The message . 12
from Victoria Clare contains these words:

No, that's not it. The rats are attracted to the guinea pigs' food.


They are messy little chaps, and tend to spill things and walk in them. If
you are cleaning out a piggle hutch it's hard not to get waste food mixed
in with the droppings and soiled hay, so you do tend to end up with food on
the heap, to the joy of rats.

Rabbits are much cleaner and tidier ;-)

May I recommend goats as about the ultimate food-spreading agent?

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Jane Ransom" wrote in message
...
In article , Bob
writes
I've heard from several people that guinea pigs do in fact attract rats
to
the garden. I suppose a compost heap with their waste on it would do the
same. Maybe you're neighbour has heard similar.

The HDRA reckons that the bedding of any vegetarian animal can be used
on the compost heap.
So your several people are spreading misinformation!
--

That doesn't follow at all. Just because it's safe to use as compost
doesn't mean it won't be attractive to rats - just not attractive enough to
cause a big problem.

Anyway, it was the animals themselves that I had heard was the attractant -
although another poster suggested it was their food.

Bob

"Martin" wrote in message
...
Jane Ransom wrote:
In article ,
sugarCandy writes
Has anyone else had problems with compost heaps causing complaints?
I was really surprised, as I thought I had been responsible, and I
was trying to reduce the waste put out for the bin men by recycling.
Problem is I haven't got anywhere else to site it, as it was
situated between my shed and garage, so as to be out of sight of the
main garden.

Don't know where you are, but here is a helpful composting contact:

Help line: 0845 0500 110
Email: hollyDOTtiffen@envDOTlancsccDOTgovDOTuk

Jane, just a small tip in return for the many you post here.....it's best
to
disguise any email addresses you post to newsgroups (for example in the
way
I have above). This is because there are "Spambots" which trawl newsgroups
automatically looking for valid addresses to send spam to. It is also
advisable to use a disguised email address for people to reply to. (I see
sugar candy is using what appears to be a valid address - this is very
likely to attract spam).

I was under the impression that Jane's email address was antispamed.

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"Martin" wrote in message
...
Jane Ransom wrote:
In article ,
sugarCandy writes
Has anyone else had problems with compost heaps causing complaints?
I was really surprised, as I thought I had been responsible, and I
was trying to reduce the waste put out for the bin men by recycling.

**********
Is the neighbour objecting to the un- aesthetic appearance or the smell of
compost?.
Try going to B&Q's garden section and have a look at their black or green
thick-plastic compost bins with a sliding lid at bottom front. There are two
sizes round about four feet high. No holes in the sides and the lids clip on
to the top nicely. I have one of each and they are successful, being in
sited direct sunlight. There is no smell at all.
What you have in your garden is your business, but I appreciate you want to
be a good neighbour.
(I have the Neighbours from Hell moved in next door to me). Place a bin
where you want it and mask it with a vertical boarding baffle between the
bin and the neighbour. Construct it so that gales cannot blow it down or
away. Use cement blocks if necessary. In back gardens fences usually can be
about six feet high, but front fences are restricted to about a metre. You
could even board-up on foursides around it, -thatwould no be an eysore if
you colour it with that green rain protection fluid (water-based) also from
B& Q's
You could of course use a hole in the ground with a covering wooden lid, but
I would
hesitate if children have access, compost holes are just like fishponds, -
dangerous.
Good luck!
Doug.
*********
they are not too objectional to look at
Problem is I haven't got anywhere else to site it, as it was
situated between my shed and garage, so as to be out of sight of the
main garden.

Don't know where you are, but here is a helpful composting contact:

Help line: 0845 0500 110
Email: hollyDOTtiffen@envDOTlancsccDOTgovDOTuk

Jane, just a small tip in return for the many you post here.....it's
best
to
disguise any email addresses you post to newsgroups (for example in the
way
I have above). This is because there are "Spambots" which trawl
newsgroups
automatically looking for valid addresses to send spam to. It is also
advisable to use a disguised email address for people to reply to. (I
see
sugar candy is using what appears to be a valid address - this is very
likely to attract spam).

I was under the impression that Jane's email address was antispamed.

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

[snip]

Before hitting B&Q, contact the local council because many either give away
or sell the same big compost bins for a nominal fee. It's all part of their
"recycle" drive.

Paul DS.

"Paul D.Smith" wrote in message
. net...
[snip]

Before hitting B&Q, contact the local council because many either give
away
or sell the same big compost bins for a nominal fee. It's all part of
their
"recycle" drive.

Paul DS.

*********
Now!, - there's a thought, Paul!.
Besides the two compost bins I described , which I bought at B&Q's - and in
addition to my Council's black house-rubbish bin, - I have a special Council
brown-coloured bin of square (vertical section is square, not round) shape
and it's for waste garden material for the Council to collect for mass
composting.
I do my own composting so it's stuffed behind the shed out of use.
Now if Melasso, - (an affectionate term from Cumberland meaning lady,) - has
a Council which have these bins they- I am sure, - will oblige and she could
then use the bin where she likes , using it for composting and it is not
unaesthetic to look at and will have the Council's approval. The lid is
hinged and more or less seals the top.
Doug.
********