|
Mon, Dec 12, 11 at 8:44
| A possom made a very large "dump" on our patio. It's been raining for a couple of days, so I haven't gone out to clean it up. Check out the "I've been vandalized" thread on the garden junk forum for details. As a formerly avid composter, the thought of bagging it & throwing it in the trash almost seems like a waste. I'm curious: IF I had a very hot & active pile going (I don't) would it be safe to compost ? Or is poop from a wild animal considered a definite no-no ? - Laura |
Follow-Up Postings:
|
- Posted by fabaceae_native (My Page) on Mon, Dec 12, 11 at 11:18
| The fact that an animal is wild should have no bearing on whether it's feces make good compost. Think about bat and seabird guano, etc... However, most sources caution against composting the feces of carnivorous animals, such as cats and dogs. Opossums are apparently omnivores, and eat a lot of carrion (according to Wikipedia!), so they would probably fall into that caution category. But, after reading the Humanure handbook a few years back, I would hesitate to say that any kind of fecal matter is not safely compostable with the right methods (it may take many many years however). I would simply bury the stuff in a hole where it can quickly decompose in safety... |
|
- Posted by mommyandme2 none (My Page) on Mon, Dec 12, 11 at 11:39
| That sounds like a good idea. There is a small patch of shrubbery at the side of our house. Maybe I can bury it there. |
|
| We are not supposed to compost the manure produced by our domesticated cats and dogs because that can contain disease pathogens that will adversly affect us and potentially intestinal worms we could ingest if the compost was used on food crops. Any animal manure can contain disease pathogens that can cause some pretty bad diseases in us if not properly composted. Humanure can do the same, if not properly handled. Over the years questions have arisen here about composting the feces of deer, wild rabbits, raccoons, etc. I do not recall anyone asking about opossums before however, but I would not hesitate to compost that manure, just as I do that of deer, wild rabbits, etc. |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Soil Forum
Instructions
- You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
- HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
- No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.