Rats in Compost Bin
 

Hi

We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?
- will the worms in there be okay?
- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?
- will the compost still be okay to use?

Thanks

Andrew
--
Andrew Wells
Replace nospam with my first name to reach me

Rats in Compost Bin
 

On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:47:57 +0100, "Andrew Wells"
wrote:


We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?

Don't put cooked food or meat scraps in.

- will the worms in there be okay?

Probably. Unless they're scared of rats.

- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?

Maybe. Either pull 'em out (plastic bag in dustbin) or let 'em rot
(a bit smelly.)

- will the compost still be okay to use?

Your plants will be OK but rats carry unpleasant diseases. If you're
paranoid wear gloves and just use it on ornamentals.

I'd check it for any baby rats if I was you. Watering might
discourage them from nesting in there.

Andy

Rats in Compost Bin
 

In article ,
Andrew Wells wrote:
Hi

We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?

Not a lot. You can turn the heap more often, which annoys the rats
and encourages them to move elsewhere, but rats get everywhere.

- will the worms in there be okay?

Those that haven't been eaten by the rats, yes. It isn't a problem.

- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?

Yes, but they compost down quite well :-)

- will the compost still be okay to use?

Yes. I suggest not putting it on ground where you are going to
grow radishes, carrots for eating raw and so on, but otherwise
there is no need to worry much. Be careful when handling it if
you have cuts on your hands, and make sure that your nearest and
dearest know to mention ratty compost if you suddenly develop a
high fever (Weill's disease). But the chances of any problem
are very low indeed.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Rats in Compost Bin
 

I had that problem till I built solid sided bins with solid lids and mounted
them on solid pallet bases ......thus 4 inches off the ground
..........liberally painted all round the bin sides etc with creosote
had no more problems since then

"Andrew Wells" wrote in message
...
Hi

We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for
a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?
- will the worms in there be okay?
- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?
- will the compost still be okay to use?

Thanks

Andrew
--
Andrew Wells
Replace nospam with my first name to reach me

Rats in Compost Bin
 

On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:47:57 +0100, "Andrew Wells"
wrote:


We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?

Don't put cooked food or meat scraps in.

- will the worms in there be okay?

Probably. Unless they're scared of rats.

- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?

Maybe. Either pull 'em out (plastic bag in dustbin) or let 'em rot
(a bit smelly.)

- will the compost still be okay to use?

Your plants will be OK but rats carry unpleasant diseases. If you're
paranoid wear gloves and just use it on ornamentals.

I'd check it for any baby rats if I was you. Watering might
discourage them from nesting in there.

Andy

Rats in Compost Bin
 

In article ,
Andrew Wells wrote:
Hi

We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?

Not a lot. You can turn the heap more often, which annoys the rats
and encourages them to move elsewhere, but rats get everywhere.

- will the worms in there be okay?

Those that haven't been eaten by the rats, yes. It isn't a problem.

- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?

Yes, but they compost down quite well :-)

- will the compost still be okay to use?

Yes. I suggest not putting it on ground where you are going to
grow radishes, carrots for eating raw and so on, but otherwise
there is no need to worry much. Be careful when handling it if
you have cuts on your hands, and make sure that your nearest and
dearest know to mention ratty compost if you suddenly develop a
high fever (Weill's disease). But the chances of any problem
are very low indeed.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Rats in Compost Bin
 

I had that problem till I built solid sided bins with solid lids and mounted
them on solid pallet bases ......thus 4 inches off the ground
..........liberally painted all round the bin sides etc with creosote
had no more problems since then

"Andrew Wells" wrote in message
...
Hi

We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for
a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?
- will the worms in there be okay?
- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?
- will the compost still be okay to use?

Thanks

Andrew
--
Andrew Wells
Replace nospam with my first name to reach me

Rats in Compost Bin
 

On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:47:57 +0100, Andrew Wells wrote:

- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?

Not stop coming back them but you might be able to stop them getting
in. You can get 1/2" (no bigger holes) galvanised mesh. Line the
inside of your bin with it. But as your bin is timber they might
decide that a bit of wood is no barrier and proceed to try and gnaw
their way in.

As for the compost if they are anything like the rats we had in ours
it will be beautifully turned for you.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Rats in Compost Bin
 

In article , Andrew Wells
said:

We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough for a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?
- will the worms in there be okay?
- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?
- will the compost still be okay to use?

This happened here a few months ago, and I got a little bit anxious
about whether I had been putting the wrong sort of stuff in the bin.
But I'd not put on meat or cooked stuff, so was a little perplexed, not
to mention be-willied, as I hate the little buggers.

I pondered the problem for a day or two, came in and searched here for
subjects including "rat". I think it was Nick Maclaren then who
suggested turning the compost (I'm too lazy to check back), and someone
else (could have been Nick again) pointed out that it's likely they're
there for the worms. I have very juicy worms, very proud of them.

So I started churning the heap in the bottom of the bin. The first day
was uneventful (perhaps he was visiting the neighbours), but on the
second day, rattus compostus took exception to the disturbance, and
started leaping about. And take it from me, they can jump pretty high.
Luckily, the compost was low, and this one couldn't quite reach the top
of the bin -- I just now literally shuddered when I thought of him
actually making it over the edge. Yikes.

Anyway, after a couple of minutes, I gathered the courage to peek
gingerly over the rim ... and there, protruding from his little hole,
was a little ratty tail. So he couldn't see me ... but I could see him.
And guess what I had in my hand, turning compost, for the use of? One
sharp & shiny Spear & Jackson four-tyne garden fork.

It was a clean kill, though I chose to wait until the next day to check.
I didn't leave it in the compost, though this owes more to my aversion
to rats than to reason.

But I'm happy to report that after this one (so far) isolated case, I
took no special steps (garden forks aside), and around 3 months later
I've seen no more rats, and don't feel as stigmatised as originally I
thought I might.

The worms are pretty happy about it too.



--
Neil Trotter, Canewdon, UK

Rats in Compost Bin
 

You were lucky because the time I disturbed one it leapt up and out the bin
Another time one sat in middle of the day in middle of veg plot just looking
at me


"Neil Trotter" wrote in message
...
In article , Andrew Wells
said:

We've got rat(s) in our compost bin (wooden "beehive" sort, with gaps
between
the sections and at the bottom that I can well believe are big enough
for a
rat to squeeze through). The council sent someone round today to put
down
bait, but:
- is there anything I can do to stop them coming back?
- will the worms in there be okay?
- is there any danger of the rat(s) dying in there?
- will the compost still be okay to use?

This happened here a few months ago, and I got a little bit anxious
about whether I had been putting the wrong sort of stuff in the bin.
But I'd not put on meat or cooked stuff, so was a little perplexed, not
to mention be-willied, as I hate the little buggers.

I pondered the problem for a day or two, came in and searched here for
subjects including "rat". I think it was Nick Maclaren then who
suggested turning the compost (I'm too lazy to check back), and someone
else (could have been Nick again) pointed out that it's likely they're
there for the worms. I have very juicy worms, very proud of them.

So I started churning the heap in the bottom of the bin. The first day
was uneventful (perhaps he was visiting the neighbours), but on the
second day, rattus compostus took exception to the disturbance, and
started leaping about. And take it from me, they can jump pretty high.
Luckily, the compost was low, and this one couldn't quite reach the top
of the bin -- I just now literally shuddered when I thought of him
actually making it over the edge. Yikes.

Anyway, after a couple of minutes, I gathered the courage to peek
gingerly over the rim ... and there, protruding from his little hole,
was a little ratty tail. So he couldn't see me ... but I could see him.
And guess what I had in my hand, turning compost, for the use of? One
sharp & shiny Spear & Jackson four-tyne garden fork.

It was a clean kill, though I chose to wait until the next day to check.
I didn't leave it in the compost, though this owes more to my aversion
to rats than to reason.

But I'm happy to report that after this one (so far) isolated case, I
took no special steps (garden forks aside), and around 3 months later
I've seen no more rats, and don't feel as stigmatised as originally I
thought I might.

The worms are pretty happy about it too.



--
Neil Trotter, Canewdon, UK

Rats in Compost Bin
 

In article , bnd777 said:

You were lucky because the time I disturbed one it leapt up and out the bin
Another time one sat in middle of the day in middle of veg plot just looking
at me

*shudder*


--
Neil Trotter, Canewdon, UK

Rats in Compost Bin
 

Thanks for the advice, folks. Once these rats are dead & buried, I'll see
what I can do to keep them out in future.

That might not be for a little while, though - it seems from the available
evidence that after the bait was put down on Friday, some sneaky beggar came
along and removed it, so the council had to come out again today and put
some more down. Hope this lot lasts a bit longer ...

Andrew
--
Andrew Wells
Replace nospam with my first name to reach me

Rats in Compost Bin
 

Thanks for the advice, folks. Once these rats are dead & buried, I'll see
what I can do to keep them out in future.

That might not be for a little while, though - it seems from the available
evidence that after the bait was put down on Friday, some sneaky beggar came
along and removed it, so the council had to come out again today and put
some more down. Hope this lot lasts a bit longer ...

Andrew
--
Andrew Wells
Replace nospam with my first name to reach me

Rats in Compost Bin
 

"Andrew Wells" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the advice, folks. Once these rats are dead & buried, I'll see
what I can do to keep them out in future.

That might not be for a little while, though - it seems from the available
evidence that after the bait was put down on Friday, some sneaky beggar
came
along and removed it, so the council had to come out again today and put
some more down. Hope this lot lasts a bit longer ...

Andrew
--
Andrew Wells
Replace nospam with my first name to reach me

We had the council round once to put out bait, but after it all went and not
one single dead rat turned up I concluded that with Red Kites wheeling
overhead, and with cats and dogs around it's probably best not to poison
anything which might then escape and die in a hedgerow. Enough wildlife is
poisoned deliberately without me helping it along.

Anyway, I turn it regularly, and water it frequently, thus far any rats
which do turn up don't stay for long.

I have disturbed several in the past and they have, every time, scarpered,
they are not out to "get" you, or to attack you or to harm you, so there
isn't really any need to fear them. They no longer carry the plague, and if
they were really dangerous or carried really nasty diseases then people
would not be allowed to work in close proximity to them, e.g. sewers, farm
buildings etc.

Duncan

Rats in Compost Bin
 

"Andrew Wells" wrote in message

Thanks for the advice, folks. Once these rats are dead & buried, I'll see
what I can do to keep them out in future.

Don't bother to keep 'em out, just get 2 Jack Russells and then a hunting
you should go. Very cheap entertainment...........