unwanted guest in compost bin

[jogette]

I have 2 daleks as well as a compost heap. I emptied the green kitchen bin (peelings fruit etc) in one and thought to check on the other as it was full at the beginning of winter. Was really pleased to see it had rotted down although rather wet in there ......then I noticed... 2 large holes going into the compost. Aargh... thinking that mr rat might be taking up residence, I poked and turned the compost as best I could without removing it and went away thinking that as rats don't like disturbance, if it was a rat then he would hopefully find other accommodation.

Checked on the bin 4 days later and ....the tunnels have returned - no sign of what is making them though and more importantly, no sign of entrance or exit to the dalek. I'm puzzled, any thoughts on who my unwanted tenant could be?

[Capsid]

You have rats.

[Flummery]

Too late now, but when re-filing your bin after using the compost, stand it on some fine mesh and turn the mesh up around the base. It might be worth giving your bin a jolly good watering too.

[FionaH]

Definitely Rats!

[Two_Sheds]

Rats won't nest in a wet heap, so water it.

[bobleponge]

Just a tip, if you are going to water it, and you dont like the little critters, try taking the lid off and using a hose from a distance. They can come out pretty quick once they start getting wet. I KNOW!!

[sewer rat]

It is deffo rats. I don't have rats ion my compost heap but it plays host to a wren's nest (in the space between the sides of the pallets from which it is constructed, and has in the last 8 months, played host to two rabbits - kinda silly of them as you spot the burrows immediately and Charlie loves rabbit !

[jogette]

Oh dear...... We dispatched a number of the little critters a few months ago and haven't seen any sign of them until the snow, when I spotted some tracks.
I have a couple of bird feeders near the daleks which is the attraction - last year a huge one got in my squirrel proof feeder, gorged himself and then couldn't escape - it took 2 of us to pull the corpse out - don't know how he got in there he was so big.

Oh well, I have some time before the hedgehogs wake up to sort out the problem.

[Two_Sheds]

Oh well, I have some time before the hedgehogs wake up to sort out the problem.

Cool, you must have really hardnut hedgehogs up your way

[chocobed]

Had same problem with my 'Dalek' and relocated it, sat it on mesh and doubled up the mesh to make sure. No more problems since despite the hard weather!

[jogette]

My dalek sits on its own plastic base, I have checked the thing for entry holes gnawed in the plastic but there are none.
I can only assume my guest is a slim young thing that slipped in the little door at the bottom.
Steps have now been taken......we will see!

[Eco-Chic]

Each Spring I've had to remove large mummified rats from my garden shed. I guess they go in small (eat goodness knows what as I don't keep seeds and bulbs in there) and become too large to get back out. This winter I've left the door ajar.

[Capsid]

Each Spring I've had to remove large mummified rats from my garden shed. I guess they go in small (eat goodness knows what as I don't keep seeds and bulbs in there) and become too large to get back out. This winter I've left the door ajar.

It's more likely that they have been poisoned.

[brooklynodog]

I have two daleks down the lottie, and they were ratted. I dont think they nest in the dalek though, just use it as a food source. Mine were nesting under the shed. I put poison down, didnt work, wet the compost regularly, didnt work, mixed it thouroughly to upset them, didnt work! Our lottie is next to a stream, it flooded last weekend and the lottie was under 6 inches of water for 2 days, no more rats!

[Sue]

Hi
I had the same problem, and having just emptied one dalek, put it on weldmesh. However looking inside I could see that the dalek makers had (why?) included little gaps in the bottom, just right for rats to get in so when it sat on the wire, they could still squeeze through. However where these gaps were I drove bit sticks in under the wire so it closed the gaps.
Next day, they'd prized the door off.... Now wedged that shut. The other dalek has had a hole chewed in it by the little door, handy as they can just yank out anything they fancy.

I can only prevent them getting in to food sources, just by one of my allotments is the general allotment shed, all round it are nice little rat shaped burrows going underneath.

Sue.