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Original poster

Rats in the compost bins (shudder)

59 replies

DottyDot · 02/03/2009 17:48

Does anyone know how to get rid of rats foraging from compost bins? We only compost fruit/veg/eggshells/bits of cardboard but our neighbour has told us he thinks we've got rats as there are bits of chewed carrots and other food taken from the compost bins.

Unfortunately the bins are kind of open - a wooden criss cross structure - open sided and an open top - we put cardboard on the top but that's it.

sigh. You try to do your bit....

Any suggestions gratefully received!

OP posts:
sarah293 · 02/03/2009 17:49

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PortBlacksandResident · 02/03/2009 17:52

We had one of the green 'dalek' types but had to stop using it as the rats got in and made some smashing tunnels and ate anything edible (or otherwise) that we put in there.

We back onto farmer's fields so there was no way we were ever going to beat the rats.

sarah293 · 02/03/2009 18:07

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Original poster
DottyDot · 02/03/2009 22:10

I've done a bit of googling and apparently human urine will keep them away (so that's us lot weeing into jugs for the next week or so ) and a windchime hung near it might work

Will do extensive research and report back!

OP posts:
mamhaf · 03/03/2009 08:33

We had this problem....a rat ran out while I was putting more stuff in - eek!

I think it's difficult to solve unless the bin is completely enclosed - our solution was to take it up (it's a green Dalek-type one) and put chicken wire underneath it, then make sure the hatch at the front is always completely closed and the lid on firmly.

I've stopped putting in eggshells too, don't know if that makes a difference, but dh always had a thing about those attracting rats.

Haven't had a problem since - and I've just dug out two huge containers of lovely crumbly compost which I'm planning to mix with rotted horse manure and plant my geranium cuttings from last autumn in....so it's worth perservering.

ABetaDad · 03/03/2009 22:13

DottyDot - I would never put protein based food waste (or anything that has been in contact with such foods) in a compost bin. Meat or eggs are favourite foods for rats so the eggshels are probably the cause.

I hate rats. Frankly, if it was safe to do it, I would be tempted to set fire to your composter now to drive them out and then start again with a galvanised steel bin with little air holes drilled in it. The burned compost would be OK to mix in as it would still contain organic material and minerals in the ash. It will not all burn anyway but the smoke and fire wil frighten off the rats long enough to allow you to unload it.

I would not suggest putting chicken wire round your composter because a rat could chew through in seconds.

themoon66 · 03/03/2009 22:30

If human urine drives them away, how come they live down sewers?

we have a massive rat problem at the moment. Local gamekeeper told me to tackle them NOW, as any problem will become 10 times worse in April and May as the young ones start nest building in earnest.

Am getting to be good shot from back bedroom window with a 2.2 and big lamp!

queenrollo · 03/03/2009 22:52

this came up on Gardeners Question time the other week and they suggested putting a paraffin soaked rag in the compost bin as rodents don't like the smell.

We had problems with rats in the compost bin too, and it was egg-shells they were dragging away. We've emptied our bin and have stopped using it, because we're renting and don't want a rat problem.

themoon66 · 03/03/2009 22:59

DH says... can we light the paraffin soaked rags?

Takver · 04/03/2009 08:43

All very well the idea of not putting cooked food or eggshells in the bin - but IME rats will eat squashes and beetroot straight out the ground - they will eat pretty much anything if hungry. We got rid of our (serious) rat problem by getting six more cats, but probably not a good solution if you don't live on a farm! We also shot a few and trapped a few, but the great advantage of the cats is that they get the babies in the nests, so it encourages the rats to move further away.
I don't think urine will help as we always use urine on our compost heaps as an activator.
Traps are good if you only have a small problem but you need to have serious covers over them so that pets can't get in and also be very very persistent in baiting them - there are plenty of instructions on the best way to go about it on the net. Our rats seem to like peanut butter the best. I have also heard that the live traps work well but am not keen as you then have to deal with the rat - ok with rabbits but I don't fancy rat pie

Original poster
DottyDot · 04/03/2009 09:23

Our much beloved cat died just before Christmas and we're planning to get a couple of kittens very soon - but the thought of them bringing rats through the cat flap is not hugely appealing....

Will try the parrafin soaked rag (where do I get parrafin from..?! ) and will tell dp to stop weeing in a jug!

OP posts:
Takver · 04/03/2009 09:29

Probably from a garage or a hardware shop or an old fashioned sort of garden shop (for greenhouse heaters)

Takver · 04/03/2009 09:30

And I reckon you'll find that your rat problem will go away like magic as soon as your kittens grow up a bit . . .

pooter · 04/03/2009 09:42

i have this problem too - have just moved the heap (green plastic monstrosity) and put fine mesh under it. I also heard the paraffin thing, but in the form of mothballs, so i put them all around it (i know for a fact that that did bugger all! - i think its worth doing to prevent rats, but it wont stop them if they are already established. I also burned my beloved logpile, as they were loving that - dont worry, i moved it stick by stick and no hedgehogs were injured!

Have just put out 3 humane rat traps bought from wwww.trapman but they need to just be there without bait until the rats get used to them. I will start baiting in a weeks time, then will have to set them free somewhere away from houses. (Havent thought about that yet - yuk)

I will report on progress - or lack of. Im anxious to sort it out before spring and baby rats - plus im paranoid about my toddler getting weil's disease or eating rat poo.

We put urine on the garden to deter cats - that may have backfired on us - perhaps we should be encouraging the cats!
Any other suggestions gratefully received.

ABetaDad · 04/03/2009 10:36

Humane rat traps! I sometimes think the human race has gone soft.

Did you know that most rats typically die when another rat eats it brain first. That is why rat poison is so effective - they eat each other and recycle the poison.

BlueCowWonderss · 04/03/2009 10:43

I found one in our wormery!!!!!!!!!!! so called the local council and they sent a 'rat man' who came and put down poison. Wasn't touched so he took it away again!

I'd called the wiggly wigglers people where I got the wormery, but, after conferring around the office, they said a rat would get in if it wanted to, however small the gap.

Bramshott · 04/03/2009 10:52

I can't get rid of ours - I put chicken wire under the composters but they chewed through that (took them about 2 weeks though!), and then they chewed a hole through the plastic hatch in the front. They are laughing at our "biodegradable" rat poison - maybe I need to get some traps!! TBH I don't really care that they are in there (the compost area is far enough away from the house) but I wish they would stop eating all my veg peelings before they've even had a chance to turn into compost! I will try stopping putting eggshells though, if I can ever get rid of the resident population first - sigh!

Takver · 04/03/2009 10:53

Betadad the reason for live cage traps is not 'humanity', its simply that they work differently and are often more successful - particularly if you get them placed right you can catch several rats in one go as they will join each other. Mostly people then knock them over the head.
For rabbits live traps are the only legal option if you want to trap. The advantage there over shooting is that you don't end up with a rabbit full of pellets - our butcher will only take trapped rabbits because of this.
The trouble with poison is that it gets into the food chain when other animals eat the dead rats - there are 'non-toxic' type poisons that avoid this problem (can't remember how it works exactly, but basically they swell up & fill the guts) but IME getting the rats to eat the stuff if there is any other option at all is pretty much impossible.

themoon66 · 04/03/2009 12:16

DH found a sort of electric chair for rats on the internet. Its like a trap, but you put a wacking great big battery in it to zap the rate when it enters.

ABetaDad · 04/03/2009 13:11

Takver - I agree. My Grandad used to use those 'cage traps' for rats on his farm and would then drop them in the horse trough to drown them.

He did not release them.

themoon66 · 04/03/2009 13:28

I think pooter is planning on setting her rats free, not drowning them!

pooter · 04/03/2009 17:10

you are right themoon66! It's illegal to drown them btw. I dont want to release poison into the environment - its so indiscriminate, and i really couldnt kill anything by my own hands - so i'm left with releasing then into a wooded area - with no nearby houses. It gives them a fighting chance and somewhat eases my conscience about removing them from their home. If it wasnt for the diseases they carry i'd leave them alone.

n5rje · 04/03/2009 17:52

I don't know if we have rats in our compost bin (dalek type) but yesterday I opened the top to find a mouse looking up at me but we also back onto fields so I don't think we'll ever stop them but I will stop putting eggshells into the bin. Apart from that I just compost peelings and fruit skins but I'll be watching this thread for any tips.

themoon66 · 04/03/2009 18:23

pooter... have you been near a live wild rat inside a trap before? They bite and hurl themselves at the wire to try and get at you. Like something out of a horror film. The gamekeeper had one in a trap and we couldnt get within 4 or 5 ft of it without it snarling and snapping. Very scary. I wouldnt like to put my hand near the cage at all, never mind actually open it and let it out.

pooter · 04/03/2009 18:40

oh dear! so they arent going to wrinkle their little whiskery noses at me and squeek out a 'thanks for not bopping me on the head'?

Hmm. perhaps a long pole with a hook on it...will give it some worried thought

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