- Compost should be vegetarian. Do not
add meat, bones, fat, dairy foods or oily
cooked foods.
- Don’t let weeds or tall grass
grow around your composter because this
gives rats a place to hide. Also, keep
your composter 1.5 feet from any wall.
- Cover up the food you add to your composter
with leaves, wood
chips, pine needles, twigs, paper towels,
shredded newspaper or
other dry “brown” carbon materials
to eliminate odors.
- Keep your composter lid shut tight.
- Pick up fallen fruit or vegetables from
your garden, otherwise it can be a source
of food that rats will return to.
- Rats might nest in a compost pile that
is dry and undisturbed.
Keep your pile moist and active.
- Rats hate the smell of mint. Chop up
and crush leaves and stems, boil them
in water, and spray the mixture around
your bin. Keep it as concentrated as possible.
- Use a bird feeder that catches dropped
seeds and don’t overfeed. Store
seed in metal or heavy plastic containers
with lids.
- Pick up a free 3 foot square piece of
1/2 inch wire mesh
from Public Works to place underneath
your composter
to prevent rodents from burrowing in.
|
