In response to some recent rat sightings on West Street the following information has been sent in by a fellow allotment holder.
It appears that there is an abundance of rats (the brown rat) on most allotments. It is said that a rat is rarely more than a couple of meters away.It is almost impossible to eradicate them as they can breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, a female producing up to five litters a year. The gestation period is only 21 days and litters of seven is common and the life span is up to three year. The average rat can wriggle through a hole the size of a 10p piece, scale a brick wall, and gnaw through lead pipes and breeze blocks.
I found that covering my compost heap with a piece of old carpet really accelerated the decomposition but unfortunately it also made a warm place for the rats to breed I have not seen one since I removed the covering. I also recommend that cooked food should never be put on the compost heap especially corn cobs or greasy food. They have a keen sense of smell and detect grease a long way off.
Brown rats carry diseases, including Weil’s Disease. Humans, other animals and birds can become infected through contact with water, food, or soil containing urine from these rats. This may happen by swallowing contaminated food or water or through skin contact. It is therefore advisable to cover wounds and not allow children to play with water that may have been contaminated.
Filed under: Comment from the Sites, West Street Tagged: | rats
A few tips….
Egg shells are a definite no-no on compost heaps, rats love them!
Place compost bins, of the plastic variety, away from fences or anywhere that allows rats to reach across and chew the lids.
Ideally, compost bins should be placed on a solid base such as paving slabs to stop rats digging in. Someone told me that this stops composting happening, is this true? If it is, place it on chicken wire (small mesh) to stop them digging in. Please let me know about the solid base thing.