Rules for Composting Dog Poo in A Worm Farm
A dog poo worm farm works the same as a normal worm farm. Except there’s a couple extra rules you need to follow:
| Rule | Comments |
|---|---|
| Don’t fertilize edible plants / fruit using dog poo worm farm compost. | Pet poo contains pathogens and bad bacteria that can harm us. Finished worm castings will have parasites. So don’t touch or spread around your veggie path or fruit trees. Keep your in ground dog poo worm farm far away. |
| Keep a dog poo worm farm separate. | Worms have no problem eating dog poo. But if they had the choice between watermelon and dog poo, they’ll go for the watermelon every time. So don’t give them the choice. |
| After worming your dog, wait a few weeks before adding dog poo again. | Guess what? Worm tablets kill worms! You can try a bokashi bin rather than a worm farm if your pet has just been wormed. |
| Do not wrap dog poo in compostable bags | It still takes 6 months to break down… |
That’s because the dog waste composter is built differently. With a pet waste composter, you dig a hole and insert the composter into the ground. Holes in the composter allow nutrients to seep into the soil.
Picking up pet waste with a plastic bag and throwing the bag into your garbage isn’t a good option, either. Most trash ends up in landfills, and landfills can pollute the surrounding soil, air and water.
The part above ground is tall so you don’t have to bend over to place the pet waste into the composter. There’s even a foot peddle to open the lid.
Like the homemade composter for dog droppings, the Pet Poo Worm Farm extends beneath the soil. You will dig a hole about 20 inches wide and 20 inches deep.
You could just leave dog waste on your lawn, but that will ruin the grass. Plus, no one wants to step in poo!
Dog Poo Worm Farm – Do’s and Don’ts
Something really important to remember is that a worm farm contains worms, and worming tablets kill worms. If your dog has taken worming tablets, do not put dog poo in the worm farm for a couple of weeks.
I don’t regularly give my dog worming tablets (on the advice of my vet), and he gets a yearly heartworm injection (rather than tablets) which lasts for 12 months.
Personally, I’d avoid putting dog poo in the worm farm in compostable plastic bags. Even the ones that are certified home compostable take 6 months to compost, and that is in a regular compost bin, not a worm farm.
If you’d still like to give it a try, I’d suggest ripping the bags open before adding them to the worm farm, and be prepared to leave it “brewing” for several months once it is full.
Something else to bear in mind: composting worms will die in freezing temperatures (they are surface dwellers, unlike their cousins the earthworms, who will burrow for warmth). The eggs should survive. If you live in a country where it freezes in winter, bear in mind that your worm farm might need to be seasonal.
4 Common Types of Worms in Dog Poop
Like it or not, its a good idea to take an occasional peek at your pups poop. No, really. Poop can say a lot about your dogs health. If you spy worms in your dogs excrement, youre looking at tapeworms (flat white worm segments ¼ to ½ inch long that may be wriggling) or roundworms (off-white or tan lengths resembling spaghetti). If you see either of these worms in your dogs poop or clinging to the fur around your pets anus, call your veterinarian.
Many puppies (and kittens) are born with roundworms that are passed from the mothers uterus or milk. Having little ones wormed is important because roundworms can stunt growth and even cause death by blocking intestines. In addition, the feces of infected animals, in turn, infect the soil (for years!) and other animals who come in contact with that soil or feces.
Dogs (and cats) get tapeworms by eating fleas or other animals that are infected or have fleas that are carrying tapeworm eggs. “Microscopic eggs can easily be ingested without the pet owner knowing, and the worms then develop inside the dog,” Anne Conover, DVM, the owner of Rolling Hills Veterinary Clinic, a mixed animal practice in Madison County, Iowa, says. Flea control is an effective way to avoid tapeworms.