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Additional Information:
There is no difficulty in getting the worms to eat dog droppings. Commercial worm farmers rear
their worms on manure. However it is not possible to mix diets. They must be fed exclusively on
pet poo. If you want to recycle vegetable scraps you must set up a separate farm. This is
because animal waste contains pathogens that can grow in food waste faster than the worms
can handle.
Animal waste often contains bacteria such as salmonella, e-coli, giardia, and Campylobacter
upsaliensis, as well as parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, hookworms, tapeworms, and
roundworms. When handling animal waste, you should be very careful to avoid exposure to
these pathogens. It's important to use a scoop for handling pet waste, wash your hands
thoroughly, and (this part is easy) avoid breathing around the pet waste.
Worms feed on the pathogens in the soil. As they burrow their way through the compost, their
stomach strains out the bacteria and parasites for them to eat. In their wake, worms leave
behind an increased volume of beneficial bacteria - the same bacteria that digest pathogens and
help free up nutrients in the soil.
What can I put in the Pet Poop Composter?
A common question with vermicomposter bins is what kinds of pet waste they can handle.
These are primarily designed for dog droppings, but they can also handle ferret and cat
droppings if the waste is not mixed with gravel. Kitty litter is not compostable and should not be
put in the bin because it can kill the worms. Other animal waste that can be composted includes
droppings from rabbits, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, chinchillas, and a few other pets. Animal
waste from pure herbivores doesn't require a pet waste composter though - this waste is
pathogen free and can be placed in compost piles or compost bins. If you have a pet pig or pet
bird, please do not compost their waste in the pet waste composter or in a compost bin. Pig
waste and bird droppings contain many pathogens that can harm humans, and should be
disposed of just like human waste.
The Worms:
Worms used in your Worm Farm need to be special Composting Worms (red worms). They
are fast breeders and can consume their own weight in food in twenty-four hours. One
thousand worms are all that is required to start off the farm (two thousand if you want to be up
to capacity in a hurry), with each worm producing an egg capsule approximately every two
weeks, each capsule containing between five and fifteen worms. These hatch in three weeks
time and are mature within three months. The worms will breed to the environment so if you
reduce the amount of food so too will the worm population decrease.
*All of these topics and more are explained in detail in a foldout instruction sheet included with
each bin.
Compost Worms:
Your Tumbleweed Worm Farm requires about 2,000 worms to kick it off. The worms must be
COMPOST WORMS as these worms have big appetites and reproduce quickly. This is vital
to make your worm farm work efficiently. If you start off with less than this, your farm will take
longer to reach maximum capacity. You can always start with more worms and this will help get
your farm to full capacity much quicker. However cost is usually a factor in purchasing more
than 2,000.
Purchasing Your Worms:
Always purchase your worms from a reliable supplier. They should come with approximately
10 litres of castings which form their bedding mix. This ensures that they have adequate food
and comfortable living conditions. Look in the Yellow Pages under "Worm Farms" for suppliers.
NEVER buy worms that are sold in small plastic take-away food containers as the worms have
little food, are stressed and are very likely to die. Happy worms make productive worm farms!
How much is too much?
The number of worms in a fully operational worm farm will vary. As the amount of food is
increased the worm population will increase to cope with the quantity. If the food is reduced,
such as when you go away on holiday, then the population will decrease accordingly.
The worms population will never keep increasing ad infinitum. They are surface eaters and each
surface area has a maximum number of worms that can live in that space. Ultimately the surface
area of the box will determine the maximum population of worms in your worm farm.
Your compost worms will not survive if you throw them onto the garden, unless you have a
very thick layer of mulch or you put them in the compost heap. The average garden does not
provide enough protection from the heat or enough food for the worms.
Specifications:
Constructed of UV treated High Impact Polypropylene Hardened Plastic
Dimensions: Length 23" x Width 15" x Height 10"
Weight: 10 lbs
There is no difficulty in getting the worms to eat dog droppings. Commercial worm farmers rear
their worms on manure. However it is not possible to mix diets. They must be fed exclusively on
pet poo. If you want to recycle vegetable scraps you must set up a separate farm. This is
because animal waste contains pathogens that can grow in food waste faster than the worms
can handle.
Animal waste often contains bacteria such as salmonella, e-coli, giardia, and Campylobacter
upsaliensis, as well as parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, hookworms, tapeworms, and
roundworms. When handling animal waste, you should be very careful to avoid exposure to
these pathogens. It's important to use a scoop for handling pet waste, wash your hands
thoroughly, and (this part is easy) avoid breathing around the pet waste.
Worms feed on the pathogens in the soil. As they burrow their way through the compost, their
stomach strains out the bacteria and parasites for them to eat. In their wake, worms leave
behind an increased volume of beneficial bacteria - the same bacteria that digest pathogens and
help free up nutrients in the soil.
What can I put in the Pet Poop Composter?
A common question with vermicomposter bins is what kinds of pet waste they can handle.
These are primarily designed for dog droppings, but they can also handle ferret and cat
droppings if the waste is not mixed with gravel. Kitty litter is not compostable and should not be
put in the bin because it can kill the worms. Other animal waste that can be composted includes
droppings from rabbits, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, chinchillas, and a few other pets. Animal
waste from pure herbivores doesn't require a pet waste composter though - this waste is
pathogen free and can be placed in compost piles or compost bins. If you have a pet pig or pet
bird, please do not compost their waste in the pet waste composter or in a compost bin. Pig
waste and bird droppings contain many pathogens that can harm humans, and should be
disposed of just like human waste.
The Worms:
Worms used in your Worm Farm need to be special Composting Worms (red worms). They
are fast breeders and can consume their own weight in food in twenty-four hours. One
thousand worms are all that is required to start off the farm (two thousand if you want to be up
to capacity in a hurry), with each worm producing an egg capsule approximately every two
weeks, each capsule containing between five and fifteen worms. These hatch in three weeks
time and are mature within three months. The worms will breed to the environment so if you
reduce the amount of food so too will the worm population decrease.
*All of these topics and more are explained in detail in a foldout instruction sheet included with
each bin.
Compost Worms:
Your Tumbleweed Worm Farm requires about 2,000 worms to kick it off. The worms must be
COMPOST WORMS as these worms have big appetites and reproduce quickly. This is vital
to make your worm farm work efficiently. If you start off with less than this, your farm will take
longer to reach maximum capacity. You can always start with more worms and this will help get
your farm to full capacity much quicker. However cost is usually a factor in purchasing more
than 2,000.
Purchasing Your Worms:
Always purchase your worms from a reliable supplier. They should come with approximately
10 litres of castings which form their bedding mix. This ensures that they have adequate food
and comfortable living conditions. Look in the Yellow Pages under "Worm Farms" for suppliers.
NEVER buy worms that are sold in small plastic take-away food containers as the worms have
little food, are stressed and are very likely to die. Happy worms make productive worm farms!
How much is too much?
The number of worms in a fully operational worm farm will vary. As the amount of food is
increased the worm population will increase to cope with the quantity. If the food is reduced,
such as when you go away on holiday, then the population will decrease accordingly.
The worms population will never keep increasing ad infinitum. They are surface eaters and each
surface area has a maximum number of worms that can live in that space. Ultimately the surface
area of the box will determine the maximum population of worms in your worm farm.
Your compost worms will not survive if you throw them onto the garden, unless you have a
very thick layer of mulch or you put them in the compost heap. The average garden does not
provide enough protection from the heat or enough food for the worms.
Specifications:
Constructed of UV treated High Impact Polypropylene Hardened Plastic
Dimensions: Length 23" x Width 15" x Height 10"
Weight: 10 lbs
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| Copyright 2009 Go-GreenGardening 201 Bethel Ave. Beech Grove, IN 46107 |
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