Composting Rats!

[Rockingsheep]

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?

[Bigmallly]

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.

[Capsid]

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.

[Bigmallly]

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.

[Capsid]

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.

[Bigmallly]

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

[Capsid]

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.

[Bigmallly]

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....

[BigShot]

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.

[Snadger]

I put a dead rat in my compost heap and the local moggy carried it away!

[Flummery]

I put a dead rat in my compost heap and the local moggy carried it away!

What - the whole compost heap!

[Nicos]

I understand you can put a dead bunny or rat in a septic tank to speed up the process?

[Rockingsheep]

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

[Pumpy]

Don't some people put fish heads in pots?

[maytreefrannie]

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?