Just fine, if handled correctly.

Grains tend to get moldy, which is more of a nuisance than a real problem, or heat up, which really is a problem. So, either feed in small amounts in one area that the worms can get away from, or grind them up and sprinkle small amounts over the bedding, or grind them up and mix them with other food.

I have some WAY past pull date energy bars in my worm bins right now, and the worms are having a feast. I ground them up and mixed them with kitchen scraps. (I have an old hand cranked meat grinder that I often put food through before I feed the worms.)

The sugar should not be a problem. I have fed my worms candy, (gumi worms that got left in the trunk of my car for a couple of months) and they seemed to be OK with that.

I thought that mold was good for the worms. Don't they eat that? I put some old couscous that had started to get moldy and a day later when I checked the bin the mold had taken over the top where the couscous was (it was just a cup, not much).

I thought the worms would eat the mold or the bacteria that creates the mold (?)

Sandra

There will always be mold in a worm bin. Molds are part of the decomposition process. They break down the cellulose, starches and other complex structures in plant material.

We usually don't think about the mold in the worm bin until there is so much of it that it becomes visible. Too much mold will create a thick mass that the worms cannot crawl through, and people find unappealing in the bin. But after the mold has done its job, the worms will move in and have a feast.

That is why I describe mold as a nuisance, and not a problem, and it is only a nuisance when there is too much of it.

never had problems with cookies going bad (3 boys in the house + me and cookies don't last long) so i've never tried but starches and grains can be used, just take care that you aren't putting large amounts of the material in the bin at one time. i often put stale bread ends and crusts (the kids don't like the crusts) in the worm bin. i break as much of it up and sprinkle on top of the bedding. seems to disappear in short order once it starts to absorb moisture.

I've often heard that grains heat up the bin, but I'm having problems actually getting this to happen. I've been increasing the grain content of each feeding with the intent of getting the bin temp to 75F. I've got it up to 70F, but it needs a lot more bread crumbs than I originally anticipated.

I have had bread (whole pieces buried in the bedding) and rice (large amounts, raw or cooked) both heat up.

The bread gets a little warm, but the rice, in large amounts, really makes a mess. Rice in small amounts is OK. What I have noticed with bread crumbs is that they are less likely to heat up than whole pieces.

I'm more careful with grains now. They can be a little messy for a while, but once they break down, the worms dive in.

The cookie itself wasn't really my concern,it was the chocolate chips. But given that no one has mentioned the chocolate I assume it's ok. I'm going to drop them in and see what happens ;)

sugar is fine, just not in large quantities.

Well, I did mention sugar. Chocolate will be fine.

only problem, some find it better than sex and your population growth can see a decrease.

bump

Why are we bumping conversations that nobody is having anymore?

I get it now, The problem is that the board now has a bunch of threads marked unread that have nothing new in them except the bump. I don't know which threads are worth my time to read.

this crap is turning what was an enjoyable read into a waste of my time. anyone want to explain cause it's making me not want to come back here!