[the newboy]

my compost heap has a new resident(s) i first saw him two days ago flippin great brown thing disappeared down a hole with a tangerine! i have a placed a baited bait box out but fear that he will take the poison down into the heap and dye there? in my compost! any other successful ways of getting rid of him, and keeping them away? all idea appreciated.

[Ice]

Sorry, can't advise on the rat but would like to know what you put on your compost as something might be attracting them.  Also, citrus is a no no on the heap, so a tangerine is not a good start.

[Yorkie]

In addition to what Ice has asked, is your compost heap one of the plastic dalek types, or a more open heap?  If the first, you can use wire underneath to stop the rat getting in. 

Edit: I'll also pop this thread over to the Grow Your Own part of the forum  

[Webby]

Hi newboy

I recently undertook training with Garden Organic to be a Master Composter, their advice is not to use compost on vegetables if rats have been living in it. You should only use it on flower beds or lawns.
Leptospirosis (Weil's disease) is not nice!
Rats hate being disturbed, poke holes in the compost with a broom handle (or something sharper if you have the killer instinct) regularly and the rat will soon move out.
There is no problem in putting citrus fruits in your compost, they just take a while to rot down, don't put them in a wormery though as the worms don't like them.

[peterjf]

push a hose pipe down the rat hole then turn it on and leave it all day,

field rats (allotment rats) are proper land lovers , they hate water, it wont kill them but they will move on,

then dig the nest out and battwer any babies you find

[BobandJack]

Turn your heap regularly, it will speed up decomposition & encourage the rats to move elsewhere.

[janiejakemum]

If your worried about it going back in the heap and dying then why not try the old fashioned rat trap - spring loaded then it cant go back in.