'Something's' moved into the compost bin

[deltadelta48]

It could also be a grass snake as they tend to inhabit compost bins to keep warm in winter whist they hibernate

Yikes! But do snakes eat potatoes? If I saw a snake in my bin I would sell the house and move to a high rise building.

[CrazyJay]

Grass snakes are OK - they are completely harmless. Adders are our most dangerous snake in the UK, and even their bite is only liable to make you ill rather than prove to be fatal - (In most cases anyway.)

I sometimes forget how lucky we are in the UK when it comes to dangerous animals. The most dangerous animals in this country usually come with a person tied to the end of them wearing a burberry cap.

ps - I'm sure it's not one of those moved into your compost.

[Anniemcc2]

Whatever it is, the bin's being emptied this week - with our Jack Russell in attendance!

[MHTTrading]

No a grass snake wouldn't chuck out two buckets of compost although it would disturb quite a bit as they wriggle around trying to make room to settle down, usually in the deepest part of the compost where its warmest.

Even if it is a grass snake there's little to worry about as apart from giving a nasty bite they are quite harmless.

Not like the guy who rang up when I was an RSPCA controller to tell me he had found a snake at the side of the road, I asked him to describe it and was told it was red and black (so obviously not native to UK) I then asked him the location of the snake. and this is when I really started to wonder about his sanity.

He said " Well I found it at the side of the road, it was very lethargic so I picked it up and put it around my neck to warm it up, after a while it woke up and bit me on the neck before quickly slithering off"... "what shall I do now ?" My response was you'd better get someone to take you to A&E... and fast.

Now it may have been perfectly harmless as I know little about exotic snakes, but who in their right mind would think putting an unidentified but obviously an exotic snake around their neck a good idea.. DOH!!

[CarnoustieCats]

Whatever it is, the bin's being emptied this week - with our Jack Russell in attendance!

Wear your wellies!! And let us know what you find (I think)

[deltadelta48]

Grass snakes are OK - they are completely harmless. Adders are our most dangerous snake in the UK, and even their bite is only liable to make you ill rather than prove to be fatal - (In most cases anyway.)

I sometimes forget how lucky we are in the UK when it comes to dangerous animals. The most dangerous animals in this country usually come with a person tied to the end of them wearing a burberry cap.

ps - I'm sure it's not one of those moved into your compost.

Yes we have a bit of everything here in Wisconsin and in the big city. too. Skunks, possums, raccoons, coyotes, wolves and cougers occasionally, deer, mink, weasles, badger, fox, moose in northern Wisconsin. Not many snakes in city, but we do have rattlers in southwest Wisconsin by the Mississippi. The coyotes have moved into the city and occasionally confront dog walkers. I have seen them walking down the street like little mangy princes; they are quite tough looking animals. Live in any wood or in rough areas near roads etc.

Just last year a big black cougar was sighted near here, and ended up near Chicago and was killed when it wandered into town. So we have it all.

Gosh, can hardly wait to see what is in her bin. A cougar????? I am sure your little terrier would handle anything in a second or two.

[MHTTrading]

I just hope its not that small alligator that has been spotted in your area... Only Kidding

[Anniemcc2]

The saga of what was in/under the compost bin has been resolved - a rat.

After we'd emptied the bin and re-set it on concrete slabs, the 'visitor' came back and moved in under the slabs, and also managed to still get into the bin through a minute overhang.

Badge (our Jack Russell) flushed it yesterday lunchtime after much
digging............ .......... I saw it's face
It got away across next door's garden (Eric saw it) and into the next field.

So the bin is now surrounded by rocks and bricks and big stones to try and stop the blighter digging in again.

[pique]

Got it right for a change then!!

[deltadelta48]

The saga of what was in/under the compost bin has been resolved - a rat.

After we'd emptied the bin and re-set it on concrete slabs, the 'visitor' came back and moved in under the slabs, and also managed to still get into the bin through a minute overhang.

Badge (our Jack Russell) flushed it yesterday lunchtime after much
digging............ .......... I saw it's face
It got away across next door's garden (Eric saw it) and into the next field.

So the bin is now surrounded by rocks and bricks and big stones to try and stop the blighter digging in again.

Badge gets a biscuit!!!! Yaayyy. Leave any tough job to a terrier and that job gets done.

The poor rat now has to rough it for the winter. That bin must have looked like one endless smogasborg!