Rats in the compost bin

brightboys322

I have two compost bins made from slatted wood and removable front slats.  There are gaps between the slats.  I have rats in them.  I read somewhere that they do not like bokashi fermented foodstuff and have two bins which I have not yet started but will put in the bin when it is ready.  Has anyone experience of bokashi?  Also I am concerned about weils disease and wonder if my compost will be ok to use on the garden.  I have two toy poodles and would not want them to become ill.  Thank you for any advice.

Palustris

We have an almost permanent presence of rats in our compost heap. (Comes from living in the country). I put rat poison down on a regular basis (in such a way as to not be available to anything else). We have been spreading the compost from our heap on the veg garden here for the last 20 years and we are still fit and healthy, so I don't think there is too much to worry about. Our hunting cats are fit too. The only problem we have ever had with them is the occasional abscess from where the rats bite back!

Fire

Compost bins are a warm place to be with food on tap, so it's not surprising they take up residence.  Not putting cooked food in might help. Giving the bins a whack with a stick or a kick every time you go past can help too. They don't like being disturbed.

My understanding is that you can only catch Weil's disease (re rats) from damp urine, using by ingesting it in water. Your compost should be fine to use in the garden, when dug in.

brightboys322

Thank you very much for your prompt reply.  I don't put cooked food into the compost and I also read that rats like potatoes so I don't put peelings in now either.  Glad I can use the compost on the garden :-).

Lyn

We are exactly the same as Berghill and Fire says. 
doesnt make any difference whether you put potato peelings in, rats will eat absolutely anything.
just keep banging the bin and turning the compost, they don’t like disturbance.

brightboys322

OK - thank you very much :-).