outdoor reservoir with dead rodents

[globe_toker]

hey farmers, hope everyone has had a great start this year!

so i always run into this problem. my outdoor containers that collect rain water seem attract mice and sometimes chipmunks and they end up drowning. now this year i have removed a few bodies that were just soft and didnt decompose yet. in the past i have had mice break down completely without even nowing it. i literally found a mice skeleton in the water one day lol. i havent seen any adverse effects but was curious if this has any toxic effect to the plants.

what do yall think? it happens every year but i cant find a solution to prevent it. im cool with it but if its bad for the plants something has to be done.


cheers.

 

[Chobble]

Its not toxic(To the plants), Just good to clean em out before you fill your tank up for the season. Depending on where you live I know rodents can carry a plethora of disease, so dont drink it unless your sure its all good.

Chobble

 

[fishwhistle]

screen the tops of containers maybe?

 

[Mogrow]

chipmunk nutes ??/// i think you're on to something.......

 

[Chobble]

chipmunk nutes ??/// i think you're on to something.......

Mean Compost tea...

screen the tops of containers maybe?

Thats a great idea.

 

[cephalopoda]

plants love decomposing animals. can only see it being good for them. for you on the other hand, not so good. could bring disease to the water, so be careful

 

[ethnoman]

On occasion when I've had rats become a problem around the house and I've used rat traps to catch them, I'll bury the rats next to plants I'm growing outdoors, either cannabis or others. It's always seemed to have done good.

Other times I'll just toss them into the compost and later use that.

So I would think that a few dead animals in your reservoir would not pose an issue, other than a potential health issue if you were drinking that water (which you obviously should not).

 

[kolah]

I use to get dead critters in my horse troughs all the time, crows, squirrel, mice, voles and even freaking rabbits.. I wrap a few pieces of wood with chicken wire and let them float on top. Critters go there to drink and it gives them something to cling onto.

You can also buy screen metal meshing with 1/2" square openings and cover them up completely. (like Fishwhistle suggested) But remember mice can squeeze through 1/4" openings.

Critters can carry disease and parasites.

 

[vaporedout]

ha everyone tells me to get a dog to help with rippers, now i can tell someone to "adopt a cat" and you shouldnt have any more probs. also i second the screen idea

 

[serpent]

had a dead raccon in my water tank over the winter.one drop of bleach per gallon of water.anything dead in your water supply is not good.make sure you dont have cuts on your hand when handling water or wear good gloves.

 

[Badmf]

I've had the same issue, covered the containers, screen would work, do you have pests eating plants too? I had rcoons and rats doin that with rats and field mice in the rezs. predp piss works too. Had ti use solar electric fence for coons though.

 

[ttystikk]

not sure what the shape and size of your container is, but why not just put a plank crossways, one end in the water, the other end on the edge? If it's not too steep for the critters to climb, they'll self-rescue. Or, use Kolah's floating screen idea.

While decomposing animal parts is good organic fertilizer, you really want that process to have moved towards completion before considering giving it to the plants. Dead rodent bodies in water isn't far enough along to be helpful.

 

[Badmf]

I toss em round the area it makes the others think twice.