Earth Machine compost bins

[pukwudgie.livejournal.com]

Hi all,
I have an Earth Machine compost bin that I got from the City DPW about 2 years ago, and it has been working well until the past week or so when some animal decided to chew right through the side to get in, create a burrow, and presumably eat stuff. Don't know what changed, since we've had no problems previously and didn't put in anything unusual.

I guess that I'm posting this to let people know that these are not as rodent-proof as you might want for an urban environment, so keep an eye out. Has this happened to anyone else? Also, does anyone have any suggestions about other composters that are sturdier or something that I could put in the compost itself that rodents would find noxious enough to deter them? We've stopped putting new material in, but have to figure out what to do with the half composted mix that we have if we don't find a better bin.

Comments

[yagagriswold.livejournal.com]

We stopped using ours a couple of summers ago when my partner went out to add a bucket of scraps and found a rat sitting on top of the compost looking up hungrily at him.

[logt.livejournal.com]

We use this kind
http://www.amazon.com/Envirocycle-EBC-BK-Original-Composter-Black/dp/B004FVEDAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370369198&sr=8-1&keywords=envirocycle
Have a ton of critters around (we are now living in suburbs) and so far nothing got in it

[m-b-w.livejournal.com]

We have had the Envirocycle in our backyard for many years and, although there are signs that a critter has chewed on its latch, it's still all in one piece. But, we rarely use it anymore and never for food scraps as we have a Can-O-Worms Worm Composter on our second floor porch; bugs visit it, but never any rodents.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

I have one like this http://www.costco.com/YIMBY-6-Cu.-Ft.-Tumbling-Composter-RM4000.product.100069671.html It is great, I just wish I had a second one, so I could have one to add fresh stuff to while the other one 'cooks'.

[joelbikesalot.livejournal.com]

We haven't had a problem with rats only squirrels. I wrapped all the vents with hardware cloth and that has been keeping anything out. I also have the composter sitting on concrete pavers so nothing can burrough up from the ground.

I get around Somerville quite a bit and I've been seeing rats all over.

Joel

[squirrelitude]

Did it chew through the top or the bottom section? I have an extra top section (+ lid).

[pukwudgie.livejournal.com]

It chewed through the bottom section, and when we blocked that space up with metal sheeting, steel wool, and rocks, it chewed through a different part of the bottom. So I think our best option would be to replace with either something metal, or one of the off the ground rotating ones that others linked to. Thanks for your offer though

[squirrelitude]

I guess it makes sense that it was the bottom section, in retrospect.

You may also want to let the city know; they may wish to put out rat poison.

[bobobb.livejournal.com]

I had mine (from the city) for 5+ years, but this past winter it seems that the rats finally got in through the bottom. We ended up getting a new compost that sits above ground.