Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Has your compost turned into a local rodent cafe? Come on, do your orders!

Steps

1. 1 Review what you are adding to the compost. Some foods may attract rodents more than others, such as bread and baked goods. Avoid getting them into compost and cooked and processed foods. In addition, do not add meat or fish waste to the compost. Also, avoid getting dairy products, bones, oils, greasy foods and animal excrement (Meat, fish and dairy products should not be composted in any way, as they may contain human pathogens that could harm you.)
   • Rats that keep coming back are likely to do so because of vegetable waste. You may need to stop dumping them into compost until you solve the problem of reorganizing it or getting rid of the rats by other means (this means that you can only add yard waste, not household and food waste).
2. 2 Keep the compost moist and stir regularly. It's less rat-friendly than a warm house, and more exciting!
   • The ideal moisture content for compost is about the same as a wrung out dish sponge.
   • Find a balance between green and brown materials in the compost to maintain a decent moisture level. Add water if it starts to dry out.
   • High carbon materials (such as dry leaves or dead plants) placed at the bottom of the compost heap and along walls will help improve airflow, odor and drainage. Just make sure to keep the "brown" stuff moist.
3. 3 Visit often. Mice and rats are not happy when people come, so a daily visit can be a good deterrent.
4. 4 Review your compost layout. If it has not been showered with vegetable waste for a long time, it will become less attractive to rodents within 24 to 48 hours. The layout of the compost needs to be changed.It may need more nitrogen, more looseness to make sure the compost is warming up enough, less waste, and increased moisture.
   • The hot composting method is more likely to deter rodents than the cold method.
   • Apparently rats and mice don't like bokashi, so you can stick with this method if you've tried to no avail to change the contents of your compost.
5. 5 Bury food waste deeply. If rodents seem to be feasting on, make it harder for them to get to the tastier (kitchen) waste by burying it in the very center of the compost with other plant waste.
   • Also, if you don't want to bury the waste every time, keep the scoop next to the container and add a layer of leaves, soil, and prepared compost after each burial. This will cover the smell of the food and the microorganisms will help you speed up the composting process.
6. 6 Lure local birds of prey to visit the compost heap by placing it next to tree branches. Leave the lower branches of such trees intact.
7. 7 Provide plenty of physical barriers to keep out rodents. Keep the lid on the compost heap. Always check your trash can or pile for local wildlife. To prevent entry, a ¼ inch (6 mm) wire mesh may be buried under the compost heap. This mesh can also be used to block gnawed holes.
   • The advantage of wire mesh over other obstructions is that it allows worms to flow freely into the compost, which also provides drainage.
8. 8 Harvest the compost every three to six months. This prevents potential nesting and breeding of pests.

Tips

• Keep your compost away from walls, ditches, and any other areas that rodents might inhabit. Keep it outdoors as long as possible.
• Lure your cat to check the compost!
• If you have open compost, cover it up. Obtain a suitable plastic container or other type of compost bin from your local hardware store or garden center, or build your own gated complex. Open piles of compost are too easy prey for rodents to access tasty leftovers.
• Plant lavender or mint around the compost heap; rats and mice do not like these herbs.
• Straw bales can invite rodents because they view these heaps as first class dwellings. You may need to ditch this type of compost and replace it with something less attractive.
• Make sure the entire yard is rodent-free. Leave the covers on the trash, clean up trash and habitat regularly, keep leaves, etc. compost materials for a long time in special containers, bins. If you are feeding birds, remove the seeds after feeding.

Warnings

• Always wear gloves when handling compost. This will protect you from potential transmission of pathogens, if any, and it will also protect you from rodent bites if you're unlucky.
• Too much lawn waste may look like nesting material. Mix it well to avoid this scenario.

What do you need

• Compost tank that prevents rats and mice from entering
• Wire mesh
• Soil / compost / rotten leaves for layers; scoop
• Composting gloves