Eeeeekkkkk!!!

[lottielady]

The hatch was shut Juliet and the compost was sort of oozing out from the side of it , there are no tunnels that I can see from the bottom and there are no foot prints on the side of the compost bin either. I have rarely seen any hedgehogs in my garden since I've had the dogs and the last one was the size of a football when they were tiny puppies so that was 7 years ago.

I'm worried that you are worrying that it is a hedgehog - but I really don't think it is. I'm sure too that if I did have one it would rather be snuggled up under the bark chips in my little log pile than in soggy wet compost. The lid was off in all the persistant rain we've had here. Whatever it was must have dived in from the top of the 6ft fence.

LLx
<pleasestopworryingasyouaremakingmeworryaboutyousmiley>

[oldmoleskins]

I don't like using loose 'rat bait' which quite often comes in the form of poisoned blue wheat - attractive to birds and a pain to safely conceal, so I was delighted to "rediscover" a source of sachets - little clear poly parcels of what looks like ground wheat mixed with poison. I thought they'd been outlawed, like so much useful garden stuff. The main thing is nothing much other than rats and mice are likely to find them attractive.

You just chuck down a couple near a rat-tunnel and replace them as they go, normally overnight. You could put them in the compost bin. The rats drag them back down the tunnel and feast on them - a scenario that should particularly appeal to 4P. When the sachets stop disappearing, you know you've succeeded!

I got them locally at a 'Farm Sundries' outfit in a poly bag of about 20 for about £6 (sorry to be vague, it was a while back) but the manufacturer is 'Town & Country' at Newmarket 01223 290454 and it's sold as "Townex Sachets". I remember there was a mouse one too, so make sure you get the rat one.

OM.

[Juliet]

lottielady said:

<pleasestopworryingasyouaremakingmeworryaboutyousmiley>