composting problem??

[jellyfish147]

Ive got a 60 litre plastic compost bin the type with a lid and door at the front.

Its kept at the bottom of the garden and all the usuals go into it.

The problem i hve is recently when i took the lid off to empty some potato peelings onto it i saw some holes in it as if its been burrowed

I checked around the perimeter and couldnt see any signs of burrowing in from the outside

But today as i took the lid off i caught a dirty great rat disappearing down a burrow right in the middle of my compost

Now obviously because rats are incontinent id presume my compost now had rat urine and faeces in it.....would this render the compost now useless to use on my vegetable patch for the obvious reasons of disease?..thanks for any replies and help in advance

 

[NwMtGardener]

Umm...i guess i'm not sure of the "right" answer here. But i guess if it was me, i'd try and trap the rat and kill it, let the compost sit for a little bit extra, few weeks maybe? And then not really worry about it...considering that before he moved into your bin, he probably travelled thru your garden and left presents you never even noticed...

 

[digitS']

I think your public health officials would be the best source on what diseases rats may carry and transmit.

Here are some guidelines from the University of California: Rat Management (link)

In explaining why one should work to keep rats out of food gardens, UC notes that "Among the diseases rats can transmit to humans or livestock are murine typhus, leptospirosis, salmonellosis (food poisoning), and ratbite fever. Plague is a disease that both roof and Norway rats can carry . . ."

If you look at some of the information on these you will learn that they are more common than we would like to think. Leptospirosis and Rat-bite fever are indeed spread by rat urine.

Steve

 

[897tgigvib]

Eeuuuwweee, based on what digid said, make a fire a burn/cook your compost thoroughly and use the ashes, sterilize your composter, and start over. How did it get in?

 

[baymule]

I HATE RATS!!!!!!

the cure:

http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-browse-m-JUST ONE BITE

 

[baymule]

Steve, you left out the Hanta Virus.

 

[897tgigvib]

JellyFish, welcome to the forum!

 

[jellyfish147]

JellyFish, welcome to the forum!

thankyou!

Surely this must be quite a common problem, no?
Id have thought most garden composts (especially open ones) would have been visited by a rat or two?
After all they are going to home in on any leftover food ..ie.e veg peelings etc
Marshall, i have no idea how it got in as ive checked the perimeter and there isnt any entry burrow so im assuming theyve tunnelled?
Im assuming as well that because i saw one i doubt very much if its solitary
This is my compost bin...

/Sankey-4169-Ecomax-Compost-Door/ ( wouldnt let me post a link )

Another issue i have is its alive with redworm, which my 3 chickens adore and scoff down like they are illegal food lol....unsafe now?
As a previous poster mentioned, surely a rat or two has visited most peoples veggie patch and left a present or two...just not too sure in my mind how significant/unsignificant the threat of disease being passed on is? i.e. adding the compost to enrich the soil then planting veg...

 

[897tgigvib]

JellyFish, you'll be able to post photos using the upload link in the green bar after you do ten posts. Actually, someone once figured out a way around that. I think it was the photo on a url to copy paste, and they left out the first h of http to add it in the url box after copy pasting it there.

You must be in a warm zone to have redworms living outside!

 

[jellyfish147]

You must be in a warm zone to have redworms living outside!

Im on the east coast of England in the UK
Its minus 3 at night and getting up to around 6 degrees during the day
I doubt its that temp in the middle of my compost tho lol