If I understand correctly the only problem is you don't like the rats in your pile. If you could accept the fact that rats are decomposers and rat feces and urine are valuable constituents to a compost pile, would that help? My ground-based pile has had roaches, rats, snakes, ants, toads, mosquitoes, flies, raccoons, possums, fruit flies, grubs, and worms. Somewhere along the line I discovered that covering the pile with enough dry leaves and wetting them absorbed all the smells to the point where even critters could not find the food lying underneath.

We had rats in our neighborhood for years (and years and years). We had to just accept the facts of life. Then we got three cats. Two days later, and ever since, we have not seen a rat in our yard. Better yet we have not seen/heard any rats in the garage or attic!!!

Having enough dry cover materials in and over the bin usually helps against the smell issue and nasty liquid leachate. Problem is in many "plastic bin" type composters it is difficult to deal with liquid heavy additions to the bin as they often sneak down the sides and leak out the bottom to stink up the floor. (My experience humanure composting in trash bins on a 9' by 9' patio) If you must compost in one of those plastic bins, you need lots of cover materials that make a thick layer on the bottom of the bin (like 24" worth) and all around the sides to protect your smelly additions from smelling up the outside air. Then you cover them over with more cover matterial. With a smaller size bin it can be really tricky to cover stuff well enough to block odors and yet have a good ratio between carbon and nitrogen to still get some hot compost going.

I would probably vote for some cats, Making an outdoor compost bin with wire the rats can't easily get to, or maybe just have the guys pee on the outdoor compost pile so that it heats up and deters the rats.

If you were having problems with the indoor worm bin smelling, chances are the bedding was too wet, there was too much food, or the food wasn't well covered with bedding. The bin being too wet could also be a big part of your odor problem with the current bin. Perhaps adding lots of shredded paper or sawdust could help.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Bins

Having a compost bin in the backyard does not necessarily mean having vermin visiting, it depends on what you put in that bin. Don't put into the compost bin material that is attractive to the mice and rats. For quite some time now public health people have recognized that mice and rats can be carriers of many diseases that can reke havoc with humans, so it is not a good idea to have them around even if they did help digest compost.
I don't have a good soiltion to your present problem but generally any liquid from a composter is the result of a too wet process, an anaerobic process, which will always have a stench. Find some way to dry that material out more so there is no liquid draining.

Composting formula for non-physicists like me:

If it's cold, add nitrogen.
If it smells bad, add carbon & get oxygen to it.
It should be about as damp as a wrung-out sponge.

sounds like you just need to add carbon & dry it out.

You & your neighbor can use bois d'arc apples, cat hair (from a cat-owning neighbor or a vet/groomer), citrus spray, or red pepper spray under the shed & in the compost area to repel critters.

I've *heard* that human hair will work, too, but I don't know.

Best luck, & have fun!

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Did you say rat.

Good doggy!

You had rats before you knew you had rats. Rats and mice are just a part of life. Compost bin or no compost bin, they are hanging around your house. If they really bother you, line your compost bin with 1/4" wire mesh. When I see signs of a rat around my bin, I decorate something tasty like a melon rind with some rat poison and pop it into the bin.

but then you have rat poison in your bin.

Thanks very much for all the suggestions. I will certainly try out some when the weather gets a bit warmer. I am generally a live and let live kind of gardener and we do have everything from rabbits and coons to mice and skunks and the occasional red fox in the neighbourhood. In small numbers anything is manageable, but I am concerned that providing a food source for vermin that could move into the house or garage is not a good long term project. I have seen them out in the daytime moving between the shed and the compost and I don't want to meet one when it is having dinner.

Companion animals, especially a terrier, would be a good option but my son is quite allergic, especially to cats.

Thanks again and Happy New Year,

AM

I've used a rat trap in the machine shed, seemed to work a couple of times and haven't seen any evidence that they are back. Mice on the other hand, UGHH! They are tricky little devils as they seem to be able to trip the trap without getting caught. Both compost very quickly in a hot bin. :)

Lloyd

"but I am concerned that providing a food source for vermin that could move into the house or garage is not a good long term project."

I totally agree, the little buggers breed so fast that it's not a good idea to provide them with food sources.

am, you just need to secure your outdoor bin a bit better. I have an ongoing problem with rats in my area, you get rid of them for a bit but then some more move in. I think it has a lot to do with knocking down old houses and developing the blocks so the rats just scatter to other properties.

To keep the rats out I just dig my bins into the ground a bit by twisting them when theyre empty. I have sandy soil which the rats can easily dig in but in 7+ years of doing this theyve only got in once or twice. you can also sit your bin on top of wire mesh to stop them digging under, and make sure the lid is secure, if its something they can lift up then just putting a brick or piece of wood on top can stop them lifting it to get inside

I am going to try a combination of wire mesh on the bottom and adjustment to what I put in the bin to try and discourage the wildlife. I know the rats tunnel under the bottom to get into the bin and then come to the top to get the fresh stuff. I may also keep the scraps longer in the kitchen to make them less interesting.

I will also keep working on the Nature Mill so that it becomes a functional part of the compost circle.

Thanks for your help,

AM

I forgot about Jack Russell and rat terriers. Great ratters.

So much for cats.... (or is this a mole/vole?) He stayed with this critter for about an hour until he got bored and walked away from it... Carrie

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