What kitchen scraps are you putting in? They are probably attracted to food.

Yes, of course that's what attracts them, kitchen scraps. It's like a buffet for them. I thought someone might have a suggestion to discourage rats or have a bin which kept rats out in case I decide to replace my bin. In the meantime, only yard waste is going into the bin.

Can you attach hardware cloth over the openings?

tj

Good idea. It wouldn't work inside as they just push their way in, but maybe I could figure a way to attach it on the outside of the chewed open vents. Glue gun? Probably not enough "hold." Thanks.

Not all kitchen scraps will attract them, I find. For example, they adore corn cobs, even if there is no corn left on them, but don't seem impressed by cabbage, potato peels or carrot tops. I was just wondering if you were putting in anything which they particularly go after.

Ammonia is a great fertilizer and will discourage anything with a nose lingering in it's presence. Either mix some with water when moistening compost or put some in a squirt bottle to apply in holes where rats might enter. i seriously doubt you will see a reduction in population after evicting them from compost so if you and your neighbors can't figure out what is attracting them i recommend you hire an exterminator. If you insist on trapping them yourself conibear style traps are more efficient than supermarket style traps. You want size #50 if you can find them,110 is second choice and plentiful. Majority of instructions are for fur bearers but read up on how to set the trap and in addition to baited sets, place them on top of wood fence where rats travel. If you can stomach the idea leave dead in trap at least one overnight for others to see and smell. Believe it or not rats can be frightened into relocating when they realize something is killing their buddies. I notice you are a long time member,let others know if ammonia stopped rats getting into your compost and if conibears upped your trapping success. BTW anything caught messing with Olddirt's compost winds becoming part of it themself. (:

No doubt amonia would thwart them (like cayenne pepper), but like most such efforts, only temporarily. I have started to only put gatden trimmings in the bin for now so animals have no interest in that. Our green waste pick-up also includes kitchen scraps, so at least they aren’t going to the landfill.

I‘ll check out conibear. They are wise to my traps and won’t go in any more. Did i tell you the other day I opened the lid and a rat sitting there eating just looked at me like, ”Yes, what do you want?”

I do appreciate everyone’s replies. I‘ll consider a new, rat-proof bin if it exists. Icould have 2, one for yard waste and one for some yard waste and also kitchen scraps.

Is it one of these bins? I have the round kind, and so far, no sign of chewing holes to get in. Mine's on a concrete slab, so they can't dig under either.

I'm thinking you might wrap the outside of the bin with a long piece of hardware cloth wide enough to cover the lower openings and secure it with wire, making it tight enough that they can't squeeze behind. OTOH, a hardware cloth cylinder inside might be best, but the bin would need to emptied, then refilled to do so.

It's the bin in the link below. (Sorry, I do not know how to post a picture like you have, carolb.

See the round vent holes, that's where they chew to get in (pretty easy for rats). Great ideas you have there about the hardware cloth, even inside. However, for the moment I have put food scraps in the green waste bins as we are allowed to do, so at least they are diverted from landfill as they go to composting. So now the rats aren't interested in the bin.

https://a.co/d/j35itg3

Thank you, carolb for the thoughts. I'll keep your suggestion in mind.

klem1 - That's a fact! :) Ive never had a problem with rats but yes they would be incorporated into the pile. Moles and voles that I catch get buried in the pile now, never to be seen again.

Thanks old_dirt for confirming not only that rats make good compost but know it's time to get out of Dodge when they spot lifeless tails protruding for the steaming mix.

I was just thinking about you, klem, a few days ago when I was ashamed to see all the remainders of the compost piles that I never bothered to clean up and use this year. I took the bulk of the piles, but didn't rake up after. I thought to myself "Ann! Clean your plate. There are starving people in Texas."

Oh shoot,I think I have something in my eye. Hold your head up Ann , you earned the right to slow down. As for Texans starving while you have waste , everyone knows there's no shortage of bs in Texas. (:

I'm learning that.

If ya'll promise to heat your crawl space so he has a Winter retreat and knit little ear muffs for early Spring I'll send each of you a Texas rattler to patrol bins for rats. Me and a couple other students once made a field trip to Sweetwater Roundup with our professor . Snakes are customarily skinned and fried after weigh in but the professor retrieved our catch for release at a grainer where certified organic bread grain is stored and shipped. That earned some sideway glances and whispered comments at the festivities that evening.

I don't have rats.

socks?

Ann they say a stitch in time can save nine,would you like to be proactive?

I have rats, yes. That's why I started the thread. I've stopped putting kitchen scraps in the bin, just garden. The rats still hang around my bird's outdoor cage, even tho' I keep the seed cleaned up quite well. Got one rat this past week. I'm glad her passing was quick.

Did you try those Conibear traps? Rats skulking around a bird cage should make them pretty easy to catch. If you are concerned for safety of pets set traps inside boxes with passages only large enough for rats. Even a live trap should work where they are congregating in a small area. Whether they bother compost or not,rats aren't tolerated around my place. IMO the gold standard for nocturnal rodent control is owls. I have constructed and placed owl boxes in trees near my yard for years. Sometimes they come,sometimes they stay and sometimes they don't but I really enjoy it when they do. Nothing equals owl calls for sleep sound. I name ever pair Hootie and Blowfish.

Where are Conibear traps available?