How To Keep Animals Out Of Your Compost Bin

Composting is a fun and rewarding process, but it takes a lot of work and patience. Along the way, you may face some annoying challenges, such as animals rummaging through your bin. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered how to keep animals out of your compost bin.

The best way to keep animals out of your compost bin is to place the bin in an open area and weigh the lid down with something heavy. It also helps to regularly turn the compost, as many invading pests will only stay if the compost is left undisturbed. You can also deter animals with natural remedies, such as cayenne pepper, cinnamon, lavender, and mint.

It’s worth calling a pest control service if you can’t keep up with your compost pest problem. There may simply be an infestation that requires professional intervention. Follow along as we explore how to keep animals out of your compost bin.

How To Prevent Animals From Getting Into Your Compost

There’s always a chance that animals will get into your compost. At the end of the day, animals can and will try to get into anything they perceive as a strong food source. However, you can make this much harder for them if you take a few key steps to guard your compost, including:

1. Carefully Choose The Location

Location is important in composting, and that’s especially true if you keep finding signs of animals in your compost bin. Naturally, you’ll frequently find animals in your compost bin if it’s near food sources, like fruit-bearing plants. The animals may come for the fruit, then smell the organic matter in your compost bin and stay longer than expected.

Keep bird feeders, birdbaths, and trash cans away from your compost bin, as they all attract animals. It’s also important to place your compost bin away from entry points in your yard. Many animals hesitate to go far into someone’s yard, although it does happen.

That said, you’re more likely to find animals in your compost bin if the bin is located at the edge of the yard. Whether it be near the tree line or by an old fence, an easily accessible compost bin is vulnerable to rodents and other pests. Your best bet is to place the bin in an open area, so animals will feel less inclined to rummage through it.

2. Secure It

Many people choose compost bins over heaps because bins are more secure. However, you must still secure a compost bin to protect it from animals, bugs, and the elements. For starters, you must invest in a nice, solid lid, which most compost bins come with.

If you have a DIY compost bin, you may need to build the lid, as commercial lids may not fit. In that case, it’s also worth installing a latch to further secure the lid and keep animals out. Keep in mind that some persistent animals can still get into compost bins, despite the presence of a lid.

That’s why some people put heavy objects on their compost bin lids to keep animals out. You can also line your compost bin with thick fabric to stop rodents from digging into it. Finally, it’s worth putting your compost bin on a platform to elevate it and deter animals.

3. Turning The Compost

Turning compost is essential, as it helps ensure healthy oxygen levels in your compost bin. This essentially involves stirring the compost to introduce more oxygen, which can expedite decomposition. Not only does this help the microbes in your compost pile, but turning compost can also deter animals. 

That’s especially true for rodents, which are drawn to stale, undisturbed compost. Mice and other animals are less likely to hang around your compost bin if you regularly turn the compost. Ideally, you should turn the compost at least once per week.

That said, some people slow down on compost maintenance during winter. Turning your compost can aerate the pile, improve the bad odors, aid the microbes, and deter animals.

4. Build A Barrier

No matter what you do, you may still struggle to keep animals out of your compost bin. That’s especially true if you live in a rural area with lots of animals that don’t understand boundaries. In that case, you may want to enclose your compost bin with a barrier. 

Some people immediately assume that chicken wire is enough to keep animals out of their compost bin. That may work, but it won’t help protect your compost bin if you have lots of rats in the area. Rats can easily chew through chicken wire and or dig beneath it.

You’re better off using thick hardware cloth or welded wire mesh. That way, you can deter rodents and other animals, as well as many bugs. It’s worth using 14-gauge wire, as it can withstand plenty of wear and tear from persistent rodents.

5. Reduce The Moisture Level

You’ve probably noticed the unpleasant smell of overly moist compost. That soggy smell can attract pests to your compost bin if you don’t remedy the problem. Excessive moisture can deplete your compost bin of oxygen, as the decomposition rate slows down. 

Between the soggy smell and the lack of oxygen, excessive moisture can attract many animals. You can reduce the moisture level by turning the compost, removing the lid, and letting the compost sit in the sun. However, you should only do this during the day, as it's when animals are less likely to visit your compost bin.

Stir the compost and move the moist parts to the top of the bin to ensure it dries out quickly. If need be, you can remove some wet compost, set it on a tarp in the sun, and let it dry. Cover your compost bin anytime that rain is in the forecast to avoid this problem.

6. Deter Them With Scents

You’re not alone if you prefer to use natural remedies for common household, yard, and compost problems. That includes deterring animals, which you can do with many natural scents and household items. For example, you can scatter some cayenne pepper, lavender, and mint on your compost pile to deter animals.

These strong scents and the oils within them can convince many animals to stay away from your compost bin. Citrus peels and egg shells are also effective, but it’s best to use a mixture of natural deterrents. Some people even put used cat litter in their compost bins, but that’s inadvisable.

Not only will that make your compost bin smell terrible, but it may negatively impact the bacteria in the bin. You’re better off sprinkling some cinnamon and cayenne in and around your compost bin, as the animals will smell it, but you won’t.

7. Clean Your Messes

Composting can get quite messy, between adding new materials to your bin and stirring it as needed. Spilling organic materials on the ground around your compost bin is almost unavoidable, especially while multitasking. However, leaving such messes behind can, unfortunately, help animals find your compost bin, which is what you want to avoid.

Carefully inspect the area around your compost bin each time you add more organic materials. That way, you can catch anything that you accidentally spilled and add it back to your compost pile. Doing so can help contain the odors to the bin itself, which will help make your compost bin less detectable to animals.

While you’re at it, it’s also a good idea to check the area around your compost bin for signs of animal behavior and nests. Look for small, softball-sized nests made of plant matter and debris near your compost bin. It’s worth calling a pest control company if you have an infestation on your hands.

Summing It Up

Where you place your compost bin is important. Choose a location in an open area, so animals will feel less inclined to rummage through it. It also helps to build a small barrier around your compost bin and secure the bin by weighing the lid down. Reduce the moisture level, deter animals with strong scents such as mint and cayenne pepper, and turn the compost pile weekly, if not every few days, to keep pests away and help the decomposition process.

Related Guides:

• 16 Things You Shouldn’t Put In Your Compost
• How Can You Tell When Your Compost Is Finished?