Yes, compost bins provide plenty of food and they tend to stay warm and provide a lot of nesting material too.
Compost bins are very favorable environments to mice. There is plenty of food as well as heated shelter in the same place. That’s more than most yards can offer.
It’s not hard to see how compost bins can attract rodents. Kitchen scraps like grains, bread, fruit, and anything with fat or protein directly feeds mice. But compost piles also tend to stay warm, especially in the Michigan winter. Active decomposition generates a lot of heat, and working piles are notably warmer than the nearby ground. As for the material itself, it’s usually loose and dry near the edges, which makes it easy to tunnel into and shred.
You don’t want to let deer mice breed uninhibited on your property. They’re often associated with hantavirus more than most house mice are. That means their droppings and nesting material in a compost bin require careful handling. Use gloves and ventilate the area before cleaning.
Compost bins also tend to sit near houses and gardens. Rodent populations living in one are not far from your foundation. Deer mice also host immature blacklegged ticks, too, which are the ones most likely to give you Lyme disease.
To reduce this issue, it comes down to composting technique. Keep the pile active and turn it regularly. Mice avoid frequently disturbed material. Maintain the right moisture since a wet working pile is a lot less attractive than a dry neglected one. Skip meat, dairy, and oily food entirely and bury fresh scraps in the center rather than leaving them on top.
If you still want to compost but rodents are an ongoing issue, consider getting an enclosed bin with a secure lid. It’s less attractive to rodents than an open pile. And set the bin away from the house and away from fence lines and dense cover.
If mice are nesting in your yard or working toward your house, Mosquito Squad of Grand Rapids can help. Mosquito Squad finds where mice are nesting and getting in, clears them with traps and bait stations, and seals the entry points. Annual inspections will help you protect your home over time.
