Didn't know whether to put it here or in wild life

Someone asked to have look in my compost bins today So off I went, opened one, looked great, opened the other....and there was this rodent on top of compost, looking at me, like... I slammed lid shut and fortunately, the peeps had got talking about something else and forgotten all about the compost bins.... Didn't want to scare them see...
Cos.... I don't know whether it was a rat or a mouse
How can you tell?

Bother... I've googled and I think it was a rat Rhubarb leaves it is then

Ooh er missus!!!

I got stung by wasps today. The recnt wind ripped some of hte plastic covering my shoiteheap so I tried to pul some carpet over the exposed bit. Some wasps have set up home in it it seems and weren't best pleased.

Wasp.... or wasps ? You ok? You're in good hands though with Debs

Not bothered by a few wasp sting me - I've been bitten by an adder before so wasps are just - well they're just...

The word you're looking for is...nasty, Ady, nasty If you're allergic or something, which it seems you're not, so.... what exactly is your problem>?
What about my rat?

ees hamster.......

Looked like a 'amster Does that mean it's a rat?
I can't ask OH see, cos he's got a phobia about rats

Stand by the compost bin with a shovel. Get your OH to lift the lid and shout Boo!!! and when the rat comes out - smack it with the shovel. It worked in Ring of Bright Water!

nutter There's a lot of clapping from next door, who scored?

Dunno, really, I from Barthelona....

rats have thicker hairless tails and are much bigger than mice. Meeces are ickle and have very long tails in relation to their size and longer, pointier noses

Yeah, I think this one was rat, was big Didn't have much time to take good look cos ...
Cos the conversation went... Ooooh you have compost And does it really work? don't you get vermin?
Me 'yeah, yeah, noooo....' then I opened lid

did it look owt like this

OMG Dom I would be sooo freaked out if it was me - I didn't even want compost heaps on my plot for that very reason!!! (Yeah, I know, not a very good attitude for someone with an allotment)

Can I just ask what will probably seem like a really stoopid question? What is the relevance of rhubarb leaves?

And Ady, an adder??

well, I had a Mr Rat in my compost heap last year ... and I asked.. and Mr Imp said 'rhubarb leaves:and it did the trick I'm gonna have a proper look tomorrow, and upset the compost heap

oh bloody ell Dom, rats are big feckers so don't mess with it Get the rat man in to deal with it, or failing that whack it with a shovel as Adey says

Do I put poison?

That's what pest control use and it's very effective

ok I'm on the case

Thanks all