It depends when you put them in, what bedding they came from, and what type you have. Putting new fresh worms in a bin, the first week they try to escape and you'll be doing some worm rescues.

You may have P. excavatus which are travellers, I've had my bin for over a year and never fails I open up and I see a half dozen or a dozen of them on the sides, cover, or a couple that died in an escape attempt and dried out. They are actually the only ones I've never had fully acclimate to the worm bin. They're pretty easy to identify, they're a rather dark maroon/purple color, and can move REAL fast. Their clitellum is also nearly right at the head, most worms have theirs about 1/3rd of the way down. Don't worry too much about P. excavatus because they're like the weeds of the worm industry and I calculated they can triple their population every 1.5 months if everythings perfect.

If it's new, they like bedding their used to. Purchasing from someone who grew them in peat and moving them to paper, they're trying to look for the peat. Within a week they usually acclimate, but that first week you're usually performing worm rescues trying to keep them settled and you'll see the occasional ones that just don't seem to be happy. They'll eventually die, new borns grown and raised in your bedding will stay in it. Unless, it's the P. excavatus in my case.

I wouldn't worry just yet over a couple worms here and there. When you see dozens & dozens... that's when it's time to investigate.

When conditions in the box are to their liking they are more inclined to stay put.

I have P. excavatus and haven't found them trying to excape. They breed quickly and produce lots of castings which is what I want. I wouldn't call them the "weeds of the worm industry"

Marshall

I've had mine fore about a month and I've left a light on overhead most of the time to keep them in the bin. I've forgotten a few times and there's always a few "jumpers" dried up on the floor when I do. I think that a few just always want to explore, and get caught out on my basement floor. I say a few words and dump them back into the bin.

If you don't want to leave a light on, I've heard of people covering the ventilation holes with nylon, or some other very fine mesh. Also, I don't think you're doing anything wrong. If you were, you'd have ALOT of worms escaping.

Mike

Thanks to everyone for the responses. I've had the worms for 3 or 4 weeks. I'm not sure exactly what kind they are, aside from being red worms. They came in a bag with their own bedding (looks like dirt). I dumped them into the container along with their bedding and then put some shredded newspaper over it. They seem to like the food I've offered -- they're eating it.

I never see any worms on the sides or top of the box when I open it. But every couple of days, I find one or two dried up on the floor in the morning. So, it's really only 4-6 worms a week. It sounds like most of you don't think that this is too unusual, so I guess I won't worry about it.

This forum is so great! I got a worm book from the library, but it just doesn't cover topics like this one, or whether it's okay if you put cantelope in the box and it starts sprouting.

Thanks again!
Sara

I'm in a similar situation. 10 days ago I started a fresh bin with damp shredded newspaper, some food (coffee, tomatoes, lettuce), put the worms in and covered it with a damp piece of cardboard. Mine definitely don't like their new home, every other day I find maybe 10 on the floor under the bin. I bought the worms from a bait shop. They were in peat moss, and they were supposedly redworms although the guy said some might be wrigglers - I don't know what that means. I haven't seen them eat any of the food. I haven't refed them since - wanted to see how they started off.
How long does it take for the next generation to take off?

We have had our bins set up since June, at first they were a little on the restless side if i turned the light off they would crawl everywhere. So i kept the lids off and the light on for the first few weeks, that way they had to get use to the bedding they were in,,, all was great all summer long, we keep them in their own little bedroom so they had a/c all summer but the room would always be a little warm. till it cooled off to the 70's outside and we turned the a/c off, now the worms are all excited again and when you pop the lid off they are all over the sides and the lid. i hope they are just chilling becouse it is cooler. everything else seems to be going good,, we have cocoons and babies.