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Can hamster bedding/droppings be composted?

LittlegardenLittlegarden Posts: 105
in Wildlife gardening
I have a compost bin on the go and regularly add to it. If I start adding hamster waste, will that attract other rodents?

Or would it be best to put it in the council green waste? Does anyone have any experience of this?
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Posts

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I used to put my rabbits waste in the compost.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No experience but I think as long as it's all from a vegetarian diet it's fine and will be a rich addition.  We put waste bedding and poo form our chooks onn the compost heap and they are omnivores, eating slugs, snails, insects and worms.   No rats in the compost and no smells.   

    I wouldn't add solids from cat litter tho as they are meat eaters.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2021
    A colleague who kept show cavies would bring the cage litter in a bin bag to work each week and leave it under my car in the office car park for me to bring home for my compost heap. Initially it alarmed security who thought disgruntled clients were boobytrapping my car 😱. (we were a children’s social worker team). The droppings were a great addition to the compost ...  high in nitrogen and a great ‘activator’. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LittlegardenLittlegarden Posts: 105
    Great to hear! I just think finding a rat will put me off compost making. I will try it out then and hopefully I can stop adding paper. It may even speed up the composting??
  • PurpleRosePurpleRose Posts: 538
    I have a friend with a rabbit. She often brings a carrier bag of used rabbit bedding round. Shame I am allergic to rabbits. I have to wait for Mr PurpleRose to get round to assisting me add it to the compost.
  • LittlegardenLittlegarden Posts: 105
    Thank you for all sharing your composting experiences! It has inspired me and I have added this mornings bedding. If it speeds things up that will be an extra bonus! 
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    I'm another one who has added rabbit bedding in the past. It's good stuff!
    East Lancs
  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    My brother adds guinea pig bedding to his compost and it seems to speed things up considerably!
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    Hamster waste is fine on the compost. 
  • LittlegardenLittlegarden Posts: 105
    Great! Thank you all!
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