You'll see both sides of holes on the bottom!

I have a 10-gallon Rubbermaid and I have about a dozen holes on the bottom, maybe 1/2" in diameter (hubby drilled a lot) and I put burlap on the bottom - but I was told no need burlap or holes when you graduate to a bigger bin (my start was in a little beach bucket and I had holes in that with a piece of burlap).

My bin has 2 PVC pipes with lots & lots of holes running horizontal thru the bin for aeration and hubby did the U thing on the outside of the bin & capped the pvc but heck, THEY can still escape.

The one time there was an exodus, a very small one (under 10) - I guess their cult leader couldn't get all of them to wriggle out & catch the thunder & lightning to Worm Paradise - one summer thunder storm was the only time some left and when I opened the lid there were a few nearing the top so I gave them squirts with the bottle spray mister and they went back down!

Good luck!

bottom drain holes aren't really required if you're careful about what you add so it doesn't get too wet below with leaching .... remember most food waste is 85% water, and add drier "bulking" bedding over time, like cardboard, sawdust, even shredded paper, which can wick some of the water off

if you drill holes, you'll want to have the tub in some kind of catch pan, if worms show up you'll know, but with good conditions you shouldn't have wanderers

Bill

OOPS - forgot to mention the tray on the bottom. I lay down a couple scraps of pvc then put my bin on top of that. So the bin wasn't flat on the liner.

I used one of those aluminum oven liners - you can get them 2/.99 -- I didn't have any try to escape that way but did have a couple light puddles when it was HOT and I threw a tray of ice cubes on the top!

BUT if you might have a soggy problem then use a large roaster pan - then you can just toss it. Although I've washed my liner a couple times before dumping it.

And my bin is a Rubbermaid that I got on sale for $3 or $4 at KMART! =)

In a bin without drainage holes on the bottom you can use a turkey baster to remove any excess liquid. Just expose one bottom corner to get at the liquid when required.

That tip came from the Worms Eat My Garbage book which I read before setting up my bin.

Here is a link that might be useful: Worms Eat My Garbage

Just a note to newoahuwormer, remember we are trying to be kind to the earth, so under-composter trays that are used for the long term are best.