Trash can recomendations

Our neighborhood has a bit of a rodent problem and they chewed through the bottom of my trash can. It seemed to get worse with the pandemic as they migrated away from the restaurants. And worse still with the brood X cicadas.


Does anyone know a 40-50 gallon trash can with wheels with a metal clad or liner? I was thinking of getting some fine chicken wire or something, but I don't want to buy a new one to have it chewed through again. We're putting out some bait boxes too.

Thank you!

 

55 gallon barrel?

 

I don’t know if the trash company would pick up a barrel.

 

I think I might store trash in a metal, covered barrel. Then on trash day, move the bags into a wheeled plastic, covered barrel.

If you put out a metal barrel, it'll get dented and the cover won't fit as tight, IMO.

 

mice chew a hole a little smaller than a golf ball.
rats chew a hole a little bigger than a golf ball
squirrels chew a baseball size hole
I've had mice and squirrels chew holes in plastic containers.
I use one of these for sunflower seeds as I want to keep them in the garage rather than the house.

Problem with these is the garbage guys throw them around and they get dented rather easy and then the critters are getting in them again.
Can you keep bags in a 55 gallon drum and transfer them to a plastic barrel on trash day ? Or no barrel ?

 

I think transferring from metal on trash day is a viable plan. I can put non food waste directly in the wheely plastic one.

thanks for the input!

I am surprised there is no version with composite or wire mesh in the plastic. But no doubt they would find a way in eventually anyways.

 

Yeah, poison is coming. I’ve had a few talks with different neighbors. It is real easy to point fingers and/or get defensive when it comes to rats, but we all want to get it taken care of. One even suggested my wood stacks were their highway/playground. I think taking away the buffet is step #1. There were also concerns about dogs getting to the poisoned rats and getting poisoned, but I think we have a good compromise/ plan. Poison for a month and then switch to traps. And be real careful with the dogs in the meantime.

 

Traps - yes
Poison - I won't use it. Too much of a chance of secondary poisonings.

 

When I have something like a chicken carcass, I'll put it in a plastic grocery bag and into the freezer with it. Then, out on trash day.

Same treatment with those steak/pork/chicken diapers. Those things under the meat. Some are lightly glued to the tray.

 

I've seen some bad stuff here in MA this year. Almost a whole family of great horned owls had it and passed away. There was a bald eagle too. Sorry, I don't mean to be a downer. Traps are good.

Pop rivets with washers and hardware cloth can do the trick on holes or aluminum flashing and zip screws.

There are repellant sprays that are absolutely putrid. Diluted bleach sprayed on the outside is good too.

 

Good examples of unintended consequences. Thanks for the reinforcement!

 

This is what I do also!

 

My chicken carcasses, I save in the freezer to make broth with in the pressure cooker, but then there are the leftovers from that. …Kind of hard to talk about food on a pest thread.

 

Any guess on what the material is? Some rodents can gnaw their way through plastic.

Nice product if raccoons are the only concern.