How to Get Rats and Mice out of Compost
No matter where you live, in the urban, suburban or the rural area, rats and mice are a common problem. People think that rats and mice only inhabit old buildings and places where the conditions are unsanitary but this is not entirely true, they also tend to infest new homes and places where sanitary conditions prevail.
A pair of rats can give birth to up to one thousand rats an year. So if you suspect that you have a rat problem, it’s time to take immediate action. Garbage disposals and Compost heaps are a big attraction for rats and mice. As they require two things, food and shelter. And these garbage disposals and compost heaps provide them with both. Here are a few ways to help you get rid of them.
Instructions
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1
Food attracts them:
Don’t put food scraps in your compost pile. Avoid putting any meat and dairy products in your compost pile at all. They are like a welcome mat for the rodents. Either make another closed container for meat and dairy scraps and an open container for leaves and grass clippings. Or else bury your kitchen scraps in the garden. Or bury them down below in your compost pile and cover them with lots of leaves and grass clippings.
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2
Do not let the compost become shelter:
Keep your compost moist. The second most important things for rats and mice after food is, shelter. And what could be more attractive than a dry shelter with food scraps available in it. The best place for the rats to nest and reproduce. So how to stop that from happening. We keep the compost moist. Don’t add water! Because that will make it smelly and cause disease and infections. Unless its very dry outside, then a little water wouldn’t hurt. To keep the compost moist, turn the pile regularly, this keep the compost moist and less hospitable for the rats
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3
Defend your compost:
You could also plant chicken wire around your compost pile. This will provide somewhat protection from the rodents because they will not be able to get to the pile in the first place. However you will have to find a net with very little spacing.
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4
Mint works:
Another method is one such that works for some people and not for some. Plant mint around the compost containers. It is said that rats and mice hate the scent of mint. So it is ought to keep them away
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Out of reach:
Another method is to have above ground containers. These are old garbage cans with tight fitting lids whose bottom have been cut off and they are fixed above deep holes in the ground. They don’t cook as fast as the above ground bins but they bring in the earthworms that can be happily added to the garden.
