Ooof. Yeah, I don't hear about them getting into homes that often, but garages and sheds are a different story. And I forgot about the damage in gardens, even though I'm pretty sure that's why I didn't get any tomatoes this year. I've been operating under the "gotta get rid of rats" model for a while, but I couldn't remember *why*. This definitely fills in the picture a little more!
I've managed to successfully exclude rats from a backyard compost bin before, but it's hard. Previously I've wrapped hardware cloth around an Earth Machine composter to great success, but I've since learned that the galvanized metal contains lead. ;_; I think stainless steel chickenwire might be the best bet. And then "yard edging" plates stuck into the ground around the bin to deter digging.
Right now I have rats (and squirrels) eating out of our bin, but it's a bin that a former housemate put together and it isn't a very defensible design. I need to replace it. In the meantime, sprinkling super-hot cayenne powder in there seems to act as a deterrent, at least for a while.
(Worm bins also work great if you have basement space.)
I really do think that curbside composting is the only way forward, along with ordinances to require its use in all commercial and residential properties, with *actual* enforcement.
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Date: 2023-03-03 04:59 pm (UTC)I've managed to successfully exclude rats from a backyard compost bin before, but it's hard. Previously I've wrapped hardware cloth around an Earth Machine composter to great success, but I've since learned that the galvanized metal contains lead. ;_; I think stainless steel chickenwire might be the best bet. And then "yard edging" plates stuck into the ground around the bin to deter digging.
Right now I have rats (and squirrels) eating out of our bin, but it's a bin that a former housemate put together and it isn't a very defensible design. I need to replace it. In the meantime, sprinkling super-hot cayenne powder in there seems to act as a deterrent, at least for a while.
(Worm bins also work great if you have basement space.)
I really do think that curbside composting is the only way forward, along with ordinances to require its use in all commercial and residential properties, with *actual* enforcement.