On the cusp of the New Year (in fact it's already 'next year' in Australia) and we have another 'guest' in our garden. A fat rat! Actually I am presuming there, it hasn't been seen but it's probably living in our shed and tunnelling into the compost heap which is right next to the shed. We've created a perfect home for it (or them:- apparently rats can produce up to - wait for it - a thousand young a year!). So, the check list for a rat is
1. Shelter (our shed)
2. Food (our compost bin, although I don't think we've put in anything other than fruit of veg we must have done something to encourage the blooming thing)
3. Privacy (being shy creatures they don't want to be out in the open and our compost bin is conveniently tucked between the shed and the greenhouse - we couldn't have made it more suitable if we had tried!)
4. Bird seed and nuts from the bird feeders.
5. Dry conditions (the lid on the compost and the roof on the shed ensures our rodent is cosy in the rain)
Need I go on? Seems there is no alternative than killing it (oh dear!) although there are a few measures we can try before that. It seems wrong, at the start of a new dawn to be planning the death of an animal though, doesn't it and I hate that option. I want to be able to discourage it but I sort of feel outfoxed (well, you know what I mean) by this intelligent creature and I respect it's ability to source the perfect home for itself. We've always been careful about not adding cooked food to the compost pile but we also live on the edge of a field and woodland so we were always prone to attracting wildlife. Is it true that we are never further away than 12 feet from a rat? Oh, listen to me, I am truly rattled (oh gosh, there I go again, RATtled!). Anyway, enough of this talk. I fear that if, after turning the compost over, soaking it and checking it in a week's time, the signs are still there it's curtains for our furry friend.
I feel a real fraud now, wishing you and yours a Happy New Year (but do have a lovely 2012).
1. Shelter (our shed)
2. Food (our compost bin, although I don't think we've put in anything other than fruit of veg we must have done something to encourage the blooming thing)
3. Privacy (being shy creatures they don't want to be out in the open and our compost bin is conveniently tucked between the shed and the greenhouse - we couldn't have made it more suitable if we had tried!)
4. Bird seed and nuts from the bird feeders.
5. Dry conditions (the lid on the compost and the roof on the shed ensures our rodent is cosy in the rain)
Need I go on? Seems there is no alternative than killing it (oh dear!) although there are a few measures we can try before that. It seems wrong, at the start of a new dawn to be planning the death of an animal though, doesn't it and I hate that option. I want to be able to discourage it but I sort of feel outfoxed (well, you know what I mean) by this intelligent creature and I respect it's ability to source the perfect home for itself. We've always been careful about not adding cooked food to the compost pile but we also live on the edge of a field and woodland so we were always prone to attracting wildlife. Is it true that we are never further away than 12 feet from a rat? Oh, listen to me, I am truly rattled (oh gosh, there I go again, RATtled!). Anyway, enough of this talk. I fear that if, after turning the compost over, soaking it and checking it in a week's time, the signs are still there it's curtains for our furry friend.
I feel a real fraud now, wishing you and yours a Happy New Year (but do have a lovely 2012).
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