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In a bizaar mix of Dr. Who and Scooby Doo (Dr. Doo??? sorry) I removed the head of my Dalek and revealed a rather started mouse. (You do know I'm talking about my compost bin, yeah?). I'm just wondering how much other people are bothered by the thought of mice in their compost?

I'm thinking of emptying it all out and putting mesh or something under it, but in the meantime I wonder how long it's been living there and if I should be bothered about what diseases it might have spread - and if the diseases would die off before I use the compost. This is my chicken poo dalek and all my kitchen waste goes in there too, along with plenty of 'browns' to keep it cooking, and it does get pretty hot. My usual compost routine is to keep filling this bin until October/November, turn it, then leave it for about 18 months when I use it to earth up my potatoes. I had rats in the pallet compost heap at the allotment a couple of years running, so I put an extra plank of wood across the bottom and stopped putting kitchen waste in it and that seems to be rat-free now. I now have my first load of this compost ready to earth my spuds up, but I'm hesitating. The thing is, I'm of the mind that if I hadn't noticed, I wouldn't be bothered. Problem is, I HAVE noticed. What do you think?

EXTERMINATE!

(Sorry, someone had to say it. Got it over with for you ;-) ).

I really wouldn't worry about it. Mouse poo is not exactly dangerous stuff - you're far more likely to get diseases from your chickens. By which I mean "really not very likely at all"... The entire planet is covered with poo and beasties - it's called "life", and it gets everywhere.

The only thing that bothers me about mice in my compost is putting the fork through a nest of naked babies when turning it. Life's a messy business...

Mice are attracted to compost bins because they're warm. If they weren't in the bins, they'd find somewhere else in the garden and produce just as much poo. You're going the spread the compost on your garden eventually, so just look on it as saving a mouse a bit of bother

Mike

EDIT: And think yourself lucky you didn't open the lid to find a horse!!! The poo would still have been alright, but you'd have had a hell of a job getting the horse out.

Yep sooner have one in the compost (I did) than the green house munching my veggies (next door had one) ! Oh perhaps it was the same one

Yeah I wouldn't worry about it Rosey, they have probably been there since you started composting - I am sure we have them.

Mice are nice, and Susie is obviously a mouse-murderer

Mike

My allotment neighbour has rats in her compost, I gave her some poison to put down but at this time of year they much prefer my broad beans !!!!

Thanks for all your replies . TBH, when I saw it my initial reaction was "Awwww, look at the ickle wickle cutie-wootie mousey wousey", but then I had so many voices shouting "germs" and "disease" echoing around my mind I thought I would gather some sensible opinions

I must say, the idea of finding a horse in there is a bit disturbing. After dreaming of furry spiders bigger than my cat last night, and the chickens fighting over a dead crow the night before, I'm not sure I want to go to sleep tonight with ideas of dalek-wearing horses in my head

I had the same problem a few years ago. My solution was to get a sheet of steel mesh to put under the dalek to stop the little blighters from getting in, whilst allowing the worms to come and go. After all you don't want rodents feasting on the worms that are working hard to make your compost.
Unfortunately I still get bindweed growing up through my bins and have to carefully seive the compost before use. Anyone got any ideas to get rid of it?

To get rid of mice, get a cat
To get rid of bindweed, get a chicken
To get rid of chicken manure, get a mouse
Think I'm going round in circles here.

Thomzo wrote:To get rid of mice, get a cat
To get rid of bindweed, get a chicken
To get rid of chicken manure, get a mouse
Think I'm going round in circles here.

Well you do have a magic roundabout in Swindon!

Hmm Dr Who, Scooby Doo, Magic Roundabout

Shouldn't we be in a different forum?

Or a different reality. Don't forget to add Dangermouse and Count Duckula to your list.

Just opened the bin again and there were six of them at the top. Eek!
Well it looks like a might save a bit of money on cat food this year.