Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Composting Rats!

Collapse

X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Composting Rats!

    Hi there

    I was told yesterday that one of my friends in-laws had a rat problem in their garden, they live in a semi-rural area, and that they had been killing the rats and putting them on the compost heap! and they use the compost on vegs and general garden beds.

    To which I said they couldn't do that as its a risk of spread of disease etc...

    Am I right?

  • #2
    Welcome to the vine RS.......Like you , I would have thought it would encourage more rats. My first call would be environmental health to try & rid them. I don't put any type of meats/fats/oils on the compost.
    sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
    --------------------------------------------------------------------
    Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------
    Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

    Comment


    • #3
      No, you're wrong. The rotting process will kill the bacteria and viruses responsible for the 2 diseases (bubonic plague and Weil's disease) that rats can carry. Both of which are extremely rare in the UK.
      Mark

      Vegetable Kingdom blog

      Comment


      • #4
        So am I right in thinking that it's ok to put dead rats on the compost?............I still won't risk it if I find one.
        sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
        --------------------------------------------------------------------
        Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
        -------------------------------------------------------------------
        Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
        -----------------------------------------------------------
        KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Bigmallly View Post
          So am I right in thinking that it's ok to put dead rats on the compost?............I still won't risk it if I find one.
          Yes, I put one on mine and all I found was the skull, 3 months later. Bob Flowerdew recommends road kill for the compost.
          Mark

          Vegetable Kingdom blog

          Comment


          • #6
            I wouldn't dream of disputing what the great Mr Flowerdew suggests but I think there is a difference between deer & rats.

            http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthserv.../ehs/rats.aspx
            sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
            --------------------------------------------------------------------
            Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
            -------------------------------------------------------------------
            Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
            -----------------------------------------------------------
            KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Bigmallly View Post
              I wouldn't dream of disputing what the great Mr Flowerdew suggests but I think there is a difference between deer & rats.

              http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthserv.../ehs/rats.aspx
              Deer carry ticks that give you Lyme disease. Again, it's very rare in this country.
              Mark

              Vegetable Kingdom blog

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Capsid View Post
                Deer carry ticks that give you Lyme disease. Again, it's very rare in this country.
                Ok, I bow to your better knowledge.........I'm still not gonna do it though....
                sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
                --------------------------------------------------------------------
                Official Member Of The Nutters Club - Rwanda Branch.
                -------------------------------------------------------------------
                Sent from my ZX Spectrum with no predictive text..........
                -----------------------------------------------------------
                KOYS - King Of Yellow Stickers..............

                Comment


                • #9
                  Rotting flesh = more rats, surely.
                  I know some folk put dead sheep under their beans so I can see that it's not inherently dangerous to have a dead animal involved in food production (as long as they aren't driving the tractor) but on the rotting flesh thing alone I wouldn't put rats in the compost.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I put a dead rat in my compost heap and the local moggy carried it away!
                    My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
                    to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

                    Diversify & prosper


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Snadger View Post
                      I put a dead rat in my compost heap and the local moggy carried it away!
                      What - the whole compost heap!
                      Whoever plants a garden believes in the future.

                      www.vegheaven.blogspot.com Updated March 9th - Spring

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I understand you can put a dead bunny or rat in a septic tank to speed up the process?
                        "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

                        Location....Normandy France

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hmmmmm thanks guys

                          I always thought..... Rotting flesh = more Rats

                          But hey ho, I think they were more concerned that the compost was being used on the veggies and then the grand kids were eating them ...... so the saga contiues

                          to which I said if you wash them ( the veggies not the kids ) then it should be alright I suppose ...... after what was said on here Hmmmm

                          I am impressed by the cats that took the compost heap! lol

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Don't some people put fish heads in pots?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Bigmallly View Post
                              Welcome to the vine RS.......Like you , I would have thought it would encourage more rats. My first call would be environmental health to try & rid them. I don't put any type of meats/fats/oils on the compost.
                              I'm with you there, Bigmallly.

                              I always thought (and still do) that you shouldn't put meat of any kind on the compost.

                              Surely rotting flesh is likely to draw more rats?
                              My hopes are not always realized but I always hope (Ovid)

                              www.fransverse.blogspot.com

                              www.franscription.blogspot.com

                              Comment

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              Working...
                              X