When my order arrived, I dumped them into a mortar tray and sprayed them with water. They looked happy and healthy. Added them to my compost bins!
Our Shipping Method
Composting worms aren't naturally equipped to move through the mail. To best guarantee their survival, worms are mixed with dry peat moss and placed in a breathable bag. I ship via UPS, and sometimes USPS.
The worms will lose water weight, but they will bounce back after getting back into a moist worm bin with new food.
It is rare that worms arrive dead, but I do guarantee live delivery (even in the winter!) under the terms listed above.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can worms eat?
Worms eat any organic waste such as fruit and vegetable waste, paper and cardboard waste, coffee grounds and eggshells, but its best to avoid citrus, dairy, meat, or spicy foods.
How fast do worms eat?
There are a lot of variables, so a very ballpark answer is each pound of worms can eat 3-4 pounds per week.
Do worm bins smell?
Bad smells is a sign you are doing something wrong! A healthy worm farm is odorless, or smells slightly like a forest.
How fast do red wigglers reproduce?
In typical conditions, you can expect a well taken care of worm colony to double every 2-3 months, but in truly perfect conditions they can multiply their population by 9x every week!
What do I do with the worms when they arrive?
Get to work naming them all! After, you can place the worms in your worm bin and leave a soft light over them. They should dive in within 30-60 minutes. If they are trying to escape, give me a call and we'll troubleshoot!
How do I keep worms happy?
Keeping your bins moisture levels balanced is the most important single thing. Moistened, but not wet, worm bedding will keep them happy and prevent most, if not all, issues in the worm bin.
What temperature is best for red wigglers?
77°F is their ideal temperature, between 60-80°F is just fine, but they will die below 32°F and above 95°F.
Can they survive winter?
Unlike the other worms in "red worm mixes," pure red wigglers can survive winter! Worst case scenario if the worms die, their cocoons will hatch the next spring.
How long have you been in business?
I started as a hobby in 2014, and began the business in 2019. Over the years I have raised and shipped millions of worms, mostly providing white-label shipments for other businesses.
Is this your full time job?
Yes! It's a bit stressful at times, but I'm too deep to turn around.
How do you know your worms are pure?
Our worms are raised in an indoor facility in mortar tray tubs and our population is self sustaining.
How many worms are in a pound?
We aim to send breeder age worms, which are typically around 800 to the pound, but sometimes send smaller worms that could be as many as 1500 to the pound.
How are the worms shipped?
We package them with a lot of dry peat moss to help them survive shipment. Dry peat acts as insulation from temperature extremes. They are then placed in breathable bags that we tie closed and place in the shipping box.
Does shipping harm the worms?
It doesn't really "harm" them in any permanent sense. They will arrive somewhat dehydrated (for their safety) but will bounce back quickly. Worms are hardy!
How successfully do worms survive the mail?
Better than you'd guess! We've perfected the art after 4+ years of shipping worms. We need cooperation from you, and sometimes accidents just happen, but we have about a 98% success rate.
When do you ship and how long does it take?
We take orders until Friday and ship the next monday or tuesday. If the weather is too hot or too cold for us to feel comfortable shipping the worms we will delay the shipment and inform you.
What if I won't be home to take delivery?
If you request that the shipment be held at the post office for you to pick up we will guarantee live delivery as long as you pick them up that same day.
What are worm castings?
Worm castings is worm poop! Nature's own plant food. Yummy!
Are worm castings a good fertilizer?
They are great at adding fertility to your soil, but I don't usually equate them with "fertilizers" as their NPK is generally pretty low. Worm casting's main benefit is, yes plant available nutrition, but also plant growth hormones, humic and fulvic acids, and primarily the millions of beneficial microorganisms that help build your soil microbiome.
How long until I can harvest the castings?
Depending on how well you take care of your worms, how many you start with, and what you feed them, anywhere from 2-6 months.
How Do I Harvest the Castings?
There's a bunch of different ways you can do this. Screening, harvesting by hand, & baiting worms out of the castings, are some of the most common ways.
How Many Worms Should I Get?
This is really up to you. Most places recommend a half pound or full pound per square foot of vermicomposting space. If you are using them in a garden, I'd recommend a pound per 15-30 square feet.
Do I Need to Buy Anything Besides the Worms?
I really recommend beginners to start with coco coir for worm bedding. Most problems with worm composting happen because of not enough bedding, or not the right moisture level, which coco coir will solve both.
I Want to Get Into Worm Composting but the Cost is a Barrier For Me. Can you help?
Sure! Give me a call, email, or text and I'll see what I can do.
What can worms eat?
Worms eat any organic waste such as fruit and vegetable waste, paper and cardboard waste, coffee grounds and eggshells, but its best to avoid citrus, dairy, meat, or spicy foods.
How fast do worms eat?
There are a lot of variables, so a very ballpark answer is each pound of worms can eat 3-4 pounds per week.
Do worm bins smell?
Bad smells is a sign you are doing something wrong! A healthy worm farm is odorless, or smells slightly like a forest.
How fast do red wigglers reproduce?
In typical conditions, you can expect a well taken care of worm colony to double every 2-3 months, but in truly perfect conditions they can multiply their population by 9x every week!
What do I do with the worms when they arrive?
Get to work naming them all! After, you can place the worms in your worm bin and leave a soft light over them. They should dive in within 30-60 minutes. If they are trying to escape, give me a call and we'll troubleshoot!
How do I keep worms happy?
Keeping your bins moisture levels balanced is the most important single thing. Moistened, but not wet, worm bedding will keep them happy and prevent most, if not all, issues in the worm bin.
What temperature is best for red wigglers?
77°F is their ideal temperature, between 60-80°F is just fine, but they will die below 32°F and above 95°F.
Can they survive winter?
Unlike the other worms in "red worm mixes," pure red wigglers can survive winter! Worst case scenario if the worms die, their cocoons will hatch the next spring.
How long have you been in business?
I started as a hobby in 2014, and began the business in 2019. Over the years I have raised and shipped millions of worms, mostly providing white-label shipments for other businesses.
Is this your full time job?
Yes! It's a bit stressful at times, but I'm too deep to turn around.
How do you know your worms are pure?
Our worms are raised in an indoor facility in mortar tray tubs and our population is self sustaining.
How many worms are in a pound?
We aim to send breeder age worms, which are typically around 800 to the pound, but sometimes send smaller worms that could be as many as 1500 to the pound.
How are the worms shipped?
We package them with a lot of dry peat moss to help them survive shipment. Dry peat acts as insulation from temperature extremes. They are then placed in breathable bags that we tie closed and place in the shipping box.
Does shipping harm the worms?
It doesn't really "harm" them in any permanent sense. They will arrive somewhat dehydrated (for their safety) but will bounce back quickly. Worms are hardy!
How successfully do worms survive the mail?
Better than you'd guess! We've perfected the art after 4+ years of shipping worms. We need cooperation from you, and sometimes accidents just happen, but we have about a 98% success rate.
When do you ship and how long does it take?
We take orders until Friday and ship the next monday or tuesday. If the weather is too hot or too cold for us to feel comfortable shipping the worms we will delay the shipment and inform you.
What if I won't be home to take delivery?
If you request that the shipment be held at the post office for you to pick up we will guarantee live delivery as long as you pick them up that same day.
What are worm castings?
Worm castings is worm poop! Nature's own plant food. Yummy!
Are worm castings a good fertilizer?
They are great at adding fertility to your soil, but I don't usually equate them with "fertilizers" as their NPK is generally pretty low. Worm casting's main benefit is, yes plant available nutrition, but also plant growth hormones, humic and fulvic acids, and primarily the millions of beneficial microorganisms that help build your soil microbiome.
How long until I can harvest the castings?
Depending on how well you take care of your worms, how many you start with, and what you feed them, anywhere from 2-6 months.
How Do I Harvest the Castings?
There's a bunch of different ways you can do this. Screening, harvesting by hand, & baiting worms out of the castings, are some of the most common ways.
How Many Worms Should I Get?
This is really up to you. Most places recommend a half pound or full pound per square foot of vermicomposting space. If you are using them in a garden, I'd recommend a pound per 15-30 square feet.
Do I Need to Buy Anything Besides the Worms?
I really recommend beginners to start with coco coir for worm bedding. Most problems with worm composting happen because of not enough bedding, or not the right moisture level, which coco coir will solve both.
I Want to Get Into Worm Composting but the Cost is a Barrier For Me. Can you help?
Sure! Give me a call, email, or text and I'll see what I can do.