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Rat paradise?
I'm getting the last gardening jobs done before I return to gainful employment after a month being a full-time writer, otherwise known as Take-January-off-work-or-go-postal-in-the-office. Raking, mulching, applying a wetting agent, planting marigolds.
I decided said marigolds could maybe use some compost and that the stuff in the bin, as opposed to the heap, might be further along. So I began to tip it over and a moment later panic erupted! Not from me. I had disturbed a family of rats who had set up house at the bottom of the bin, which of course doesn't have a bottom, it just sits on the earth and you pile in composting materials from above.
They were the most lovely little brown creatures, very healthy and bright-eyed, with the characteristics of norvegicus rather than rattus (the roof rat which is more commonly seen in Australia). One scaled the fence and disappeared among the grapevine leaves. The others jumped around a little but settled once I covered everything back up and replaced the lid. I even stroked one of them before I remembered this isn't really a good idea with wild rats but it seemed even the wild ones know a sucker (g). Only when I had put everything back how it was did it occur to me that I may be the only gardener around here who would apologise and leave them be.
Rat paradise; a comfortable compost bin with room service and a vege patch next door, plus a gardener who does not use poisons :-) Why not? There's plenty of food for all. If the population exploded I might have to do something but they've probably gotten along quite well all year without me noticing.
Ratfan
I decided said marigolds could maybe use some compost and that the stuff in the bin, as opposed to the heap, might be further along. So I began to tip it over and a moment later panic erupted! Not from me. I had disturbed a family of rats who had set up house at the bottom of the bin, which of course doesn't have a bottom, it just sits on the earth and you pile in composting materials from above.
They were the most lovely little brown creatures, very healthy and bright-eyed, with the characteristics of norvegicus rather than rattus (the roof rat which is more commonly seen in Australia). One scaled the fence and disappeared among the grapevine leaves. The others jumped around a little but settled once I covered everything back up and replaced the lid. I even stroked one of them before I remembered this isn't really a good idea with wild rats but it seemed even the wild ones know a sucker (g). Only when I had put everything back how it was did it occur to me that I may be the only gardener around here who would apologise and leave them be.
Rat paradise; a comfortable compost bin with room service and a vege patch next door, plus a gardener who does not use poisons :-) Why not? There's plenty of food for all. If the population exploded I might have to do something but they've probably gotten along quite well all year without me noticing.
Ratfan
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I'm currently waiting to get picked up for more gardening work. I mulched all Thursday, so I know exactly how hard the work you are doing is. Secretly I'm beginning to like my work. There is something really satisfying about spending all day out in the open.
It's amazing that you found that rats as well. Surprised they all didn't run in terror when you found them.
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Well, one of them did, maybe as a decoy but it wasn't blind panic. I'd also woken them from their midnight (rat midnight) nap :-)
I also get on with animals even if they're wild, which is why the 28 parrots just keep eating my sunflowers even if I'm right there yelling at them. They know I'm not going to do anything.
Yeah, gardening is hard work but I generally stop after an hour or so or at least switch to something else for a bit (g). If it's your own yard you can leave it for a while until it gets cooler again.
Enjoy!
Ratfan
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landlordsroomers wisely ;)