Worms are really stressed when they get uprooted from their usual environment for harvest, then put into a different medium for shipping, then the shipping process of several days. When they finally get to their new home, it's mostly a total different environment than what they're used to, and often not (yet) worm friendly, same with the food provided. So, sometimes (or often) they just die. This might not happen all at once and the bin doesn't have that awful stinky smell of dead worms. It is most likely that they will leave cocoons before they die, if they were mature worms. And the babies that hatch in this new bin will be more acclimated and survive, provided there is nothing wrong with the condition in the bin.

This same thing happened to me when I first started. Then 6 months into it, I bought a lb. from a place closer to home but still too far to pick up. The same thing happened again and this time the bin was definitely worm ready. My guess and suspicion is the stress from being disturbed and moved, and that they were fed manure, which I unfortunately have no access to.
Just be patient, keep the bin not too hot, not too cold, not too wet, not too dry and not too much food.

BTW., what size is your bin?

Otis gave great advice. Be careful not to over-feed them, now. I brought a few home from some manure piles a week or so ago, and I found some stray worms on the floor later that evening. My environment was not a poop-filled one, and they were rebelling. They've since settled in and figured that life isn't so bad here, after all.

LOL, your kitty is innocent!

This post was edited by jasdip on Fri, Jun 6, 14 at 15:47

I have two cats and they have never shown any interest in my worm bin at all. They checked it out once and have decided that its no use to them.

I made the bin from plastic storage containers, the ones I think of as standard size - they're 20" x 14" x 14", roughly. I was really hoping that since they are not escaping and not smelling bad, they're thriving under there. I suppose I'll just skip feeding them again this week (there's a ton of paper in there) and keep poking around every so often to see if I still see them.

The cats have expressed no interest in the bin. I was just joking about that, although it surprises me a little that they didn't show interest when I got a package of squirmy things.

Joyous, I know you were kidding, as we were talking about our cats in another thread. Roxie always comes over to investigate what I'm doing when I'm feeding the lads. :)

If I shine a light into the bin late in the evening, I'm seeing quite a few of them in the gaps created by all that cardboard. They dodge the light quickly. Starting to feel a little better about their survival!

If you are feeding on a regular bases and the food disappears and there are no bad smells just earthy smells Id say your bin system is working well. One thing is for sure I can think of no smell quicker to gag you than dead worms

Since I know that my herd has grown I wonder if Im feeding enough. Back in the early days I would just put a little in a corner which seemed to suffice for a lb or so of worms, but now they must number into the 1000s and Im decorating a whole side of the bin with food as opposed to a corner. I spread the food 3 or 4" from the side.