. If I put the bottom tray on top and leave the lid off, will the worms move down to the bottom two trays?

BettyN

I am getting my first can o worms next week. I have been reading up on it and they say to put a couple of layers of newspaper down before the coir. I wonder if this would keep the worms out of the spigot.

Betty, I think the worms crawl up into the next bin (instead of down) stop putting food into the bins that you want to harvest, put new bedding and food in an empty bin on top making sure the bottom comes in contact with the contents of the bin below. the worms will crawl up when they finish with the food in the lower bin.