If you have your worms outside or someplace unheated, they may be taking a bit of a break for winter. My worms are not very active in the winter, and I don't feed them much or expect much from them all winter (eating or reproducing). They really ramp it up in the summer, so don't give up until next fall.

The food shouldn't be rotting so that it stinks and is anaeroboic, but it should be breaking down. That means the banana skins turn brown and soft, but don't reek. If you have anything rotting, throw it out.

Hope that helps!

Thanks! I guess I need more patience.

They are inside though, but maybe just taking a while to really get started since they are new etc?

Appreciate your help! Thanks!

I think maybe? you started with too small quantity of worms. You said $30 for them. So you purchesed 1 1b probably or maybe 2 1bs at the most. I think you should have bought 4 or 5 pounds for one of those big bins. They will mutliply in the right conditions but you have to only feed them as they will eat.
I would add some new bedding and feed them zukinie squash and pumpkin or butternut squash and some corn meal. But only give them a 1/2 cup every three or four days for 1 1b. at first and make sure they eat it before giving more.
I always start out with cardboard and compost and dried leaves crumbled up and soak the leaves and cardbaord before adding to the compost.
If you can buy more worms that would be good so you can feed them more. It does take more than one try for some of us to get the hang of things. That is not too much water in the bedding and not too much food to soon. Do you have any books on worms like " Worms eat my Garbage". I bet that book would help you out alot. Check your local library, it is an old book still available though. Good luck and keep posting your questions. I wish you had more people respond to help out. Bill C

Dear wishington

I have had a 3 layered bin for about a year. It is going well. I use my compost for my roses, with a bit left over for other plants. I think yours might be too wet.
(?)
Those worms that are not worms went away for me when I added more browns, more dry leaves, more raw dirt and more cardboard and newspaper. I also admit I picked a lot of them out and pinched them dead. I check the bin once a week and if in it stinks, I know I need more dry matter.
I would like to make more compost, I still go and pick up a few trash cans full of the free NYC compost in the late spring, which is great but a bit of a hassel to get. I might get more worms and add a bin.
Keep Working On It!
Audrey

I am in no way a worm expert. I certainly have had my problems. I have the rectangular Wriggly Wranch. I purchased it about one year ago. About 6 months ago, I decided to try to add another tray using the same method you tried. It was terrible! The whole second try molded, there were dead worms everywhere, and a ton of those tiny vinegar flies. The first tray was fairly strong, so it survived. I removed the tray and stuck with one tray up until a month ago. I decided to add a second bin. Instead of using "make-shift" bedding, I bought a block of Coir (coconut husk). It went great. The second bin is thriving. They really are self sustaining. I hardly pay any attention to them. Once a week, I add some food scraps to their bin. I only add if they have consumed what I put in the week before. If they did not, I refridgerate the scraps and wait until it is clear. One note is that I am in LA and the worms are in my garage. So, the worms probably do not see anything