Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: amc on November 24, 2008, 11:02
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I've got a feeling i've an unwanted friend living in my compost dalek bin. I put tea bags/ veg peelings in over the weekend and noticed and a small network of burrows and tunnels in the compost itself. I then loosely turned the heap with a fork but this morning a lesser number of tunnels burrows have re-appeared. The holes/burrows are about 2" (5cm) in diameter - too big for a mouse...
Am I right in thinking I've a rat in there? If so what's best to get rid - trap or poison bait? Do you think a trap may be better then i can see if i've got it and its friend/offspring?
I've never had a rat in there in 4 years of living where i do, Oh I never put in cooked veg, meat scraps, etc
Any advice gratefully recieved.
amc
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Your local council will usually set bait to poison rats free.
Rats are highly intelligent and difficult to trap. Spoil their home by completly turning the heap or tip water down their holes.
And do remember to tuck your trousers in your wellies!!!!!
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I was once told that rats don't like movement so when I put anything in my compost bin always give it a shake. So far so good fingers crossed.
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Hi amc.. had this problem last year, turned out the compo bin
onto plastic sheet, covered the area with scrunched up
chicken wire, replaced bin , turned up the edges of the chick/wire
around base of compo bin, problem solved.
That was last year, at home, GUESS WHAT?
this year same problem down the lottie.
Gotta do the same agin'.
Its fun this 'ere gardening in'it?
Bye PAH :) 'in
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I get this but put it down to mice and like you I don't add cooked food etc
Actually the action of the mice burrowing and turning the compost over seems to make it cook much faster and I end up with a lovely fine compost. So good it looks like it's been bought from Harrods :D I kick the bins a couple of times before I take the lid off
Our council does not offer any rat, or indeed any other pest, service to our plots or households :(
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I doubt a trap/poison would be that effective in this situation as there is plenty of food stuff about from which they can live off.
If you can move the heap, dig it all out and move it 4' it will put them off, and follow PAH48's advice.
I've got rid of my darleks at home due to this problem we get them every year as we are next to water, so all our veg peelings etc go down the plot with me, bit of a pain in the bum tho' :roll:
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Yes, I've experienced this problem too, and was really fed up about it. I stopped making compost at home, as dreaded lifting the lid and finding a hulking great rat glaring up at me. We did put some poison down (which I HATED doing) and there was an enormous dead rat shortly after - but we have a general rat problem anyway, I don't think we'll ever be free of them. So now most of my composting material goes in the council compost bin emptied fortnightly, and the rest down to the allotment. I think those dalek things are prime residences for the rats, much sought after in the rodent world.
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I knew that there was a reason why I don't have plastic composting bins. :mrgreen:
Rats seem to come to visit the pigeon lofts and hen co-ops on some of the other allotments on the site. The pigeon keepers seem to be getting their act together as they don't seem keen on feeding grain to the rats due to the cost but at least one of the chicken owners is a little less careful. :roll:
But so far this year things have been a little less hectic. I've not been down to the allotment so much this last couple of weeks though so the rats could be rioting a little. Tomorrow, tomorrow I shall visit.
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We (or was it just me?) had a sudden big problem with rats a couple of years back. Huge blighters had moved into my allotment shed. Shed had been in place for 50 years. The odd rat had nipped underneath and out again during that time as had happened with many sheds. But, as my shed floor began to perish around one edge, the rats moved inside instead.
Being a big shed it wasn’t too bad finding one greeting me on its hind legs every now and then at the far end. But, I finally decided they had to go when they took to making a nest on top of my rotovator which was covered in heavy canvas. :shock:
:evil: I tried rat poison but they appeared to be waiting for seconds and would shove the empty dish back towards the door for a refill. It was beginning to get costly. Heaven knows how many rats were taking shelter under and in my shed.
Neighbouring plots provided household scraps in open bean trenches and I provided the shelter. Why the sudden increase in numbers, though? Bean trenches were nothing new and I had two massive compost heaps that appeared untouched.
One day someone shouted, “Hey look a rabbit!” As we have been lucky to avoid any on our site, heads lifted to look.
The “rabbit” had a very long tail. It skipped over my foot as I trimmed the path and then shot under my shed, as usual…nearly losing its whiskers on the petrol strimmer. I missed! :roll:
I demolished the shed and built another smaller one at the far end of the plot. Under the old shed, a foot below the soil, I discovered a very large rusty oil drum in which the rats had nested before moving up a floor to share my shed.
The rats have not been seen since the shed came down. Only real change, apart from demise of my old shed, has been another change in ownership of the nearby take-away food outlet. The smell of exotic dishes no longer waft our way!
:wink:
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Hi just a quick update on what I mentioned above,
What I omitted to say the original problem was in the
compo bin used at home, since the chicken wire solution
no more rats, in past 12mths.
Yesterday afternoon, went off down the lottie and
and used the same solution.
So! 'fingers crossed' no more Mr Rat. :wink:
PS use heavy gloves, just in case :!: rat urine ect :!:
Bye PAH :) in
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Thanks all,
I've one dalek bin full of "ready" compost which I'll bag up. I plan to then make it rat proof as per the suggesstions above. Fortunantly, I've plenty of smallish pieces of chciken wire and weldmesh I can use. I'll then empty the rat bin into the empty one which I'll re-site and rat proof that one too... theres an hour or two taken up at the weekend....
Think'll investigate price of rat bait and poss make some bait boxes up as I've a few hybrid hens reserved for spring, so I'd really like to keep any vermin under control (and preferably dead!). The better half has never been keen on the compost bins so know won't go anyway near em....
Thanks again, amc
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If you have a veg garden and hens you need to compost :D I think the mesh is a good idea. I always kick my bin hard a few times before removing the lid, to give the occupants chance to get out of my way. I've never had a rat in my bins, mice yes, but luckily no rats
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Hi .. didn't someone on this forum last year, write a piece about
using drain pipes or something similar, leaving the said rat poison
in the pipes, as rats will use the tunnels, therefore a better chance
of getting rid of 'em?
I'm sure one of you Mods will remember, :wink:
Bye PAH :) 'in
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Daz LINK (http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=236213&highlight=drain+pipe#236213) is that the one PAH48 ??
Also look at this (http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=2827&highlight=homemade) for alternative bait
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Hi cheers Rich... remember those two myself... whilst reading the
2nd link noticed our "resident bouncers"...comment..
Didn't he do a full piece on the topic for the Hen house?
I may be wrong ,,,,,, but! there's something niggling in
me 'ole grey matter :roll: somewhere :!:
I'll see if I can find it, now I've given meself a clue, I fink :?:
Cheers PAH :) 'in
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Is it just me but does..
"a rat in my compost what am I gonna do?"
sound like a song???? :? :D
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"I'm gonna fix that Rat that's what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna fix that rat" :lol:
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the original song was "there's a rat in me kitchen, what am I gonna do" Can't recall who it was by though :D
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I think it was UB40 but not sure :?
Sarah :D
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I thought it was Bob Marley,
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Definitely UB40 :tongue2:
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:tongue2: ok so your right :lol:
bS0fXQN6zrI
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I'm surprised it took someone 3 days to get the reference!! I was walking round my kitchen the day of my 1st post on the subject singing "there's a rat in my compost whadda am I goonna do" and the better half heard me. I then had to confess to the compost "issue", If it had not been for my singing I would have been able to deal with the "issue", using the above advice, and the OH would have been none the wiser... ah well
(as an aside many of UB40's best known hits are cover versions...)
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I think we got the link right off but we was busy trying to help you with the solution first and foremost :D
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Yes ur right compostqueen! :) :wink:
I've just spoken to a proper "ratcatcher" at my work place. He puts down the bait around the buildings etc. when I asked he said the best course of action is weldmesh 1/2" x 1/2" (13x13mm) to form a skirt round the bin and tucked inside the bin... just like has been suggested!! The ratman was a bit dismissive of chicken wire as not strong enough, but thats what I've got plenty of so I'll bend it to double/triple thickness for strength.
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Hi amc, chicken mesh was all I had, any wire mesh with small enough
or scrunched up enough with small holes will surfice, at least until you can get hold of weld mesh.
Bye PAH :) 'in
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The compost bin is now rat proofed with multiple pieces of chicken wire, thanks to you all for the advice and guidance.
amc
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I have never had problems with vermin in my compost before, then I was given a darlec, within weeks mice, I hate mice :evil: I hate them :evil: :evil: . Got rid of the darlec, no more mice :D
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there does seem to be a link between darleks and vermin :idea:
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All I can think of (no proof here!) with dalek bins compared to the more open slotted - ie pallet made - bins is that the dalek makes it too warm, dark and cosy in winter for vermin. But the open types allow more predators (weasels, stoats, foxes, dogs, cats etc) access so they can at least sniff around the edges of the compost and keep the vermin from getting too comfortable.
I have an extra large dalek bin to take up the allotment but I'm now not going to bother.
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Can I have it then :lol:
I'd take it up there and stop worrying
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Both mine live up on the lottie now. :wink:
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I took one from home up the lotty and now I need it back. I'm refusing to buy another since they hiked the price up from £8 to £20
I'm thinking of asking Santa for a Joanna
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We have a green cone at home, but I take all the other compostable stuff to the lottie, unless the guinea pigs or hens can eat it, they turn it into good compost :lol:
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now I've got the hens my one bin at home isn't enough. I need a big bin sharpish but am holding out for Freecycle or Santa :D
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We have a green cone at home, but I take all the other compostable stuff to the lottie, unless the guinea pigs or hens can eat it, they turn it into good compost :lol:
My little Staffy is getting the hang of ratting so if you ever want to borrow her Richy just give us a shout. :D
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We have a green cone at home, but I take all the other compostable stuff to the lottie, unless the guinea pigs or hens can eat it, they turn it into good compost :lol:
My little Staffy is getting the hang of ratting so if you ever want to borrow her Richy just give us a shout. :D
8) but I think my moggie's would go berserk :lol:
But next time I come across a nest on the lottie site :wink:
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i have rat poison down all the year round and just check it now and again , if its gone i just keep putting more down til they stop taking it ie they are dead.
recently the sachet is still there with a little hole in it leading me to think its just mice now.....much eaiser to deal with.
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Can I have it then
I'd take it up there and stop worrying
sorry compost queen, too late :cry: ... I'm swapping it with the old boy across from my plot for some gooseberry cuttings.
My little Staffy is getting the hang of ratting so if you ever want to borrow her Richy just give us a shout.
Minty, if you fancy training the staffy on rabbits we're plagued with em on our plots. :)
I'm also gonna put bait down (safely for non rodents) on my home garden, i've pullets on order for spring so want to keep vermin to the minimum.