Unfortunately, the compost heap often attracts unwanted visitors. Mice in particular like to stay in the compost because they find good living conditions there if you don't fill the composter properly. Do you need to fight mice in the compost?

Mice in the compost are not uncommon

Mice in the compost - useful or harmful?

Hardly anyone likes mice in the compost, but they can't do much damage. Some gardeners are even of the opinion that the uninvited visitors further loosen the compost and devour harmful insects such as maggots and larvae of the vine weevil and other beetles.

Basically it can be said that you do not necessarily have to fight the mice. However, if it is unavoidable, look for ways to drive away the rodents rather than killing them. It is even better to prevent an infestation from the start.

Very useful in the compost is the shrew, which is not a mouse. It is an insectivore and will eat the maggots and larvae of noxious beetles and other insects that are undesirable in the garden. You should therefore never fight shrews.

Mice as carriers of diseases?

The fact that mice in the compost transmit diseases is now considered outdated. At best, they pose a hygiene problem when they attack the food supplies in the pantry or leave their droppings in the house.

How to fight mice in the composter

Mice are attracted to the warm temperatures in the composter. Only when it gets too hot for them at over 40 degrees do they withdraw of their own accord.

If the compost isn't getting warm enough, you should rearrange it so that the outer layers go in. This will bring you to another hot rot. At the same time, you make it too uncomfortable for the mice in the compost.

Mice also appear more often if you fill the composter incorrectly. Never throw the following waste in the compost:

  • meat
  • sausage
  • cheese
  • cooked leftovers

tips

To prevent mice and rats from getting into the compost below, you can lay out a grid mat as a base. The holes should only be large enough to allow earthworms and other microorganisms access to the compost.

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Care tips