Composting and rats?!

CravingSaving

When throwing out veggie scraps in compost bin today, I was met with TWO rats when I took the lid off. Not sure who squealed loudest, me or them! Going to get some chicken wire tomorrow. Do you think a sheet of chipboard underneath would act as a deterrent for a while, if I made it about a foot wider than the base of the composter, with a layer of chicken wire on top, and coming up the sides of the bin?

I have read that rats like eggshells, so am not going to be composting them from now on. I will also ask my sons if they would pee into a jug for me to empty in there, though not sure how that will go down!!

Edited to add.... I have been googling rats in compost and there is a lot of talk about Jeyes fluid. Some saying it has been banned as it is a carcinogenic. I am surprised to find stuff about a disinfectant on so many organic gardening sites.

Anyone got any up to date info on this stuff, and if it is a good rat deterrent, and if so, is it just adding nasty chemicals to my organic compost??

kippers

I have an allotment and have a problems with rats in my compost bins. I now empty them in autumn and leave empty with lids off, until the spring as the rats come to the bins for the warmth.

I take my waste to the tip (green waste bit) during winter.

angelavdavis

CravingSaving wrote: »

When throwing out veggie scraps in compost bin today, I was met with TWO rats when I took the lid off. Not sure who squealed loudest, me or them! Going to get some chicken wire tomorrow. Do you think a sheet of chipboard underneath would act as a deterrent for a while, if I made it about a foot wider than the base of the composter, with a layer of chicken wire on top, and coming up the sides of the bin?

I have read that rats like eggshells, so am not going to be composting them from now on. I will also ask my sons if they would pee into a jug for me to empty in there, though not sure how that will go down!!

Edited to add.... I have been googling rats in compost and there is a lot of talk about Jeyes fluid. Some saying it has been banned as it is a carcinogenic. I am surprised to find stuff about a disinfectant on so many organic gardening sites.

Anyone got any up to date info on this stuff, and if it is a good rat deterrent, and if so, is it just adding nasty chemicals to my organic compost??

Yes my experience was ironic - as I had a mare last year with an infestation that originated from my (now retired) green cone. Typical after posting as below in early season!!! I had never had an infestation in the compost heap prior to then, but the rats moved into the compost heaps once they ate the contents of the green cone in search for food.

I put male urine in there, helps with the breakdown of compost as well as putting them off. I also put poison down, which I didn't like doing, but I had 6 of the things living in the green cone, so it was horrendous. They had chewed through the plastic sides underground to get into it.

We rat-proofed the bins by putting double thickness sheets of chicken wire under the compost bins. I would have thought putting chipboard underneath would probably be ok for the time being though.

beautiful_ravens

How can I get rid of the rats, they almost live in the dalek (compost bin lol!) and they scatter all the stuff outside the bin...its a right mess, and theyre wasting my compost stuff. Theres no point trying poison, as we have a dog, chickens, kids...and I know that rats can carry poison off and store it in funny places as Ive seen them do it.
What can I do?

picklepick

do you put meat in your compost bin by any chance?

Make sure you aren't putting meat or dairy in your compost.
If you dont want to use poison you could get some traps
I've also seen you can get some ultrasonic deterrent thing that emits a noise they hate but they can get use to that and it might effext your other pets.

rhiwfield

beautiful_ravens wrote: »

How can I get rid of the rats, they almost live in the dalek (compost bin lol!) and they scatter all the stuff outside the bin...its a right mess, and theyre wasting my compost stuff. Theres no point trying poison, as we have a dog, chickens, kids...and I know that rats can carry poison off and store it in funny places as Ive seen them do it.
What can I do?

We had rats in our daleks (!) 18 mos ago, they'd tunnelled in from under the bins. No dairy or meat stuff in the bins, just garden waste, paper and veg peelings. We got the council in who suspended poison (not green I know!) and this seemed to get rid of them. Trouble is I knew they'd be back so I relaid the daleks on a bed of chicken wire that had been twice folded and it seems to be keeping them out so far this year (fingers crossed).

angelavdavis

I'm afraid you need to move fast as they are nesting ready to breed! They can breed from five weeks old so you will have a bigger problem on your hands if you don't deal with it.

You have a few options:

1) Treating with poison is the cheapest method. I understand your concerns but you may have to ensure your other animals don't go near the bin during treatment. I had to treat with poison as we have six of the things in our green cone bin, I put the poison straight in the bin as it seemed the most secure place to put it. Although I have cats, I had to take a chance as I couldn't afford to have multiples breeding either.
2) Open up the compost heap, allow the rats to scatter, bag up the contents and take down the tip for the time being until the rats move on elsewhere. When reinstating the compost heap, as rhiwfield has said, thick or doubled chicken wire under the bin will stop them tunnelling up into the bins.
3) Get in a specialist which could be pricey.

Lotus-eater

You need heavy duty wire under all your bins. That will keep the rats out.
Then to get rid of them, you can use poison, but you need to get a system that clamps the blocks so they can't be picked up and taken off.

jabba4

Wet it thoroughly. They're in there because it's dry and warm. If you take the lid or covering off and give it a thorough soaking, they should clear off. Then rat-proof it.

Myrtle

If they really want to be there then there's nowt you can do but live with it. I don't put any meat, dairy or eggs in mine. I leave the lid off occasionally to keep it wet and have sealed it at the bottom. They just chewed through the plastic and carried on.

I've now got a cat and hope that when she's bigger she'll help me out - the rat's bigger than her atm :eek:
I also turn the compost as often as I can to deter nesting/get rid of ratlings (or whatever they're called!). They do a good job of shredding my compost bags mind.:rolleyes: