Topic: Rats in allotment!

[Old bird]

Hi all - I have just had a letter sent to all allotmenteers on our site (20 odd) to say that "It has been brought to our attention that food waste has been brought onto the Allotment Site for composting contrary to Section 13 of the Tenancy Agreement" 

This said  "Not to deposit any refuse or decaying matter (except manure and compost in such quantities as may be reasonably required for use in cultivation)"

They follow this by saying that four rats were seen on the allotment site near this food waste and they believe that this is the possible cause.

Well - not sure if it is aimed at me but I do take up my kitchen waste (nothing cooked  or any meat fish - only vegetable scraps, peelings fruit etc.  Also I take up stuff like tea bags from work and I also take up a couple or three bucketfuls of spent coffee grounds a week along with grass cuttings to fill my four very large compost bins!

What do you reckon I should do?  Do you think I should keep my head down and carry on regardless!  or should I stop taking the kitchen scraps - although when I get my chooks I will be bringing that up for them (as against on the compost heap) or (c) ring up the Council and tell them what I am doing and brazen it out?!!

All suggestions welcomed please!

Incidentally I will be poisoning the rats up on my patch as I don't want any harm to come to my chooks!.

Old Bird
 ::)

[Mr Smith]

I afraid you get Rats everywhere and even more so when there is any kind of food waste knocking about, I only put veg peelings on the compost but if I went down the lotty at dusk I would more than likely spot Rats running about, I would be careful with the poison make sure it is a proper container what the Rat can go and feed in and it is better down the side of a fence or wall which Rats run along or under a shed, personally I would be down there with mi air rifle at dusk keeping very still and quiet  :)

[grawrc]

Get some rat zappers. You bait them, the rats go in for the bait and get electrocuted. You dispose of the body and start again. Batteries last about a month. You'll never get rid of them totally but you'll keep them under control. Last lottie meeting I went they were in the school car park when I came out.

[Mr Smith]

Just had a look at the 'RatZapper' good bit of kit ideal for the lotty if you have a rodent problem,

[steveuk]

carry on, i do same as you, but we have rats all over, in winter, i just bait with poision so your not only one m8

looks like you have few wingers on you plot

cheers

[bluehousehill]

Just had a rat jump out of our galvanized bins at home they are everywhere Im sure you are not the only one using a bit of kitchen waste

[Robert_Brenchley]

Rat zappers look as though they might be a good idea (cheaper in the long run than poison, especially if you use rechargeable batteries), but they're pricy to start with. Does anyone know how effective they are?

[grawrc]

They have been used on our plots and they do seem to catch, and kill, rats. Good too in that they neither leave poison out in the open where more desirable wildlife could eat it, nor do they leave the dead poisoned rat lying where it could be eaten by and possibly poison rat predators.

[Old bird]

Have looked at the rat zappers but they say indoors only!  Do you reckon I would be safe if I used them inside the compost heap?  It would probably be a rain/damp thing that may knock the thing out?

I will wait until next week to buy one as I am now going home for the weekend!  Yippee!

Old Bird
 ;D

[grawrc]

You can put them inside a plastic tube (provided it's secure and doesn't roll about) or youcan cover the whole thing (apart from the entrance with a poly bag. Or under the shed (if you have clearance).